The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-10-02
Aroma Of A. E. r. Coffee and
Doughnuts Attracts Veterans
To Terminal Cafe.

Magazine writers. apt at the art Of
flinging words from the keyboards of
heir yarn.battered typewriters, will
write you a perfume story" on order
The reunion Of sweethearts in the
fifth paragraph from the ciinch
through the 'heliotrope" clue is a re-
cipe quite old In the cookbook of fic-
ton chefs. Because 1t is not difficult
20 do poorly 1t was once done quite
often.
Today 1t is counted out, except when
some master calls in the smell" for.
Eula and solves his story with the
grace and perfection of modern per-
iumery advertisements.
1t would therefore be old stuff to tell
you that the perfume Of hot dough-
nuts. or ham and eggs. or A. E. F.
coffee, sailing out through the screen
Emma G. Steed on the Washington,
Baltimore and Annapolis terminal
property at New York avenue and
Eleventh street northwest, has been
the means Of bringing+so her table
once more sweetheart sons who
learned to loye-her overseas.
Scenes 'TProps All Set"
t~@ouid not only be old stuff to
write It that way, but It would not be
altogether truthful. The phantom
reach of John ]. Condolences arm
has as yet failed to lineup familiar
neses within odor range Of Mother
Steed's' famous chow. But the
props are set for such a secene and
some day you will read Of 1t in type.
But what really 10 happening each
day at the little dug-out where Mother
Steed presides, is more interesting.
The fifty-one year old woman who
god sons is each day seeing one more
old friend Of Dijon In the Gate Dor,
where she served as Red Cross
worker.
Mother Steed can't remember them
all by name, and sometimes she misses
a face-but no boy who ever crossed
his legs under o tableful Of her deli
cacies ever forgets the face of the
kindly woman who once greeted him
overseas.
"I heard you had opened up a place
here In August" they tell her when
they visit her dug-out $50 I came over
10 see you. Mother"
Fully half Of the daily business Of
the little cafe is that brought to
Mother Steed by her god-sons.
Couldn't Go As Nurse.
Mother Steed" has for years been
known in Washington for her work
with the Red Cross. When the United
effort to 20 across with the troops as
a nurse, but as she was beyond the
age limit Of forty.five years, she was
compelled to 60 as q canteen worker
and entertainer.
Mrs. Steed lives with her husband,
James NJ. Steed at Vietch Summit. Va,
near Ballston. He Is chief clerk of
the publication division of the Ad-
,utant Generals office. Gifted with
a talent for organization, she formed
the Alexandria county chapter of the
Red Cross, today one Of the largest
chapters In the country In proportion
to the number Of people in the dis
trict which 1t covers. In the early
days Of the war she was in charge
OF the Red Cross work at Fort Myer,
Va.
After he arrived In France she was
put In charge Of the Red Cross hut
ut base hospitals II and 103, at Dion.
Here she was the idol Of all the sol.
iiers who were sent to these hospitals,
and word repeatedly reached Washing.
'on OF the excellent work she was do.
Ing. r.
It's a little easier now than II was
over there" said Mother Steed the
other day. "It used to be $50 gallons
Of cocoa and at least. 1000 doughnuts
an afternoon. for we had $500 beds in
those hospitals. ....
"Rut like this little place be-
cause Il IL all my own, and enjoy
having the boys visit me again"
Mother Steed doesn't say much