The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-01-14
is CITY OF
HEART BROKEN WOMEN
War Puts Them to Supreme
Test But They Are Meet
ing 1t Bravely.
Zoe Beckley. in the New York Mail.

~" i|SthISyI Va t4lS 4NSN i 4o"Ai'
Berlin is a city of saddened women.
They make change on the buses and
tram cars In place OF the men gone to
war. They keep the shops. They sweep
the streets. Actresses, singers. store
managers-all the higher paid workers
are living in fair comfort on what they
have saved. Others are buying 10 pfen-
mig dinners which the government pro-
Vldes Those who have not the TO
pfennigs. but do have appetites, eat
what their kind hearted rich sisters
cook and distribute for them at stations
around the city. For the rest-well,
there are many too heartsick to eat.
These are the war widows, who wero
given 10 minutes at many mobilization
centers in which to marry their soldier
sweethearts If they choose thus to in
sure their little pension money.
Edith Donnerberg Dunaew, who
would be famed as a beauty If she
would deserve honors for being the
happiest married woman in the world"
has just arrived from the stricken city
of Berlin, where she was taking a uni
Verslty course In philosophy.
Impressions Confused.
II am feeling too nightmarish yet
she laughed, ito talk intelligently. My
mind is one confused tumble Of impress
slons--women's tears, mutilated sold
'ers. hungry babies, artillery rafting
on country roads. girls knitting stock
Ing as they take kaffee kiatsch in pub
lie cafes. women collecting hospital
supplies, old men and children doing
strong mems work. oh, this war, which
IS rending Germany and which / be-
lieve will go on until her last soldier
fallsi"
Before I escaped from Berlin" went
on Mime. Dunaew, IT saw sights that
Will stay in my heart forever.
THE CITY is full OF girls and women
who force their lips to a patriotism
their souls reject. A mother utters the
words. My sons died for their coun-
try; l am glad But her heart withers
as she says 1t.
In Berlin I worked for the Red
Cross. Everybody helped who was able
to hold a needle or make a soup,
u have seen scores of girls who a
ried their soldier sweethearts 10 min
utes after the first call to war, and
found their names in the list Of killed
within a week thereafter.
Many Marry In Haste.
THAT is the way to marry, though.
The woman who falters and questions
and wants time to prepare is not the
woman who truly loves. She who
knows real love knows 1t instantly,
and should trust her heart.
"But-we were talking of Berlin and
Its little wal widows! Something sad
der still is when the soldier-sweetheart-
husband comes back from the battle
field MANNED and crushed. Limbs gone,
eyes put out, reason shattered. Oh,
these are the terrible tests!
Il have watched hospital scenes dra-
matte enough, tragic enough, to build a
hundred plays upon. I have seer girls
rush out, bring back a priest and go
through the marriage ceremony right
there while the poor, shattered creature
on the cot wept half in protest at h
sweetheart's sacrifice, half in grateful
joy.
And I have seen the other side;
when the girl couldn't accept her cruel
fate; when her spirit crumpled under
the test; when she turned away from
the manned form. unable to endure
what fac required of her.
War is woman's supremest test in
every way. l pray the women OF Amer
lea may never be called upon to en-
dure such anguish as their sisters In
Germany are bearing today"