Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-05-21
BIG CORPORAL DUTIFUL SON.
No Kniehtly courtiers Ever Acted With
More GalIantry to Lady Fair Than
Did He and His Doughboy
Pals to This Little White
/, Haired Woman Dress
ed ExquisiteIy in
Black.
BY GRACE eouLpER.
.SWith the American Y. w. c. A. Over
seas.)
Coblenz, Germany,
Coblenz, Germany,
March 2S (By Mail.)

A big corporal came into the Y. W.
&C. A. Hostess House and asked for the
director, Miss Ruth Woodsmall, who
comes from Colorado Springs, Colo.
could my mother stay hereT' he
began at once, trying his best to cover
his excitement.
"Your mother" gasped Miss Wood
small. "How did your mother ever get
here?"
"Wen, she isn't here yet, but if she
COMES will you keep herr"
"Of course will, but"
! She didn't finish, for the boy mad
smashed his cap back on his head and
Twas out of the door on run.
The corporal's visit remained mHs-
Itery for two days. Then one evening
Just at dusk little white haired wo-
man dressed exquisitely in black ap-
peared in the sitting room of the Host
less House. and the corporal was hover
ing behind her, trying to be beside her
and back of her and in front of her
Iall at once. He was carrying her
coat-a big fur one. With them were
three doughboys, pals of the corporal.
They tried to keep in the background,
but their eyes were glued on her face.
Everyone in the sitting room sat at
attention. There are no English
speaking men or women out of uni
form in the Third Army area. Yet
here was a woman in civilian clothes.
Mothers are unheard Of with the army.
But this was mother, everyone knew
After awhile someone found out
about this mother
Had Been lnterned During War.
She and her husband who were
iborn in Germany, but had been nat
uralized, lived in San Francisco. Be-
fore the war they left for Weisbaden,
Germany, that their invalid daughter
might have treatment at this famous
health resort, ..,-.,ses es.s,---'--.;-
4 They brought their other children
with them. One was Walter, a small
hoy, and the other was Ralph, now
corporal Stepp of the American Army.
When the war was declared they
isent Ralph back to America, because
he was Of military age, and. they did
mot want him to fight for the kaiser.
Then America entered the war.
! Mrs. Stepp-A1rs. Anna Stepp she Is
told this part Of the story:
"Until month ago / hadn't heard
from Ralph for two years and half
,even before America got in the war
mail was held up. I didn't know
whether he was in the army or not
but was sure he was, because
because he is an American" Here
she stopped minute to smile up al
him.
"After awhile we heard from some
friends that he was in the army-and
that he had come over here That was
all ever knew. It's nearly five years
Isince have seen him
"Of course 1t was awfully hard-I
couldn't get word to him and he
couldn't to me. My husband used to
tel I'm me i wouldn't help B Ralgph any for
me to sry, I tried not to-before the
rest ef them anyway. Ny daughter
Z ST worse Steadily IS no better.
we couldn't get the proper food for
her. after awhile. And she hated to
see me worried about Ralph, so I used
ito try to keep up before them.
"Last January my husband came to
iCoblenz about his citizen papers. An
American soldier in Ralph's company
who was in the Office heard his name
land asked him If he was any relation
ito Ralph. He didn't tell him Ralph
was in Coblenz, but went after Ralph.
He didn't tell Ralph his father was
here. When they met they couldn't
believe their eyes.
ever since then have been trying
to see Ralph. He couldn't come to
iWeisbaden because it was out Of the
american area, and I couldn't get
through until today-more than two
months"
They asked her If her Ralph had
changed much in all that time.
"Oh, yes-very much But do you
know, I think it is because all that
long time when didn't know where
he was or how he was-I got IN the
habit of thinking Of him as he was
when he was a baby-I kept seeing
him as baby and remembering the
way he felt when he was little. Isn't
that queer? And now look at him!"
And the corporal tried not to see the
alteration in her eyes.
give years is long time to wait
to see your boy" she murmured, and
kept her eyes on him. Again she had
forgotten the people around her.
The corporal cleared his throat.
'This Is why I ask d you If you could
keep my mother, Miss Woodsmall.
didn't want her to come unless she
had a good place to stay. Ah, e-e-r-
thanks awfully."
And that is the story Of how the
Hostess House happened to ente in
the only known A. f. F. mother .Sho
has visited the Army of Occupation