The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-05-19
How It Happened to Entertain
Only AEF Mother Who Visit
ed Army of Occupation
BIG CORPORAL DUTIFUL SON


CNIth the American Y. W. c. A. Over
Coblenz, Germany,
March . CBy Mail.)
Il happened right here In Coblenz-
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.
Gould my mother stay hereT he
began at once, trying his best TO cover
his excitement
your motherT gasped Miss Wood
small. How did your mother ever get
hereP'
"Well, she isn't here Jet, but II she
comes will you keep herr
~Of course I will, but"
She didn't finish, for the boy had
smashed his cap back on his head and
was out OF the door en- a run.
The corporal's visit remained q mys-
terry for two days. Then one evening
just ut dusk a 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 hel
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 al
attention There are no English
speaking men or women out Of uni
form. In the Third Army area. Yet
here was q woman In civilian clothes
Mothers are unheard OF with the army
But this was a mother, everyone knew
After awhile someone found cut
about this mother.
Had Been Interned 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 famous
health resort
They brought their other childreB
with them One was Walter, a small
boy, and the other was Ralph, now
Corporal Stepp OF the American Army
When the war was declared they
H
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 N
told this part OF the story:
until a month ago I hadn't heard
from Ralph for two years and q half
even before America got In the waI
| mail was held up. I didn't know
whether he was In the army or not
but was sure he was, because
because he In an American" Herr
she stopped q minute to smile mp ai
him.
After awhile We heard from some
friends that he was In the army-and
that he had come over here. That waa
\ all ever knew. It's nearly ave years
since have seen himi
"Of course IL was awfully hard
couldn't get word to him and he
couldn't to me- My husband used TO
tell me II wouldn't help Ralph any for
me to cry. tried not to-before the
rest Of them anyway. Ny daughter
got worse steadily-she Is no better.
We couldn't get the proper food for
her after awhile. And she hated to
Il
to try to keep up before them.
| Last January my husband came TO
Coblenz about his citizen papers An
American soldic- in Ralph's company
who was In the ONCE heard his name
and asked him IL he was any relation
70 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.
Ever since then have been trying
90 sea Ralph. He couldn't come "a
welsb@den because IL was out OF tire
American area. and I couldn't ges
through until today-more than two
monthA"
They asked her II her Ralph had
changed much I'm all that time
~Oh, y@-very much. But do you
know, I think 1t In because all that
long time when didn't know where
he was or how he was-I got In che
habit Of thinking OF him az he was
him az q baby and remembering the
way he felt when he was little ISM
that queer7 And now look at him -
And the corporal tried not to see the
alteration I'm bsr eyes.
"Five years Am a long time to wait
TO see your boy she murmured, and
kept hSr eyes on him. Again she had
forgotten the people around her.
The corporal cleared his throat
This On why I ask d you II you coulC
keep my mother, Miss woodsman.
didn't want her TO come unless shl
had q good place to stay. All, e-e-r-
thanks awfuIly."
And that Is the story Of how thu
Hostess House happened to entertain
the only known A. Z. F. mother wht
hAa visited the Array Of OccupatiOn-