Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-11-14

| I'll think OF Ally Son a4~ass as ias
ing guns, bayoneting Germans. lying
ia the mud and flth. ] cannot sleep.
I am haunted b. the thought OF the
ir.adfulness of it all, and ! can do
nothing for him"
But there was a great deal that she
could do. and | told her SO.
But WHAT"
There was a pile Of letters on her
desk--letters in pale buf envelopes.
stamped with n red triangle and a
quartet OF magical letters.
There's your answer" ] said.
What do you mcan??'
Those four letters-Y. NJ. G. A.
spell comfort for your boy. amusement.
sympathy. Not all of War is iiShtins.
He isn't always going over the top. or
killing Huns. A lot Of times he is just
tired or homesick or lonely. II is then
that he thinks of you. II is then that
he longs for home. And If you can't
be with him, you can help home to fol
low him"
II WAS hard to make her understand,
as | have found il hard to make Others
understand. In her capacity of moth.
er, she wanted TO minister TO her child.
|: she had had him with her she would
have comforted him, cheered him. but
at long distance what could she do?
Let others do IT," | told her blunt.
| ~. and pay them well for 1t. It is the
cup of cold water they are Offering,
can't you see" You aren't there 10 DO
it. You cant be there. You wouldn't
BE- a bit Of use il YOU were there. But
q salvation Army lassie can hand him
a ~doughnut to hearten him up at the
psychological moment--the huts car
furnish him with amusement, spiritual
unfit. companionsbip, paper TO write
his letters, his Chocolate. cigarettes
you TO give your money. Many women
are giving more; there are many titled
women in London who have sent their
son to fight, have turned their homes
iilp hcFEifehC- tiAf ifcaiN 'NhA ~
money III generous response to every
call. and ara now working as char,
women in ~" c~antcens.
There's the story-have you heard
itr--of the woma who, on her knees
with brush and hot water and soap,
was scrubbing the floor Of the Eagle
Hut, Tie waser IN the pail was black,
The woman wanted the pail emptied
and clean water brought. A man in
uniform came by, and she asked him
10 do il. There was a pause, then his
reply, Dammit, madame, I'm an Of
ficer.' There was 4 tense moment
then the flashing response, Dammit
officer, I'm a duchess
Il don't see how you can joke about
it, said the lady to whom war IA al
fighting.
oh, my dear. my dear" | toll her
"if we can't joke about 1t a little We
shall all be having sleepIess nights
and that would never do
| found as we talked that she was
rather pathetically limited in her con
ception Of the needs Of her son ant
> Of other sons. ! went away with
check in four figures for the cause
yet | am not sure that even now sht
quite comprehends what she has dom
to contribute TO the happiness of th'
boys who have offered their yount
y
lives in our defense
. Let me say this to you who hav,
been tempted to shake your heads an
l pull your purse-strings t%ight--rhe mel
I Over there haven't any homes;
4 trench isn't q home, or a tent, or eyel
i a French farmhouse where one is bill
I leted and sleeps on straw. And for
d younyster who has always had a sof
G bed, two pillows. a hair mattress,
hot bath, grapefruit for breakfast,
whole pleasant American house TO b
q happy in, you can imagine what !
means to be homeless. with not a desI
nor a chair which belongs 10 him, no
a nook or corner for his own things
nothing but a kit bag and a casua
4 sleeping place!
Then along comes q Salvation Arm
q angel with q piece Of pie, and there
a bit of home; or a pleasant, middl,
aged woman smiles over the counter c
a canteen as she pours his coffee, an
there's home, and mother; or Mar
Pickford smiles at him from a movin
picture screen, and there's blessed
darling America in every line Of her
or Sothern r%ecites, or Elsie jan
dances, and he's back home besid
you, eager and excited, your little la,
with his hand in yours--"lsn't it cor
ing, mother"
Oh, loosen your purse.strings, Dot
out the gold! Put yourself in, The 9th.
mans place. Pray for a vision. 1T
some dream come to you Of what
would mean II you were t~ransporte
suddenly from the softness and eas
OF your life TO a world of fire and fam
and horror.
Wouldn't you want the light OF
little hut to shine out for you? Woul
MT you wapt the smiling woman's fac
the touch Of a friendly hand, wouldn
you think of that hut as the only oas
In a Desert NJ nraadrnI rh;,,,s i.