The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1919-06-05
How 1t Happened TO Entertain
Only A. E. F. Mother Who Visit
ed Army of Occupation.
BIG CORPORAL DUTIFUL SON.
No knightIy courtiers Ever Acted With
More GaIlantry to Lady Fair Than
Did He and His Doushboy
Pals to This Little White
Haired Woman Dress
ed ExquisiteIy in ~ ~
Black. -
T. ,ftlafs ----- : +. + ..fss :, -
+" BY GRACE GOULDER.,is
with the, American Y, w. c, A. Over
seas.) 80. -.

y -
4 rH-t Coblenz, Germany, so y Ip'
- @''s9 sEN& March 2Si(By MaiE) y
Z 1t happened right, here ting Cobienz
"A big corporal came into, the Wv.
C. A. Hostess House and asked for the
director, Miss Ruth .WoodsmaIl, who
comes from Colorado springs Colo. E j
f'Could my mother stay herew5 he
began at once, trying his best to.cover
his excitement . ssryf a+ttf
"Your hother!" gasped Miss Wood
small. How did your mother ever get
here?" "a 30. =, sss,s,..s q ~
well, 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
smashed his cap back on his head and
was out of the door on run. -.
Theicorporal' visit remained a mys-
terry for two days. Then one evening
just at dusk a little white haired wo-
man dressed exquisitely in black zap
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 We're 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 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
uralized, lived in San Francisco. BE
fore the war they left for Weisbaden,
Germany, that their invalid daughter
might have treatment at this ftthoas
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 wa, was declared they
sent Ralph back to America, because
he was o. military age, and they did
not want him to fight for the kaiser.
Then America entered the war.
Mrs. Stenp-Mrs. Anna Stepp she is
told this part of the story:
Until month ago | hadn't heard
from Ralph for two years and a half
even before America got in the war
mail was held up. / didn't know
whether he was in the army or not
but was sure he was, becausewell
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 five years
since have seen him
"Of course it was awfully fard-I
couldn't get word to him and he
couldn't TO me. My husband used ia
tell me it 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
see me worried about Ralph, so fused
to try to keep up before them.
Last January my husband came to
Cohlenz about his citizen papers. An
American soldic- In Ralphs company
who was in the office heard his name
and asked him if 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 have been trying
to see Ralph. He couldl' t&come to
Weisbaden because it was DIT of the
American area, and couldn't get
through until today-more than two
months"
They asked her II her Ralph had
changed much in all that time. ~