French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1919-01-02

sugeestion for Mothers Letter.
Son Of Mine:
They're sending you home to me a
last Through all these months O,
waiting and longing rye been wearing
star for you and holding my head
high and thinking wonderful Thoughts
about You I've watched you through
ocean miSts and dreamed anxious
dreams. Yes, and cried a little, too
but not when people could see.
And DOW you're coming home. On.
II seems too good to be true I've Just
read your letters again They say 50
much more than you ever thought
when you were writing them Just
happenings-that's all most OF the
things you wrote about were to YOU
But to me they said you were facing
the biggest thing in life, facing it
bravely, as I should want my son to
face It You were Offering your BODY
and your soul for a thing bigger than
you or me or America.
When wrote 10 you I tried to
write cheerful encouraging letters
because I did not want you to 60 into
battle feeling that was holding you
back from the big sacrifice. It's only
now, when the fighting is over, that I
can let down little and be just your
mother, just the woman who loves
you better than anything else In the
world and is 50 glad to know you're
coming back to her that she doesn't
care who sees her cry.
Perhaps for some Of the bows who
have stood with you 80 finely through
these trials the fighting is not yet all
over. The fighting 1 mean is that be-
tween a man and himself, and for
many OF them this will be the hardest
battle of all. During the long dayc
and evenings Of waiting before they
can start for home thoughts will Green
into their minds which will be hard TO
resist. There viii be times after ell
these months Of action when the long
ng for change and for the companion
ship OF women may Lead them into as
soclations which will spoil their home
coming and cause them shame and hn-
and even perhaps make
hem unfit to receive the love that
waits them here.
You, dearest boy, are Just as human
Is your comrades, and feelings like
hese may come to you too. I don't
Isk you 10 crush them. They are nat
lral and they only prove that war has
allied to dry up the we'll spring of
our emotions. I ask you only to rec
'gnf0e them when they come and to
ontFol them with the fine strength |
ou have gained while fighting for the !
deals and principles Of America. Just
emember that many Joyous years of
tie are ahead Of you and that the risk
4 spelling them and the love that will
II them Is too tremendous to run for
snort hour Of seeming pleasure,
Many OF the boys who win come
ONE with you have no mothers tn
'rtte 10 them Some OF them NAV
1fnk That no one cares what they do.
Iut somebody does care. America
ares And the girls they will marry
ome day cAH0.- And, Oh, the difference
VIII make IN their lives If they will
1St remember that there is ALWAYS
always!
Help them TO remember. Help them
come home clean and ffna. Don't
K them spoil everything now. They
ave been SO splendid II yea think
his letter viii help them give II to
IeEn- If they have no mothers Lot ma
thesr mother until they have come
ack and taksn the high places that
watt them heSe. Ten them 10 write
me- How should treasure tbuefr
tiers!
And, OF couFSN, you will write Do nla
tSt say that you understand-thst
n know why have written thSs led
+. Then I can wait nOnthw-yae
'eo years-knowing that 2ou VIII
me hSine to me as fine and eRean as
~ were when sent you away b ID
mp so long ago. MOTHER I'LL