Mountain advocate., 1919-05-23
BY GRACE GouLDER.
with the American Y. W. C. A. Over.
seas.)

ecds.)
Cobcnz, Germany,
March % (By Man)
II happened right here In COblenz.
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.
Gould my mother stay hereP" he
began at once. trying his best to cover
his excitement
"Your motherI' gasped Miss Wood
small "How did your mother ever get
here?"
"well, she isn't here yet, but II she
comes will you keep herr
"Of course | will, but"
She dIdn't finish, for the boy had
smashed his cap back on his head and
I was out of the door on a run.
The corporal's visit remained mys-
terry for two days. Then one evening
Just at dusk little white haired wo.'
man dressed exGulsItely In black ap-
peared In the sitting room OF the Host
ess House. and the corporal was hover
ing behind her, trying TO be beside her
/ and back Of her and In front of her
all 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 we're glued on her face.
Everyone I'm the sitting room sat NJ
attention. There are no English
speaking men or women out of uni
! form in the Third Army urea Yet
/ here was a woman In civilian clothes.
| Mothers are unheard of with the army.
| But this was a mother, everyone knew.
After awhile someone found out
about this mother.
Had Been informed During War.
She and her husband, who were
horn In Germany, but had been nat
uraliZed, lived In San Francisco. Be
| fore the war they left for Wcishaden,
| Germany, that their invalid daughter
might have treatment at this famous
health resort.
They brought their other children
with them One was Walter, a small
boy. and the other was Ralph. now
Corporal Stcpp of the American Army.
When the war was declared they
sent Ralph back to America, because
he was Of military age. and they did
not want him Ia iight-fo for the kaiser.
! Then America entered the war.
Mrs. Stepp-AIrs. Anna Stepp she is
told this part Of the story:
Until q month ago l hadn't heard
from Ralph for Two years and half
even before America got IN the war
mail was held mp. I didn't know
whether he was In the army or not
but was sure he was. because--weli.
because he IL an American" Here
she stopped a minute TO smile up al
him.
After awhile we heard from some
friends that he was IN the nrmy-and
that he had come over here. That was
all ever knew. It's nearly five years
since have seen hlml
"Of course It was awfully hard-1
couldn't get word to him and he
couldn't TO me. My husband used To
tell me II wouldn't help Ralph any for
me TO cry. tried not tO-before the
rest of them anyway. My daughter
We couldn't get the proper food for
her after awhile. And she hated to
see me worried about Ralph, so ! used
TO try to keep up before them.
Last January my husband came to
Coblenz about his citizen papers. An
American soldier in Ralph's company
who was IN the office heard his name
and asked him II he was any relation
to 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
! WeIsbaden because Il was out of the
American area, and l couldn't get
through until today-more than two
| months"
They asked her. II her Ralph had
changed much In all that time.
"Oh. yes--very much. But do you
know. | think il 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 ms 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 10 see the
alteration In her eyes.
"Five years Is a long time to walt
10 see your boy" she murmured. and
kept her eyes on him. Again she had
forgotten the people around her
| The corporal cleared his throat.
"1'his is why ask d you II you could
keep my mother, Miss woodsman. l.
didn't want her to come unless she
had good place to stay. All. e-e-r-
thanks awfully."
And that Is the story OF how the
Hostess House happened 20 entertain
the only known A. Il. II. mother who
Il n "a