Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1919-05-22
BY GRACE ooULDER.
(With the American Y. w. c. A. over.
sess)
COblenz. Germany,
Mnrrh ~ lRX MINI

March y (By Mail)
II happened right here in Coblenz.
\ biz corporal came into the y. W.
C.. A. Hostess House and asked for the
director. Miss Ruth Wood>mall who
'omes from Colorado springs. Colo.
could my mother stay heref' he
began al once. trying his best 10 cover
Hi~ excitement.
Your mother" gasped Miss Wood
small How did your mother ever get
+ herer'
We'll, she isn't here yet, but If she
comes will YOU keep her.
"Of course Will. but"
She didn't finish. for the boy had
mashed his cap back on his head and
/ was ont OF the door on a rum
The cofpora's visit, remained my~
! terl for TWO days Then one evening
/ h,t at dusk "A little white haired We
man dressed eXquiSitely ia black ap
peared in the sitting room OF the Hos
ess House. and the corporal was hover
ins behind her. trying 10 be beside her
! and back OF her and in front 90 her
a'I az once He was carrying her
cont "a big fur one With them were.
three doughbOy>. pals 81 The corporal
They tried to keep N HE background.
hut their eyes were glued nu her face
Everyone in the sitting room sat ~
attention There are no English
speaking men or women out ~ uni
form in the Third Army area Nr'
here was woman in civilian clothr>
Mothers are unhcard of with The army.
But this was mother everNnnr knew
After awhile someone found ont
about This mother
Had Been lnterned During War
she and her husband. who were
horn in Germany. bat had been nat
uralzed. lived In san Francisco Pc
fore The war they LEFT for Wei>hsdru.
Germany that their Invalid dau-htrt
miglu have treatment al thi> famous
hcalth resort
They brought their other children
witt thcm one was Waller. = small
boy. and the other was Ralph now
Corporal Stepp ~ the American Army
When HE Wal was declared they
sem Ralph hack 10 America hccau~..
he was of military age. and they did
nor want him to fight for the kaiser
Then America entered The war
Ms Sfcpr Mrs Anna Stcpp she is
fold this part ~ the story
Until "a month ago ! hadn't heard
from Ralph for two wears aud - half
e,ea before America got m the war
mail was held up ! drlut know
whether hc was In The arl1, or NOT
hu' ! WAS sure he was Doe. au>c Welt
because he i an American Here
.hr stopped q minute to smile up ar
HIM
After awhile We heard from some
friends that he wa. in the army aud
thar he had come over here That was
ni ever knew - nearly tive years
since have seen him
cor course II was awuny hard I
couhur get word to him ana he
couldn't 20 me Nv husband used ~
tcil me- IT wouldn't help Ralph any for
ma Goo cry tried not 20 before the
re~i of them anyway. NV daughter
rof worse steadily she j. no better
W. cnuldul cci the proper food for
see me- worried about Ralph - used
I" frv 70 keep up brfort them
Last January my husband came 10
Coblrnz about his citizen papers An
American ~oldi,- lu Ralph's company
who was In tie office heard his name
md asked him II he was any relation
90 Ralph lie didn't tell him Ralph
WAS Iu Coblenz. bur went after Ralph
H. ddn't tell Ralph his father was
h'rc WLen they met they conduit
believe their eyes
Ever since then | have heen trying
~ -cc Ralph He couldn't come to
Wei>haden because IL was out of the
American area and couldn't get
through untii tnday-more than two
months
They asked her II her Ralph had
changed much in all that time
"Oh. yes worry much Bur do Won
know. think T. because All thar
lour time when | didn't know wsers
hr was or how he was got in the
habit ~ thinking OF him - III was
when he was baby kept seeing
him a n baby md remembering The
vly he felt when he was little Isn't
thar queer? And now look AT him 80
Md The corporal tried nor 10 see the
alteration Ia her eyes
Five years IL long time 10 wait
/ ~ SEQ your boy" she murmurrd and
( k'pt her eyes on him Again she had
/ FORGOTTEN The people around her
Tho corporal cleared his throat.
"'rlii~ * why ask u YOU II Won could
| k"np my mother. Miss WnodSmall
/ didn't want her 10 come unless she
/ bal ~ good mace 10 stay Ala. e-e-r-
/ tiapk~ awfully"
Nnd thai H. The story ~ how the
/ Ho>irS> House happened 90 entertain
| to" only known \ = = mother who
ha. i>i'"d The army OF Occupation.