The Washington times., 1917-04-26
No. 175,138 Is Wounded;
+ Mother AwaitS Mems Here
Will Covert, Fighting In France for Principle
Writes CHEEKY, Manly Letter, Then
Goes Into Thick of Battle

Over there in France, in a crowd
ed hospital near Boulogne, No. 49,
13S lies wounded-just one OF a mil
lion.
Here in Washington, waiting pa
tientIy for news of her sons recov-
cry, is the mother of a soldier
wounded in France, fighting for our
allies. She also, is just one in a
million.
For No. 1T5,13s, is an American
boy. His mother is Mrs. William
Covert, and she lives at 4o4 W street
northeast.
William, her boy, was wounded not
long ago in the great offensive OF
the British. His mother has just
been notified in a cablegram from
France.
Adventures Into War.
Two years ago this May, Will Co
vert left for Canada The spirit OF
adventure which has led SO many
American boys to enlist for France
or England was not alone respon-
sible for Wills departure. He left
his home to fight for principles he
believed right.
During the year he was in train
ing in a concentration camp in Can
ada, Will often wrote his mother, his
sister, and his father. When he at
last left with his regiment, and land
ed in Europe, and was stationed with
his regiment somewhere in France"
he still wrote, and each week his
mother received a letter from
France.
These letters, always cheerful,
never told the location Of the troops
with which VIII served. And day by
day his mother and father. knowing
him to be with General Haig, read
the newspapers and figured out just
where he was over there in France.
The last letter received from VIII
was written on the 17th OF March
St Patrick's day-and this letter was
written only a short time before Will
was wounded.
sighs for His Beloved.
Just here, it may be, is a good
place to insert this letter:
Dear Mother: 'Tis st. Patrick's
day, and IT brings with IL remem-
brances of those delightful little
parties I had at home, two years ago
today. The dear ones, relatives and
friends, are now separated from me,
and sigh to think of being away
from them. But it is just one of
those sighs that occasionally escape
me in my moments OF reflection. Out
in this land of horrors I experience
many conflicting emotions, but 1t has
been my fortune so far to be mostly
happy and careless. To be otherwise
I would be unable to stand the strain.
zone must not think too much of
home. however dear he holds IL in his
heart. Such thoughts have a tendency
to make one Respondent and down
hearted. But there are times when
one is alone with his thoughts, and
they Just naturally drift home, and
one simply cannot help from giving
way to his feelings.
However. 1 comfort myself with
the realization that the end of the
fighting is in sight and 1 will soon be
home with you again.
Foresees Great Crisis.
with renewed strength and cour-
age am about to approach the crisis
stage of my military career.
"In the coming battle, probably to
be the most gigantic and scientific
the world has ever seen, there are
bound to be many killed and wounded
in action. But we go forward, know
ing that our artillery is superior TO
that OF the enemy. Confident that we
are the victors-to-be, every man in our
outfit is as cheerful as he would be
even under better circumstances. All
have the greatest desire to pull
through but there are no towards
and none is afraid to die. I am ready
now to trust myself to fate, and am
going into battle with the intention
OF returning.
"In the meantime, dear mother, be
OF good cheer, keep strong. and don't
worry about me. Remember, though
am not representing my country
in this war. 1 am fighting for the
same rights and liberty which are
synonymous with her principles.
I'VE had a drum-head service in the
morning. Our chaplain prayed for us,
that we might take our, objective.
WILL COVERT"
Then the Charge.
And so, VIII, fighting for the prin-
ciple OF the thing, went into battle,
trying to forget those at home and
trust to fate to guide him through-to
help him pull through" His ready
smile was there. no doubt, when the
order passed down the long trench
that the time had come to charge.
And, perhaps, his good old American
"hurrahs." blended with the "vivas"
OF the French near him, aided them
onward when they charged across a
shell-plowed field, somewhere over
there in France.
But VIII was struck, not with one
bullet. but with several. The mill
tary cablegram received by his mother
showed that. II took more than one
German bullet to stop Will. Perhaps
he was struck several times, and
gritting his teeth, smiling, he rushed
on until another brought him to the
ground.
His mother brought out a picture OF
her soldier boy and showed II today.
The picture is that OF a typical, clean
cut, American boy, handsome in his
smile showing his even teeth.
He's "a Good Boy
"You notice how he smiles," said
the little mother. at is just like him.
When he used to come home along the
street there and / looked out OF the