The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1919-05-22
BY GRACE GoUIDER.

sca8.)
Coblenz Germany,
March % (By Man.)
1t happened right here In Coblens.
A big corporal came into the Y. w.
G. A. Hostess House and asked for the
director, Miss Ruth WoodsmalI, who
comes from Colorado Springs, Colo.
"Could my mother stay here7" he
began at once, trying his best to cover
his excitement.
"YOur mother!" 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
was out of the door on a rum
The cOrporal's visit remained a mys.
terry for two days. Then one evening
just at dusk a little white haired wo,
man dressed exquisitcly 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 I'm front of her
all at once. He was currying her
cOat-a big fur one With them were
three donghboys, pals of the corporal
They tried to keep II 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 n 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
born in Germany, but had been nat
uraliZcd, lived In San Francisco. Be
fore the war they left for Weisbadpn
Germany, that their Invalid daughter
might have treatment at this famous
health resort
They brought their other children
with them. One was Walter, n small
boy, and the other was Ralph. now
Corporal Stepp 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 to fight for the kaiser.
Then America entered the war.
Mrs. Stcpp-Mrs. Anna Stepp she Is
told this part Of the story:
Until month ago I hadn't heard
from Ralph for two years and half
even before America got I'm the war
mall was held up. didn't know
whether he was in the army or not
but / was sure he was, bccnuse-wcll
because he is an American" Here
she stopped minute to smile up at
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 Ave years
since / have seen him!
"Of course 1t was awfully hard-I
couldn't get word to him and he
couldn't to me. Ny husband used to
tell me II wouldn't help Ralph any for
me to cry. tried not to-bcfOre the
rest OF them anyway. MY daughter
got worse stendily--she is no better
We couldn't get the proper food for
her after awhile. And she hated to
L
TO try TO keep up before them.
Last January my husband came to
Coblenz about his citizen papers An
American soldior 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. hut went after Ralph.
He didn't tell Ralph his father was
here When they met they couldn't
believe their eyes
Ever since then I have been irving
TO see Ralph. He couldn't come 10
Weishahcn because II was out of the
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 it " because all that
long time when didn't know where
he was or how no was-I got In IN"
habit OF thinking Of him, as he was
when he was n bnby-I kept seeing
him as baby end remembering the
way he felt when he was little. Isn't
that queer And now look nt himw
And the corporal tried not to see the
alteration In her eyeR.
"FiVo yeArs 10 long time to wait
to see your boy" she murmur"d. and
kept Her eyes Oh him. Ar@ ~ she hnd
forgotten the people around her.
The corporal cle?rad his throat.
This 10 why ask Il you II YOU could
Keep my mother, Miss Woodsmall. ]
didn't want hcr TO come unless shr
had good place to stay. All, r-e-r.-
thanks awfullv."
And til # is tie story OF how th.
Hostss- ifouse harpened to entertain
the only known A. T.. +. mother wh
has visited the army Of Occupation.