Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-11-18


tenenance broke into broad grin. After
tuning his banjo, he began to sing the
following song.
When first saw the army
As iC came to our town.
| Their appearance did not charm me,
| Sill followed them around.
| went down to their hall
| To hear them speak and sing,
| 1t seems TO me that it all
! Was such a funny thing.
But couldn't and | wouldn't
| And | couldn't stay away from them;
| couldn't, wouldn't stay away.
The next night was back again
In my accustomed seat,
! For 10 hear Them tbump the tamSorines
Was to me quiFe a treat;
They sad: Young man, are YOU SavedF'
| L answered them quite short,
| For they could not make me believe
In any thing or the sort
| They said: prepare for Judgment
| For on will have to ole,
Ara you Will nt yer get to heaven
Unless you begin TO try;''
thought OF this for several DAYS
AND life seemed all blank,
knew that if l WE Mt to hell
I'd have myself TO thank.
When things went on in this same wav
And could find no pcace
1t seemed that all asst ay
And could not rest Ease:
But when to the Savior came
And the fountain plunged 10
he put new courage in nv heart,
AND saved NE from my sin.
The soldiers on the platform Joined in
| the chorus, while the captain whirIed
around the stage like a DANCING darvis at
the end of each verse. He Jumped up
and down, held his panj o aloft, shufied
| his feet and attem ated to dance a clog.
1t must be remembered that this exhibit
ton was accompanied by shaking of the
head, chuckles, and grins, directed at the
spectators. The performance was so
| ludicrous and absurd that the entire
house roared, the ladies present being
especially unable to restrain their mirth.
Capt. Walsh evidently considered this to
be sign Of appreciation, and be Joined
in the general laugh. After he had taken
his seat Gen. Booth was called to the
bat.
He commenced by asking the audience
not to Judge the salvation army through
the medium of the press, which he said
always sent representatives to the meet
ings who appeared to see something to
ridicule. Why do they think so hard of
the Salvation army? he inquired.
''There's something under the red jerseys
of these men and women" pointing to
something under their bonnets and caps
! something hich beats for their fellow
men. I'm sure you'll all be glad to love
us in heaven, although you make fun of
US here. The Salvation army is already
promised quarters in heaven. We shall
have music, and tamborines, and dancing
| there, although the people down here
seem to be opposed to our dancing, but
| they do it themselves"
| Continuing, the general remarked:
"When people come to US with good
words, and leave $50 bill behind, it's
very comforting to US. We need money
to build our barracks on Chicago avenue,
and we shall be glad to have you help US.
| The cost of the building is to be between
| $4,000 and $4,000. There'll be stores
downstairs to help repay the cost of
building, but we must have money to &C
| complish that object. One lady, Miss
Johnson, of Elizabeth street, gave $500
toward the fund last week"
| After Gen. Booth had concluded, a num-
Der of blanks for subscription to the
building fund were passed among the
audience. Commissioner Smith then
read the list of subscriptions received
since the meeting Of Monday night, and
also the different sums subscribed during
| the evening. AS each amount was read the
donor was given receipt by numerous
''amens' from the soldiers on the plat
form.
1t was noticeable that when the sub
scription of 81 from John Jones was read
| the tamens" were few and faint, but when
Commissioner Smith announced that j.
| G.. Watson had subscribed 800 the
''amens" were deafening, while the three
bass drums were vigorously whacked. A
donation of 10 cents was acknowledged
| by the rattle of several tambourines, but
without the ''amen" accompaniment
Some person in the audience sent an al
| legged gold chain to the platform as DON
alton. Gen. Booth suggested that the
chain be sold to the highest bidder, but
nobody made an offer, and it was taken
charge of by one of the officers. Of
course no one imagined that the scheme
was put-up job, or that some soldier
sent the chain up very much as some
actresses buy bouquets to be presented
to them at the evening performance.
large number of what were presumed to
! be legitimate subscriptions were read.
Many, however, were fictitious, and when
the Salvation army agent goes around
to some business offices to collect the
sums supposed to have been subscribed
he will probably be forcibly elected by
the indignant alleged subscriber.
After a final prayer by Gen. Booth the
| soldiers fired a volley and the audience
was dismissed. Gen. Booth, aocompan-
| led by Maj. Dowdle, Capt. Vint and Com