The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-05-29
MOTHER OF HERO
IS PROUD OF HIM
Son Of Blind Texas Woman
Carried First Flag at Vimy.
He WILL COME HOME SOON

Bob Davis, That unknown Texan
Always Was a Good Boy and Sent
Kiss Home In Every Letter From the
Front-He Went Because He Saw
His Duty.
A few days ago word rang through
the land that the Stars and Stripes at
last had appeared on the battle front
IN France. An unknown Texan the
dispatches said, had carried the flag
up yimy Ridge when the Canadians
captured that important link in the
German line.
Maybe he was an unknown Texan"
10 the rest of the country, but he wasn't
unknown to little white haired wom-
an at Bland. Tex.
When neighbors read the dispatch to
ber-for she Ia bllnd-the wrinkled,
gentle face lighted up, the bent form
Strengthened.
my boy carried the flag!" she ex-
| claimed. "It was Bobby. l Just know
1t was"
And the mothers intuition seems to
have been right, fer It has been pretty
definitely established that Bob Davis
of Bell county, Tex, was the man who
first took the stars and Stripes Into
action in the great war. Mrs. Davis
has been notified by the British war
office that her son was wounded In
the attack on vimy Ridge. The mea-
ger dispatches telling Of the unknown
Texans" exploit said he had fallen
wounded during the battle.
He viii Come Home Soon.
Bob Davis mother is probably the
proudest woman In the United States
today. The last two years have been
full OF sorrow and dread for her. but
those anguished hours of foreboding
are forgotten now. Her boy mas
proved himself the hero she always
knew him to be, and, best Of all, he
will surely come home soon Tor one or
his feet was shot away, and, or course,
he can be of no more use on the battle
front.
The battle of vimy Ridge was the
climax to Bob Davis wandering, ad-
yenturous career. Finding life monoto-
nous In the tiny Texas village of Bland,
where his father, David Josiah Davis,
was the neighborhood preacher, he left
when a boy and wandered into farof
places. He was in the United States
life saving corps and the regular army
for several years and was In Canada
/
promised new excitement for the nerves
of the tall young Texan, already 1aded
by the routine OF civil life. He at once
enlisted In Canadian expeditionary
force and was sent to Europe early In
1915.
Bob Davis was good son. He never
forgot his aged mother, and he wrote
many letters to her. Knowing she was
blind, he addressed the letters to his
eighteen-year-old niece, Miss Mintie
Jones, and the girl read them to the
white haired woman and wrote the
mothers replies. Every one Of Bob
Davis letters ended with some such an
expression as this; kiss mother fol-
me-" or "Give mother big hug and
KISS Tor me. NaCn leIUeT TeleiIeN Y,
some little incident of Bobs childhood
that he knew would be engraved upor
his mothers memory.
Fought For World Freedom.
1t was not alone spirit Of adventure
that prompted Bob Davis to offer hi
life for the allied cause. This extrao
from one Of his letters proves that fact
Quite few of tho boys who soldier
cd with me have been put out or ac-
ton. They were good boys and great
pals. If I am able to do as much as
they did I will die as know each OF
them died-satished that I have done
my bit for the freedom of the world
and civilization. | have served In the
ranks before. but that was only for
: experience This IN different. / am
here because 1 think 1t Is my duty
. to be.
The Texas legislature plans to homo
Bob Davis In some signal way, prol
ably with fund that will more tina
: offset the handicap of his lost foo
J. And roo there is being planned bi
Homecoming welcome for him when l
a., shall return from Europe. But mol
precious to Bob Davis than these tri
utes undoubtedly will be the loving Ell
G brace of little white haired woma
IS and the words, uttered as only mot
Y er can speak them, my boy, my hero