The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1917-08-18

doctors, dentists, tailors, lawyers
and a squad Of police officers
used up the entire day in try
y ing to "strafe" Mrs. Sophie B.
German.
Mrs. German is a small woman
and her opponents are big, strong
men. When the weary sun went
down, the valiant lady held the
hard-fought field and the big,
strong men had "dug in'' wher-
ever they could find shell holes.
The big, strong men have sent
out s. o. S. calls for reinforce
ments and, if they arrive, they
hope to overpower and capture
the one little, lone woman.
But, before Mrs. German tastes
defeat or consents to surrender,
there will be weeping and wall
ing in several prominent homes
in Lester Park over big, strong
men who will bite the dust, just
as sure as war gardens grow or
water runs.
This worst war in the glorious
history of Lester Park started
over a war garden.
When Thomas F. Cole was in
his heydey as a purveyor of cop
per stocks to crazy tip-seekers in
Duluth, he snapped some real
money for a bit Of real estate in
block 81 at Lester Park. Messrs.
Little & Nolte are the reputed
agents of that property.
Back in the gladstone spring
time of 1915, a big bunch Of
boys yearned for a base ball
park. Mrs. German took interest
in the desire and helped secure
Mr.. Coles property for base ball
purposes. The city put up the
back-stop and the city grader
and roller were used on the
grounds. Since that time, sew
eral hundred dollars have been
expended in improving the ball
grounds. The boys raised money
for uniforms and many a young
Kelly has taken glorious slides to
third base or even across the
home plate on those grounds.
Then came the call for war
gardens. DR.. Henry E. Webster,
DR.. William S. Storer, H. w.
Hodgon, the tailor, and perhaps
others, proposed to plant gar
den that would win the war in
Europe. Their fancy fastened on
the base ball park of the boys Of
Lester Park for a garden site.
Fact and fancy are sadly tan
gled in the claims as to the con-
troll of that properly and it is a
matter of law and evidence to
properly untangle things. To
date, entanglements steadily get
worse instead Of better.
Late in July the boys came
to Mrs. German with request
that she aid them in getting back
the base ball grounds, so sud-
denly and unexpectedly con-
verified into war garden by the
big, strong, patriotic professional
men at Lester Park.
Mrs. German promised to. do
her little bit to the desired end.
Sunday afternoon, July %,
1917, Mrs. German and the base
ball boys event over" and at
tempted to recover the base ball
grounds. Two teams, a road
grader and several strong men
were used in the dash. In short
order the .alleged war garden
was a sad wreck.
But Mrs. German and her base
ball boys did not have things all
their own way. There was sud
den gathering of the big, strong
men. Some Of the men were &C.
companied by their wives and
daughters. Swear words and bit
ing invectives were hurled at
Madam General German. One
prominent society doctor it is
alleged, threatened to smash"
her with his gold-headed cane.
"She's a she-devil!" screamed
one young society bud.
''She's crazy'' shouted dig
nified matron.
'She's a German spy" yelled
s3other perfect lady,
~ { hot for shot, hit for whack,
tit for tat was handed her oppon-
entS by Madam General German.