Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1919-05-29

CODlenZ, Germany,
(, March 20 (By Maii.)
Il II happened right here In Coblenz.
II A big corporal came into the Y. w.
@. A. Hostess House and asked for the
director, Miss Ruth Woodsmall, who
comes from Colorado Springs, Colo.
could my mother stay here7" he
began at once, trying his best to cover
his excitement.
II "Your mother" gasped Miss Wood
small. How did your mother ever get
here7"
swell, she isn't here yet but If 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 run.
The corporal's visit remained mys-
| terry for two days Then one evening
| Just at dusk little white haired wo-
man dressed exquisitely 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 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 a 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
prnlized, lived in San Francisco. Be-
fore the war they left for Weisbaden,
Germany, that their invalid daughter
might have treatment at this famous
health resort.
! = They brought their other children
with them. One was Walter, 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 Stepp-Mrs. Anna Stepp she is
told this part Of the story.
"Until a month ago hadn't heard
from Ralph for two years and half
even before America got in the war
fI,,yA
whether he was In the army or not
but was sure he was, because-well.
because he is an American" Here
she stopped a 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 awfuliy hard-I
couldn't get word to him and he
couldn't to me. My husband used to
tell me 1t wouldn't help Ralph any for
me to cry : tried not to-before the
rest of them anyway My daughter
got worse steadily-she is no better
We couldn't get the proper food for
her after awhile. And she hated to
TO try to keep up before them.
Last January my husband came to
Cobienz about his citizen papers An
American soidio- in Ralph's company
who was In the efz1ce 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.
i Ever since then have been trying
10 see Ralph. He couldn't come to
" eisbnden because 1t was out Of the
American area, and l couldn't get
through until today-more than two
; Ttaay asked her II her Ralph had
hanged much In all that time
'tOh, yes-very much. But do you
nov, I think It is because all that
ong time when I didn't know where
10 was or how he was-f got IN tins
labit OF thinking of him as he was
vhen he was a baby-I kept seeing
lin a. baby and remembering the
way he felt when ne wns little Isn't
hat queer7 And now look at him !"
And the corporal tried not to see the {
ldoration In her eyes.
Z "Five years Ii long time to walt
o see your boy" she murmured, and
Iept her eyes on him. Again she had
orgotten the people around her /
The corporal cleared his throat
This II why ask d you II you could
Ieep my mother, Miss WoodsmalI. I
lidn't want her to come unless she
lad a good place to stay All, e-e-r-
hanks awfully."
(. And that Is the story Of how the
Hostess House happened to entertain r
he only known A. e. F. mother who l
AAs visited the Army Of Occupation. 9