Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-01-17
ONE WOMAN WHO
ssDlD HER Bit

Sioux City, the writer was privi-
legged to enjoy a half hours con-
vcrsation With one of the most
remarkable women ii has ever
4 been her lot to meet. Surround
ed by merry making young peo-
! pie, this dear old lady, still young
of face, sat serencly knitting for
the soldiers. As a result OF her
! industry She had already turned
over to the local Red Gross twcn-
ty-eight pairs OF wrislleIs, six
pairs of socks, three sweaters.
and was then at work on her
fourth sweater. She had also
+ taught other women to knit for
the good cause. This work had
been AN especial labor of love
! for her, two of her sons being
young enough and three OF her
grandsons old enough to serve at
tho front, so that five of her de-
scendants will participate i'm the
present war, serving in the Unit
ed States army and navy.
This noble woman, mother of
fifteen children and grandmother
of more children than the writer
can now count, is Sioux City
lpiOnecr. OF her unusual family
John Brennan, pioneer journal
list, remarked editorially, that She
had enough boys to play a base
ball game and enough girls to fill
the grandstand That she
looked we'll to the ways of her
house" was evinced by the SPLEEN
did health of her physically per-
feet children, her nine boys and
I six girls being sent to school we'll
fed, we'll clad, happy. with hearts
Overlooking with good will toward
every human creature, the domi-
mating trait i'm all being a love,
beautiful to sec. for their mother
4 Her husband died years ago.
The boys and girls all grew to
manhood and womanhood. Most
of them married young. and in
her later years she has been the
central figure in a small army OF
grandchildren. Three of the mar
ricd daughters died. leaving chill
dren on whom she bestowed hel
wealth of tenderness. AS an cspe-
cial evidence OF her unusua
character, let ii be remarked here
daughters husbands loved her as
her own children, for she fool
them to her heart as her own. re
see her meeting II group o.
grandchildren was a sight to
warm the heart of The mos
Grabbed.
And now, approaching the sun.
sci OF her We'll spent life, she de
votes her peaceful hours To knit
ting for the soldiers at he front
Surely no carpin2 critic shall
ever say of her that she ncolrci",
The smallest home duty, for. il
the years to come, her children
and her children's children will
arise and call her blessed. Her
lis real patriotism.
That her husband was Germal
and that she was French might n
remarked just to Illustrate how
al
fusion OF races upon America
soil has enriched our America
civilization I'm the melting pc
the pure gold will survive Wle
the bascI elements have bee
tried i'm the heat of the crucibl
and found wanting.
The moral of This tale shout
be obvious. Surely lhi, woma
has done her bit,3 and is sti
doing it. And if she, mother {
fifteen children and grandmotle
of a legion, can find time TO ID
her bit for her country. are thcl
not many OF US who should !
heartily ashamed of ourselves ft
the little or nothing we have don
i'm this direction? Is her recol
. not Il rebuke, not merely to u
card players, who are too busy
ut to respond TO their country 5 ca
re but to those excessively dome!
s. tic women who, SNUG and con
be Portable i'm their own homes, ha'
r. no care for the poor at he
f. doors, the stranger at their gate
or or the needs OF nation? HON
ed church, and state need a comb
nation of the virtues of Mary al
ce Martha in the domestic type
MT women.
%. This splendid type of moth
us has no ralings TO cover
IT. "draping herself in the Amcric;
IN flag She does not 90 out in
'n -Yo!MIs soSpoU pue sirMlSlu .
SO ing her allegiance to her cOuntl
n she does mol harass the admin
re tration by demanding her right
IN and going on hunger strikes; n
is she found in the ridiculo
e ranks Of blue jeaned fanatics w
ng seek noIoricIy by planting poi
n toes i'm Mizzou park. catfish II
n Il, 1 a,