Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-12-18
RELATES STORY
OF SUFfERINCS
French Widow Writes to Rock Is
lander Who Is Foster Father
of Her Children.

In view of the fact that many
Rock Island people and organiza-
tons have adopted French war or
phans, excerpts from the following
letter received by A A. Burt, 929
Seventeenth street, from Mrs Hau-
tecoeur, Rue de Rails n. 81, Paris,
france, whose children, made faith
erlesS by war, Mr.. Burt has adopt
ed, are of interest
Many pathetic letters have been
received by others who have taken
The responsibility of the support of
French children and the appended
one from Mrs Hautecoeur is typi-
cal:
Il often had a heavy heart when
my little ones were hungry and
cold, lying on straw during the win
ters, which for us were very cold.
How bitterly I regret our little
home lost, where we were so happy,
the father, an honest workman.
making our life sweet and peaceful.
How, many times over yonder,
living under bOmbardment, obliged
to fee in the midst Of the night I'M
der fire and in rain, bare-footed, to
save the life of my little ones, /
hid myself in the trenches with the
rats. What fear, what privationsi
My husband at the front asked me
always to fee far away. but no,
had my little house not far off
| knew the atrocities OF the bOche,
and my little Henrietta was ready
10 come into the world
Hun Laughs.
"Ah. If God had only taken me
that day, I would not have known
any more of the horrors and mis-
cries of this awful war. In the
barns where we had taken refuge,
the cursed boche laughed at my
misfortune l had no milk to give
children during the time kept say
ing, Mother. l am hungry and 1
had not a bite to give them I fed
from the boche into the open and I
walked for IS hours on foot under
the shells and the destruction.
''Enervated by fatigue, l dropped
on the road and a company from
Algiers took me up and protected
me. They sent US to Amiens. There
we were well received. From there
they sent US to POrtiers and then
there was a succession of days of
anguish. One day a ray of sun
shine came to US. The father of
my poor children sent us news from
Verdun that he would come and
kiss his poor little ones. But, oh,
misfortune! An order comes that
he has to leave Immediately for the
Somme And there he begs me by
letter to raise his dear little chill
dren in the spirit Of honesty, and
yes, l have done it, my dear bene-
factor With courage I looked for
work. I got some at francs, 25
a day (S150D. I went to work with
out breakfast. for we had nothing
to eat in our house. My heart was
broken to have to leave my children
alone.
My baby I took to a convent for
the day. In the evening, tired out,
7 went back to the hut where we
had only one little bed of straw for
the whole family. I cursed the
dirty vermin that infested the place.
Also Orphan.
Forgive me, my dear benefactor.
expressing lH6 uliSGlS VI lily ASdi 1
to YOU. I am now alone in the
world l was an orphan, never
having known the tenderness of a
mother and therefore all my affec-
ton is centered on my innocent
children. If l should die, DO not
abandon them, pray. If I were
near. | should throw myself at your
feet in the name of the blood which
runs in their veins"
At the end of the letter. is writ