The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1918-05-25
DEPARTMENT
Second Red Cross War Fund
Campaign.
How Bessie was Saved to
Soldiers Wife by Red
Cross Home Service.

The home service section of tn,
American Red Cross is one of th,
tenderest aims of the "Greates
Mother IN the World" as the Rec
Cross has been called. 1t reache,
out and succors where there i,
none other to lift the burden.
which press down upon helples,
shoulders when the bread winner
goes marching off to the war.
An incident in the Home Service
section happened the other day IL
an Alabama chapter.
1t seems that poor and ignor
ant farmer was selected for serv
ice and was hnstled off to the can
tonment without due regard hav.
ing been paid to the rights of q
dependent wife who was left be.
bind to till poor farm and care
for "BOssie" the sole, exclusive
live stock on the place. "Bossie
is milch COW of doubtful age and
questionable productivity. But a,
that "Bossie counted big and
broad in the scheme of that poor
soldiers farm.
The wife heard that it might be
possible to secure the release of
her husband from the army in or.
der that he might help her stand
off the wolf and feed the little bat
cavernOus mouths that were de
pendent on that farm to say moth
ing of the necessity of keeping
"Bossie' ID good humor and de
irving from her help for the family
Harder.
So she hunted up a lawyer and
told him her troubles He said he
would undertake the work of fixing
up her husbands papers tor $40
Ten dollars! Surely there was
not so much money 10 all the
world, though this lone wife Oh
the thin farm where Bosssie was
the only live stock and the plow
ing was left undone because there
was no plow. And yet she MUST
raised it Ia some way.
SO on her way home she called
at the home of the neighborhood
skiDtlint and he lived up to his
reputation. He would give her $40
for. Bessie. And so Bessie was
sold.
Then she made her way back to
her lawyer and he-well, he said
he would make out the papers.
After while the husband appeal.
ed to the commander of his com.
paDy, told him of how his wife
had sold "Bossie" and paid the $40
to a lawyer. But be also told that
nothing had come to the sacrifice
she had made but a vacant place
where "Bossle" had been.
What did this officer dot Why,
he wrote to the Red Cross chapter
in the Alabama town where this
thing happened. The Home Serv.
ice section got busy at once. 1t
hunted up the lawyer and naively
showed him the letter from the
captain of the soldiers company
calling him human vulture. A
great light dawned on this lawyer
and he was quick to refund the
money. Next visit was made to
the neighborhood sbyIock and he
was offered his ten dollars back
for the release of "Bossie". He
demanded $l2 as this sort of ami.
NAL always seeks . profit. A
check for Sl2 was written for him.
With it went a full and scorchiDg
opinion of him and his sort. l,
scor ched. He snizzled. He melt
ed He refused to take the check
for $12 and said he would be salts
fed if he got hIs money back. He
was shown a new light and he wac
made to regret that he ever had
been a shyl0ck.
And then, with clear sailing,
the Home service section went aft.
ter Washington and laid the mat
ter of the injustice which had
been done this poor and ignorant
soldier. Washington moves slow.
Iy sometimes, but it moves with
Justice and the Home Service Sec
ion of this Alabama chapter
hopes soon to restore to his family
the provider. poor though he be-,
to help that desperate wife stand
between her brood and the ga1nt
and stalking wolf of want.
And Bossiei Why she is back
in the lot and really is giving