The Washington times., 1918-03-04
DREAM Of SONS
DEATH IN FRANCE
PROVES TO Be TRUE

The blue star OF service will be
changed for the white star OF sacri-
fee in the service Gag that hangs in
the window OF a home at S43 Elev-
enth street southeast TO do honor to
Corp. Leo J. Osborne. a Washington
boy who has given his life for Amer
Sea and for Liberty in a hospital in
Trance.
A soldier by nature and by train
ing, he went TO France with the
American Expedi;ionary Forces with
the determination in his heart TO do
his best, only TO be denied the death
OF soldier on the battlefield for one
in q hospital.
Although he has been dead for
more than g month. and although no
word has been received by his fam
fly for more than two months, the
news OF his death came to his mother
with but little surprise.
Dreamed He Was Dead.
II have feared that he was dead
for some time" she said. sadly. al
most a month ago. on the night that
q submarine sunk the Tuscanis, !
dreamed of him, lying dead on a hos
pitaI cot in far OF France. Since
that time l have waited fearfully. day
by day. for the news OF his death,
for 1 felt sure that It would come
TO me sooner or later"
She sighed often as she spoke. and
her eyes wandered to the silk service
nag displayed so produly in the win
dow.
HE was glad OF the chance TO go
to France to fight for his country.
never received letter from him that
did not speak OF his pride that had
raised him so that he might be OF
service TO his country in her hour Of
need" -..->
Serving Third EnIIstnent.
Army life was no new thing for
Corporal Osborne. In spite Of the fact
that he was but twenty-five years old
he was serving in his third enlistment
ct the time OF his death. His third
and last enlistment came last August,
shortly after his discharge from the
Walter Reed Army Hospital, where
he had been sent from the Mexican
border to be treated for throat trou-
ble, a relapse from which disease is
believed to have been the cause Of his
death.
His letters to his family, written
in France. show his spirit and de-
Totion TO the cause for which he gave
his Dfe.s, The last news Of him that
was received here was a letter
dated December 20, just one month be-
fore his death, The next word of
him to be received by his family was
a telephone call from the War De-
pRrtment yesterday, thirty-three days
after his death. telling his mother
that her son had died in a hospital
1n France.
Wanted to Serve Country.
The last letter read:
Some day I will be back in Wash
ington. and then ! will tell you all.
So what is the use OF trying to put
all OF il in letter? II there is going
20 be a chance to cut any figure in
this war / do not want my mother TO
think that she raised a coward when
she took all the trouble to bring UP
her son in Washington, TO know right
from wrong, 10 fear God, and to serve
his country like a man.
Corporal Osborne has five brothers
and three sisters, a. well as his
mother, all living in Washington
They are: Harry, employed at the
Navy Yard; George and Bernard,
clerks in the Postoffce Department:
Raymond, a medical student at
Georgetown University; Ambrose. a
clerk in the Quartermaster's Depart
luent; Ada, in the Bureau OF Engrav-
ing and Printing; Lola, of the Bureau
Of Markets. and Mrs. Genev!e Wey-
rich, s25 Fifth street northeast.