The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1918-05-16
BackYOur Soldier
Boy With Grit,
Not With SObs
BY
AMELIA JOSEPHINE BURR.
OF the Vigiiantes-

In an old Morse tale, the dragon
which almost overcomes the hero
groans as 1t finally expires defeated,
He was too strong--there were wo-
men behind him" Ii has been said
that the morale OF an army depends
upon the spirit of the nations women,
more than upon any other single fac
tor. That Is good sense The woman
at home can be a dead weight on the
man in the field, or she can double
his strength and courage by making
him feel that she Is as truly In the
service as he is. Unfortunately, the
woman al home does not always real
ize this. A lad I know writes from
camp Cant you drop hint to sister
10 cut out the sob stuff? I didn't go
into this thing for a plcnic-I know
what I'm up against all right She
needn't rub II In"
One imagines what sisters letters
must have been. Compare that pic
ture with what this shows you OF a
different kind of sister, quote word
for word from the middle of friendly
letter: christmas Eve I had word
from Dad that my youngest brother
had been officially reported killed in
action. We had a telegram Thanks
giving Day that he was reported miss
ing. but, of course. we hoped. So far
we have no details. though Dad has
cabled to several.
Went GiadIy-Prepared to Die.
My brother had been in the service
since 1918; he went absolutely gladly
and quite prepared to die II needs be-
he had just gotten out Of the hospital
after an attack OF trer.ch fever and
In a letter I have from him, written
the day he was killed he said he was
feeling pretty 1T except that his arms
and legs still ached a bit, and. OF
course. I ache when I think he may
have gone back too soon. He wouldn't
mention any little discomforts
I'VE are wonderfully busy. | par
celed 800 sweaters. 30 pairs socks, rs
scarfs and 70 pairs wristlets last
week-so far we have sent 800 sweat
ers, 1000 pairs socks ard over 500 Of
the other articles just from this valley;
we are very proud Our knitters can
use 500 pounds of wool a week With
ease. IL we could only pay for 1t.
Il wish yOu might have dropped in
Monday evening to see Is Indies, heads
OF the Mormon Girls League. and is
ladies. heads of the Mormon relief
workers, all here planning Red Cross
work II VIII be good thing for our
church to have them know US better
and fear US less. They are such
splendid lot of women"
So many could have a spirit like
this. Il they would. So much Of the
sob STUFF is due simply to thought
lessness and to lack of habitual self
control I wish that every woman in
this country might have a day on duty
at the door of the hostess house at an
embarkation camp. a day given up 70
seeing how other women bear the or
deal Of goodbye. and how their atti-
tude reacts upon their men. After
my first such day felt never could
whimper again. One meets all phases
OF weakness and strength-the hero
ism is not sensational but of q quiet,
matter-of-fact kind that grips the
heart
He Has Never Seen Me Cry.
To one woman with a baby IN
her arms | had to break the news
that she had made her long journey
too Hatcher man was gone She
this NAV seem incredible, but it is
true-she was sorry for me. Another
pretty, plump little dimpled thing
who did not look as Il she We're made
of heroic material, told me that she
was leaving that afternoon as she dill
not want to wait to see her husband
go. You see" she explained. "Le
hasn't seen me cry once since the war
began, and I don't want him to- I'm
glad and proud for him to 90 and do
his little bit. and he knows it, too. But
If he should see me cry he couldn
help remembering that sometimes"
A friend of mine a young teacher
was married only a short time age
Vow her husband. physically disqual-
fed for the army, has gone over as a
Y. NJ c. A secretary. and she has
gone back to her teaching to support
herself while he is gone She Does not
call it sacrifice, either. She, TOO, is
glad and proud
If the understanding of what our
spirit means to our men is once fully
burned into the consciousness Of
American women, if we, like our sis
tiers Of France and Of England, fall III
behind our fighting force TO back up
their efforts with every power We have
I'm body and mind and heart, the war
for liberty and democracy is won.