The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-18
MA HEARS HENRY
Went to Auditorium To Know
About Her Boys.
But Reserved Seats Were TAX
en- by Majors Mothers.
TOPEKY JUST TOO RESTLESS
Happened To Remember Some
thing and Walked Out.
Mothers of Real ,DOughbOys
Want To Hear Allen Again.
Ma Jimkins Hears Governor Allen.


Yes'm, went to hear our new gov
er-or speak the other day at the audi
torium. Nothin' nor nobody couldn't
a kept me ct home. for he was goin'
to talk about what the boys-MY boys
done in the Argonne forest over
there in France.
Yes'm, my boys got thru without a
scratch, tho the biggest one wrote Pa
Jimkins on Fathers day that he
couldn't see why they wasn't all bowed
off the face of the earth; certainly not
because the Huns didn't try to hit EN-.
Well, I'd had a sneakin' notion that
mebbe the committee in charge was
goin' to pay some attention to US
mothers who'd been thru hell and back
with our boys. Seemed like. consider
in that Henry Allen-CLa. just can't
help referrin to him as Henry, even If
he is now our governor) was goin' to
talk specially about our boys that
they'd a wanted to show us mothers
that they appreciated the sacrifices
we'd made
Mebbe you don't think it, but they
amt NOBODY made any contribution
TO this war to speak of, in comparison
to the folks who've had to smile with
breaking hearts, when their boys or
men folks marched away to the sound
of martial music, with faces set toward
France.
For Politicians and Rich.
Mebbe they didn't have no reserved
seats, you say? Yesm, they did. The
whole body of the house was KEEP for
politicians and their wives and some of
the rich folks, and others that had
been prominent in war work.
l seen Mrs. Gutzell Sweller down
there, dressed like she was at a recep-
ton. Yes'm, she give a lot of time to
Red Cross and such, and 1 amt de-
cryin' the fine service her and those
=,
go, give to this war work. Her chat
feur'd drive her down several times a
week to work, and they do say that the
head riggin' was awful becoming to
her. And she'd cook or two at home
that she could trust to dust the piany
and tend to bastin' the roast, and see
in that the flowers was set just so on
the dinner table. SOS they wouldn't be
nothin to worry her when she'd come
home all wore out.
And L seen Mrs. Willyum Chantrey
settin' in the seats of the mighty. She
wasn't like some of the good women
who didn't have no sons to give to
their country and wished they had.
She had a couple all right, and they
was braVely following the flag at desks
in Washington.
A Major in Washington.
I seen one of EN- whites 1 was in
Washington, but he didn't see me or
and his uniform was spick and span,
and his spurs, that was mebbe to keep
him from falling off his chair with
fatigue, was all bright and shiny. 1
nudged Pa Jimkins when I seen him,
ard said, His uniform don't look like
OUR boys uniforms, all caked with
mud" For 1 knew that my boys was
sleepin' in mud holes when they had
time to sleep at ALL which wasn't
often. but they T'asn't complainin'
about it, either.
of course, Mrs. Chantrey's sons
bein' so high up in rank, and them SO
young bein' only twenty-four or
twenty-five. and already captains and
majors. give her the right to set in
the reserved seat section. Then, too,
she'd made awful pretty speeches
about the war, and our noble boys,
her'n and our'n. that was offering
their lives for their flag, so [ guess 1t
was all right. And of course she
looks mighty we'll in reserved seats.
too, hein' rugged out in a new blue
velvet suit. and some of us mothers
was kind o shabby l guess. and folks
would a thought it strange to see any
honor bein' bestowed on US.
And of course nobody couldn't a
expected anything else but that Mrs.
Col. Salamander j. Jones would a
been ornamentin' the reserved section.
She amt got no use for enlisted men,
and don't make no bones about lettln
on that they're the scum of the earth
She's sort O. got n little behind times.
/ guess she's thinkin's about peace
times, when the enlisted man mebbe
didn't have much ambition. But NOW.
when the cream of the country rose
up in defense of the flag. and bein'
as they wasn't officers jobs enough to
so round, some of 'em had to serve
as privates, you'd think she'd realize
that it's a different proposition. But.
la. you can't never learn nobody moth
in they don't want to learn,
Made Us Cry.
But I'm a gettin' off my subject.
As 1 was sayin'. some of us mothers
kind O punched together back where
folks didn't notice us, and mebbe it
was just as well, for to save us, we
couldn't help sheddin' some of the
tears we'd held back so long, as Gov