The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-05-18

you. lie said, Please thank them
tor me-" One boy asked for two
roses.-a white and red-the white
for his own dear mother and the rcd
for his foster mother. And so hey
came and went all day; in their hearts
thanks for your flowers and love for
their mothers.
If you had not sent these flowers
there would not have been one for
the boys.
i must tell you Of another way ia
which they expressed their thanks to
you. When l went to mess that day
they had bouquent on my table
one lone bay blossom in a pickle bot
tie. But | feel honOred all the same.
for mine was the only table so deco
rated.
l want to ask you to send me some
flowers again soon. / want to take
them 10 the field hospital where the
boys are who have the mumps | went
to see them the other day and they
were delighted at my coming. They
said / was the only woman that had
paid them call. Every visitor goes
to the base hospital, but as these boys
are only about a mile from us | can
walk to them more easily than / can
to the hospital, which is about three
miles away
The soldiers who have been to
Sumter county have reported such
splendid time that an officer told me
the other day that, to show their
thanks and appreciation they were
going to send the 3lSth band to stay
one Sunday and give you a concert
1 thought this was just fine. But then
this is the grandest army that ever
passed on earth and the smallest kind
ness is most deeply appreciated If you
could only see how their faces shine
when they come back and tell me OF
all the good times they had on their
home going" trip. l feel that / am
dreadfully selfish because you are
sowing the seed and / am seeing the
harvest
The boys have never gotten over
the nice jelies that the Junior Chris.
tian Endeavorers sent. One man to
whom / gave a glass hugged it in hi
hands and pressed it to his face as "a
child would a doll. Can't you send me
some more, or something nice, fO
the poor boys who were hurt i'm the
wreck? They are all in our wards
in the surgical wards where l carry
your flowers. l am anxious for the
scrap books to come from the Junior
Society at Mayesville, as they will
shorten many dreary hour for thes,
boys.
l heard this story from a soldier
His brother was in one of the wreck
ed cars. When he came to himself he
was lying between two dead soldier.
with his feet sticking out of the win
dow so he jumped out onto the
ground and the first thing he saw was
a young corporal who landed beside
him and Immediately called the rol'
of his company, every man Of whom
answered to his name, except one
Every one is loud i'm his praise of the
nerve and presence of mind of these
men. One of our secretaries who wa:
at the base hospital asked a nurse i
there was anything he could do for
the hurt soldiers. She gave him quite
a large sum Of money and told him
that a captain had left it to buy fruit
and candy for his men and asked him
to go buy it for them.
Sunday afternoon and evening tho
boys were gathered i'm knots about
the Y building, talking OF their moth
srs and telling stories of how they left
home. Each one leaving in the way
he thought ii would be easiest for his
mother to bear and many of them
said now that / am away from home
| don't want to so back, for it IL too
hard to say goodbye" / forgot to
tell you how much pleased the nurse
was with the Afghan. 1t was the first
she had ever seen and she said il was
fine to throw over the boys when they
were i'm rolling chairs out on the piaz-
"a, and was wishing she could have
enough for her ward. The Junior Red
Cross at her home had made little nil
lows for her ward for the soldiers to
use when they sat up.
With love and many thanks TO Won
"a