The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-11-22

''This war is grim and gruesome
task but men will fight and women will
work bravely, gravely, untiringly, I'M
til we win. -
This statement from a war-Wife who
knows war-life from sad experience is
typical Of the spirit which dominated
the meeting at the Rhode Opera House
on Monday afternoon when Mrs. III. r.
Peat, wife Of Private Peat of the Third
Canadian Brigade, told more than
twelve hundred Kenosha women the
story of her life in London since the
outbreak of the war.
Mrs. Peat was real headliner and
started the activities of Patriotic Week
with an enthusiasm that augurs well
for succeeding lectures. Born and
reared in Ulster she had twinkle in
her eye and wit in her expression
that told Enthusiastically Of the "ould
sod" and gave her speech that rare
charm which comes from Celtic fantasy
and Irish humor. She spoke for more
than an hour and half and at no time
lost the attention of her audience or
wavered for an instant in her thrilling
story of life and love in wartime Lon
don.
Preceding the gathering at the Rhode
Mrs. Peat was informally entertained
at the home of Mrs, Alfred Terrell by
a reception committee composed of
Mrs. II. B. Robinson, Mrs. D. 0. Head,
Mrs Mary D. Bradford and Mrs. AL
fred Terrell. Following her address she
was the guest of Mrs. E. L. Grant until
her return to Chicago shortly before
six o'clock
Mrs. Peat was delighted with her re-
ception and entertainment and warmly
commended Kenosha women for their
hospitality, their sociability and their
patriotism.
Introduced by Mrs. Bradford.
After Miss Edna Cameron had led in
singing "The Star-Spangled Banner, !"
Mrs Mary D. Bradford presented Mrs.
Peat.
"Today as we silently watched the
great procession move out Market
street." began Mrs. Bradford, eve
suddenly understood that we were real
ly at war. Despite the work of the
newspapers and the graphic accounts
in books we have not as yet fully
awakened to the gruesome fact that we
are actually fighting; but today it was
brought home to US in forcible way
as we saw wives, mothers and sweet
hearts try bravely to smile while they
waved fearful goodbye to husbands,
sons and lovers. 1t was a tragic spec
tacle but necessary adjunct to war.
Without complete realization she
continued, "there can never be com
plete sympathy To the end that we
may achieve the one and so secure the
other we have brought to you this af-
ternoon Mrs. Fl. r. Peat, formerly of
the London Chronicle, and late of mu-
nitions plants in various parts of Eng
land who will talk to you on the
topic of women in the War-Zone'.',
6uAOSAHSo Il ASutlI$5 NIGH.
cit thrills me-" said Mrs. Peat in
opening her address, "to hear that YOU
have sent company of men to war
today. God bless those boys. We can t
do half as much for them as they viii
do for us.
After all, the soldier fights for his
womerfolk. He volunteers for his
country and his flag but in the heat of
the battle it is the thought of woman
that nerves him to the supreme strug-
gle and gives him the vim and yicor
required for victory.
" went out for my king, my Eng
land, and the Union Jack Tommy
Atkins told me, but when I went over
the top went over for my mother
"a Sprig of Myrtle"
And the women are worthy of this
courage" she went on. II cannot saw
enough for the patience and the pa
triotism of the noble women Of France.
| remember one in particular peasant
woman of Ypres who had husband
and two sons killed at the front and a
daughter carried away to Prussia
they tried to persuade her to move
away from the lines but she thought
for some reason or other that she was