Evening star., 1932-01-28
LITTLE MOTHER"
OF A. f. F. IN CITY
Mile. de Coen FuIfiIIs Prom
iseS Made to Dying Ameri-
can Soldiers.
BY GRETCHEN SMITH.

/ During the sad days of IT and 'l8,
as hundreds of American soldiers in
the hospitals of France closed their eyes
| in the last great sleep, wistful-eyed
| little French woman moved silently be-
| tween the great rows of white cots,
! giving what consolation she could to
the lads whose last conscious words
| were for mother.
To each one she gave promise
| she would cross the seas and personally
visit the mother" whose name was
! mother" would know how her son died
-bravely, uncomplainingly unafraid as
| American sons should die-that moth
er" could smile bravely through her
tears at the gold star pinned to her
| breast
To the men of the A. E. F., the little
French woman became known as the
little mother" and scarcely a section
of France where American soldiers were
billeted was a stranger to her.
Thousands of Americans confided
their dying messages to the little
mother" Countess Constance Hillyer de
Caen, a direct descendant on her faith
er's side of the French house OF
Bourbon.
Fullfills Her Promise.
Today living at a modest hotel in
Washington the Countess, or Mile. de
Caen, as she prefers to be called, is
fulfilling her promises made l3 years
ago to the American soldiers who died
in France.
"I have made seven trips to the
United States" she explained and
have personally visited nearly every
Gold Star mother whose son 1 attended
when he was dying. They were noble
boys, the American soldiers, and among
the thousands of manned and wounded
whom I saw in the French hospitals
not from one of them did hear COM
plant or an expression of regret for the
sacrifices demanded by the war.
They say the French people are un-
grateful. That is not true. We love
America, and today the American SOL
without flowers"
This is Mile. de CaenS seventh visit
tc the United States. as she explained,
and she expects it will be the last in the
fulfllment of her promises. Throughout
every section of the country she has
visited Gold Star mothers, white, col
ored and red
Few Americans realize that there
were over 1900 Indians in the A. E.
F." she remarked. II met many of
these Indian boys when they were dy-
ing I was called to their bedsideS be-
cause I speak several languages, and
the Indians in death. would always
speak their tribal tongue.
Learned Their Names.
"Of course. 1 could not understand
them, but did learn their names, their
tribes and where they lived In, that
way have been able to carry many
messages to the Indian Gold Star
mothers throughout the United States
have seen all now but the Pueblo In
dams"
The countess brown eyes had far
away expression.
"I cannot return to France until
have seen them" she continued. But
am afraid will have to wait sometime
as it is so expensive travelling to New
Mexico"
The countess explained that she per-
sonally had financed the seven trips she
has made in the past IS years Now,
after visits to nearly every section of
the United States, she finds it will be
necessary to wait until her depleted
funds have accumulated sufficiently to
permit the final visit to the Pueblo Gold
Star mothers.
1T has taken much time and money"
she added, but I am happy to have
been able to do what I have done. 1t
has brought great consolation and COM
fort to these mothers to know that
their boys died bravely and that the
graves Of those who lie buried in France
will never 60 without care"
Attended 1000 Soldiers.
During the war Mile de Caen at
tended about 1000 dying American SOL
dierS, Of whom approximately $50 were
Indians of different tribes.
During recent visits of Gold Star
Mothers to France she personally con-
Quoted many to the graves of their
sons. In the past few years she has
assisted in finding the graves of many
American boys, of photographing them
and sending data about them to rela-
tives in this country
Among her most highly treasured pos
sessions, the countess numbers full
Indian headdress and an Indian fan.
made Of eagle feathers, the gifts of
grateful Indian relatives to whom she
has carried the messages Of the sons
who died so far from the home and
native land Of the Red Man.