The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-02-21
"SEEki<G THE LOST"
Capt. Annie Skidmore Describes How the
SaIvationists Live and Work.

she did very effective work to that city.
Capt. Anule Skidmore, the new COM
mander of corps No. of the salvation
army. which has its barracks at No. ,
South CLlhoun Street, sat at her desk
Monday making out her weekly report.
The barracks consist Of a hall which was
formed by tearing down the PARTITION
between three smaller rooms and the
officers quarters. Staff Captain Nc Far
lane occpies the first and second floors.
Captain Skidmore and Lieutenant Nc
Collough have quarters on the third
floor. The BE- lroom is plainly hus neat
ly furnished. 4 desk stands il one cor
Ter, ana the walls are decorated with
notices and pictures of prominent Sal
vAtionis5S. The outer room Is uncarpeted
and serves for both kitchen and dining
room
Captain Skidmore is pretty, plump and
only twenty years old. The life of a
Salvation Army officer, she said, is not
SO unpleasant as many persons imagine
We are changed about frequently from
place to place. l might receive orders
tomorrow to leave Baltimore, or | may
remain several months Bat We M Ike
hosts of friends wherever we 90, who
help us greatly.
My Lieutenant aud | rent two rooms.
Here we live, doing all cur own work.
4 I
| ing meetings. We do not USUALLY rise be-
fore seven. Then, after cooking our
breakfast and cleaning our rooms,
We 60 out visiting. We always
visit those who come TO cur meeting
and whose address We can learn. We
also visit from door to door, inviting the
people to come to the meetings, and il
they will allow US We go in and sing and
pray for them. Ga Monday we always
make out our reports, one copy of which
is sent to the division captain and the
other to the New York headquarters,
accounting for every cent that has been
collected and for every soul saved from
perdition. Ii gifts are given to US, we
must deduct their value from our salar
les. Every three months we take up
collection for corps which are two poor
to support the officers in charge. | have
do is to state the amount | want and
usually get it.
1--WE hold SIX open air meetings week
four during the week and two Oh Sunday
We go to some eligible corner and sing
and pray, aud when we have collected a
crowd we march back to tho hall and
have our regular meeting. The tam
| bourines aud drums are great help in
attracting the class of people We wish to
reach.
The two officers usually live alone,
but sometim' We have cadets to train
| for officers. They receive no salary, bus
have their expenses paid, and live with
us until they can answer the questions
| to get commission. Most of the officers
are young, and there is IA great deal of
marrying done i'll the army. An officer
does not marry outside of the ranks.
! There is triining homo for the glrl
officers in New York and one for young
MEN i'll Brooklyn. There they are taught
| every thing that au officer should know.
They learn to cook, sew, sing, exhort
and to sell War Cries, and if necessary
to read aud write. Some of our officers
you know, come from the lowest walks
of life. A soldier who can pass the ex-
animation is not required to go to the
training home. never was there my
self. There are very few officers under
sixteen years OF age, because as IL
rule mothers object to their children
leaving home sooner, and they are never
received without the parents consent.
| From one to six months is usually passed
III the training home, according to the
ability aud previous preparation Of the
soldier.
There is demand for more officers
lished it is usually self supporting, and
| the staff captain is establishing new sta
tions as fast as he can get officers. AS d
rule, the girls captains do better than
the men. They are listened to more
readily, and the roughs behave better.
This is not ALWAYS the case, however.
Capt. Nellie Saddington, the officer
under whom l was converted, was hit
on the hip with a stone while paradIng
in town in Massachusetts. She kept
her bed for six months, and finally had
to retire from the army on account of
her enfeebled health.
The Home of Rest, at Elz aDeth, n {.
j., is in charge of Major Evans and
his wife, and is, as its name implies, a
home where sick or broken down officers
can 60 for rest. A great many officers
break down in consequence of the expos
ure. Mrs. Ballington Booth, wife OF the
commander in chief of the American
forces: writes several times a year to all
the girl officers, and oftener if they are
sick. She has recently sent up list OF
health hints which have been helpful to
to us. The army expect soon to build a
memorial building in New York city,
which will be a permanent headquarters
for this country.
The female officers uniform consists
of plain navy blue skirt and Norfolk
jacket, the collar of which is bound with
red for a captain, blue for lieutenant
aud yellow for cadet. Captain Skid
more al.o wears a red satin belt, with
Seeking the Lost" on it,
WOodIaWn Items.