The Panola weekly star. (Sardis, Miss.) 1882-18??, 1885-08-15
A REMARKABLE WOMAN.

How she Founded The Scandinavian Tom.
prrsnco sailors Home In London.
One ot the best known among English
phAnthropIc institutions is tho Scan
dinayian Temperance Sailors Home In
London. aud one Of tho most interest
cstiug biographies Of tho century would
bo that of is famous foundrcss. Agnes
lIcdcnstrom
Left nm orphan when quits young
child, she was brought mp In the house
OF wealthy relatives in upsala Hero
she was pcltcd and INDUCED 10 tho last
degree
"Lot the child have her own way"
said her friends "Shc has NO parents,
poor thingW
All her pranks wero' overlooked, aud
she grew up animated largely by the
desire 10 enjoy herself aud have her
own way still sense of dissatisfac-
ton would make itself felt in her life.
She was not quite happy, though she
could have given no reason for her do
spondcncy One day, however sho
| listened TO nm eminent Swedish preach
cr. and then for the first time became
conscious of the religious element lack
ing in her own life, and Of the fact that
she only needed 20 I'LL her Idle hours
with thought and labor for others She
began preaching TO her countrymen In
the North, where no woman had been
allowed to speak in public first address
ing small meetings and then vast as
semblagcs.
For fomc years she continued this
work, becoming at last persuaded that
II was her duty to 60 as a missionary 10
India. But while In London, awaiting
mn opportunity TO engage In work
abroad, she was impressed with tho
great need Of lnborers among the poor
In East London, She began preaching
10 them In the streets. and u was there
that the sound Of her own language
broke on her ear, half-smothcred or
inartcnlatc There homeless, drunken
Scandinavian sailors were eDsnared by
the hundreds, in horrible pitfalls OF evil
For two years she worked among tho
sailors. preaching and persuadlng
She still shuddors at the recollection
OF her first address TO some Of her coun-
trymen. at place called the Strangers
Rest. Twenty drunken sailors had been
collected In this room, and. alone and
trembling. their countrywoman ad-
dressed them, while they shrieked and
blasphomed. One after another, they
became quiet. until tho whole company
was finally subdued. Next evening
they came, bringing some comrades
with them. and Il was not long before .
Scandinavian lecture-room was per-
manenily established.
IL was some years before Miss Heden.
strom could raise sufficient funds for q
larger establishment. but In 1880 the
Home was founded OF this Miss He
dcnstrom Is sole manager. She corre-
spends with tho members OF her conf
pany, when they are abroad on voy-
ages. receives and invests their money,
aud aids many Captain In picking out
his crew. Beyond all this. she super
intends tho "boys" who are temporari.
" on shore. For their benefit bed
, rooms are kept In order, meals arc
served In large diniug-room, and
; plenty Of space. Is provided for them 10
, pass their leisure hours amid books and
! newspapers In short the Home Is "a
immense boardlng-house, though Of
course Il can not BE- entirely self-sup-
porting. some Of its patrons being quiss
Destitute
Miss Hedcnstrom says Of hen
r charges;
, II have never yet had a sailor among
the i've thousand that have been In thi'
home who has returned from II 70 hi
/. former haunts; and. thank Cod thcrs
sre at present n good many decently
dressed men among the Scandinavian
:, sailors In London. whereas. whom be
gan my work. thore was not single
one Of all that came under my notics
who did not look ragged or slipshod.
/, II can do little TO raise funds; bu'
never yet have asked anything In vair
from my Heavenly Father"
II requires strong character for |
work like this But this woman secm
20 possess Il. and 10 owe TO 10 tho hi
ness for her calling. Youths Compan
;, ION