Show French Mother M her o Loses oses Son Sonin Sonin in War War- Ado Adopts Another Learning T That t Her Boy Died in Gallipoli She Select Selects Substitute Substitute Sub Sub- 1 From to n List Ls of Youths at t F Front nt Who H. H Have No Relatives Relatives and Receives Affe Affecting Acceptance t I. I PARIS Feb Feb 12 A A remarkable incident incident incident in in- fraught with intense human interest is told by the Paris correspondent correspondent correspondent corre corre- of the Dagens of Stockholm A French mother who conducts a pension in Paris recently received the following brief pathetic letter the captain of a French company in iii the Dardanelles telling of the death deaUl of her son Your son died like a hero and that c certainly should mitigate your grief He TV Was as a brave French soldier always always al ways in good humor overflowing with enthusiasm and full of energy Unfortunately Unfortunately Unfortunately Un Un- fortunately we have been as yet unable unable unable un un- able to give him burial as his body lies les now where it is is' dangerous to reach him but rest assured madame our entire company will at the first opportunity avenge his death and kneel down beside the grave of your dear son and offer otter our prayers to heaven leaven for him This letter came came to the mother molher some same time ago She continued working working work work- ing ng in her kitchen as usual from 5 6 o'clock in the morning until 10 30 o'clock at night On Sundays she ate in the dining room dressed in deep mourn mourn- mourn mourn-I ing ng She spoke of nothing but her son Recently a breakfast she appeared ap ap- geared eared in her everyday dress and surprised everybody because of her good rood humor She announced that she had lad received a a. letter from her son and placed the letter on the dining room table There was Intense surprise Was T the he news of her sons son's death a mistake mis mistake take Was he r really ally alive n. n This is a letter from my new so son SOD she replied smilingly Just read his charming letter gentlemen I 1 am ious sous to see sec what he is ie like whether hether r a blond or ar bru brunette ette tall or short and he asks whether he can call me mother It developed that this French mother did as thousands thousands' of other mothers mothers' in France have done who have lost Jost ost their only sons in ln the war She went to one of the m many ny bureaus and asked that she bo be provided with another son and then theft as in a lottery pottery she alts blindly selected one from fa a long list of young soldiers who have no relatives soldiers soldiers who never receive letters or presents from home That was all she cared to know know know-be be he educated or illiterate it tt did not mat ter She at once sent him socks under underwear underwear wear handkerchiefs and neckties telling telling tell tell- ing him that he now had a home where a warm meal and a comfortable comfortable comfort comfort- able bed always awaited him hint She I wrote him every detail of her life told all about her husband her nieces and her favorite cat also about her dog who was 12 years old and whose teeth were falling out She assured him that when Grandfather Joffre granted him a leave he would not have to walk homeless in the streets of Paris Should he be wounded he had a mother now who would nurse him And the smiling woman read the letter she had received from her new newson newson newson son filled with thanks for the things she had neat nt him the him the tobacco the socks the underwear the handkerchiefs handkerchiefs chiefs and the neckties neckties and and he be closed his letter with the following words Mother rest assured that I will do everything in my power to be worthy be-worthy worthy of you as a son I |