The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-09-23
With Three Children, Try
ing To Escape.
BOY DIES IN A WAR TRENCH
And Is Buried BY Mother
Girl Dies From Exposure
One Left.
TRIALS OF AMERICAN MOTHER

New York. Sept. iJ.--Mrs. Anna
Gibbs, of Berkeley, Cal, has arrived
on the Campania with her three
year-old daughter Maftha. she had
buried two other children in Russia.
When her cousin, standing on the
pier, saw her in black he called out ::
Where are Curtis and Anna?"
Mrs. Gibbs, who is about thirty
two years old. Hurst into tears and
said, pointing 10 Martha: She is
all have"
Mrs. Gibbs tod reporters that she
had taken her three children TO
Wirballen in June, leaving her hus-
band, Curtis Gibbs, at none in
Berkeley. The eldest. Curtis. was
seven years old; Orleana Anna, tie
second, was foui and Martha three.
when the fighting began OF Au-
gust LIST between the Russian and
German forces on the frontier ! YVES
with my married sister in Wirballen.
We could hear the guns in the dis
lance, and the people were all leav-
ing town before the herman soldiers
should come, as they we're AFRAID Of
HE Uhlans.
lon August I'd / started with the
three children for a walk toward
wilma, where had some friends,
but had only gone about half mile
from town when found that we
were right in the midst of the Rus
sian soldiers, and that had walked
in the wrong direction.
The soldiers were very hind.
They seized the thrce children from
me and carried them into the
trenches. as the shells were Shrek
ing in the air above us. A Sergeant
told me we. should all be killed in
another minute if We went on.
Il spent the night lying in the
trenches with my children looking
up at the stars, which shone down
upon the soldiers of the battlefield
The day before | had noticed that
Curtis had a little fever. but did
not think it was anything serious.
In the night he became worse, Ow-
ing to the noise of the guns and the
exposure, and died in my arms at
dawn.
The soldiers shared their tea
and black bread with me and my
remaining two children, and as the
firing had ceased | started back to
Wirballen carrying the body of my
boy in my arms with Anna and
Martha hanging to my skirts.
THE place seemed deserted, so
walked on until | came TO an under
takers shop which | entered and
called out to see If any one was
there. No reply came, so | found
a coffin. laid out my boy in it and
carried it on my shoulder to the
house of my brother-in-law. They
had all gone, too, so | dug a grave
in the soft soil in the garden and
put the coffin into it. had no
strength to do more and the child
rem We're crying for food.
Il remained in Wirballen until
August Z. and then felt strong
enough to start again on the road
to Wilma with my two remaining
children. BY walking and OCCASION
ally getting a ride in farmers
cart | reached wilma in three days,
where my second child. Orleana
Anna, died from the exposure and
lack of nourishment and | buried
her there in the little Russian ceme-
terry.
by this time | had become inur-
ed to hardship and sorrow. did
not care for my own life, but | was
determined to bring my youngest
child. Martha, back to her father
From wilma | planned to get out of
Russia by way of Sweden, and
managed to reach Ado. Finland.
was penniless and did not know
what to do until | providentially met
Mrs. Marie Louise Bruce. of Ho-
boken. who lent me money. and We
travelled together to Stockholm.
IN.