The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-05-30
FIRST GOLD ST AR " WAR Al l. n. \. \.
MOTHER HOPES AND PRAYS
FOR RETURN OF, HIS BODY
BY e. c. RODGERS.
Staff Writer Of -Newspaper Enterprise
, ssociation.

\ L . , N4 p. !. 4
Evansville, Ind, May 30.-"'Yes,
would like to have them bring, back
my boy. l cannot 60 over to where
they have lain him. And even. II !
could, just coming once to his grave
and then going away forever, would
break my heart. ! want to go near
his last resting place often, every few
days during the few years l have to
live.
1T has been hard for me to see the
boys come marching home SO happy
and smiling to their mothers arms,
and think that cannot even 60 to my
boys grave!
"Only mother knows how hard 1t
is not to be able to see the spot where
a son is sleeping the last long sleep,
never to be able to kneel in prayer
at his grave; never to be able to lay
one flower with ones own hand upon
the earth which covers him.
That's why Iwant my boys body
brought back li;waHt him near ME,
so cSn Cd his grave. So can
take flowers to him. And SO l will
know that his grave is we'll cared for
as mother would care for it, And 50
when I die, | may be laid down be-
side him" Y /, I
( A mother is talking. A Golds star
War MQther. The first Gold Star War
Mother, Mrs. Alice Gresham Dodd,
mother of Jimmy Gresham. first
American soldier killed III action on
the fields o France ~ f q
talked with Her in her cottage
home. a memorial gift of the people
of Evansville, where Jimmy worked
and which he left to go to the heights
of glory-and his death.
Jimmy is sleeping now ina grave in
France. It was the first Of our hero
graves in France. His mother may
never see Jimmy's grave unless, his
body is brought back home.
Il have a place picked out for him,
his mother said, "here in the cemetery
where / can TO and pray BY the side
of the mound every day Ehope they
will bring him back while I'm still
alive. That's all I think OF now
when my boys body is brought back
to me.
"You know, I'm getting pretty old
Since Jimmy went away have been
getting old faster ,than21 did when he
was With me. il hope they bring him
back SbeforefI die }1YSf; \ N
The first Gold Star War .Mothe,
couldn't say more. Her tear-dimmed
eyes had halted her tongue.
Let usi remember that it was this
Gold Star War, Mother who refused
to wear black when her son was slair
in battle because she didn't want tt
rdepresss the hearts Of other war moth
ers whose SONS had gone to serve
their country and of still others whose
sons awaited the call to arms. -
Some months ago Mrs. tDodl was
Easked, abY the United States 'iWar de
I 1natment f. shs wanted her SONS body
tbrought ,ba9kh, size, 5Wf6te ana told
f'tfiem thai hitting iwodld Iii6*s please
I flef homs than to 'havs Her ssdn's body
brought back to. his old homes ant
buried there. '' ~ I
Since then one has heard snothing
She is living in a Aaily anticipation
of hearing that her con; is on his way
home e-not as she had hoped he would
come back when he first went away
but coming back a hero who gave hi
all, his life. 15f45zs 2sFS q ~
Other Gold Star War Mothers have
received the same formal inquiry from
the government: do you want you1
sons body brought back from France
II so, do you want it returned to you1
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