The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-04-14
CAPT. GRACE.
Everyday Scenes in the Life OF 8
Salvation Lass..
She Commenced tho Day with Prayer
for strength and Ended 1t with an
Act of IIeroism-How Her
Promotion Came.
lcopYRIcHr, 1899.

ii lCoPYRIGHr, 1891
81 Capt. Grace threw open the window
d of her tiny room and looked out ut the
a bright sunshine, the blue sky, tho drift
A ing, flcccy clouds.
4 GLORY to God!" she murmured, "what
u perfect t!ayv
Then she set the coffee on to boil,
toasted some bits Of bread and boiled
an egg. Before taking of this simple
/ breakfast She bent her shapcly brown
Y head and whispered:
i "Givo me strength, Father, for to-
\ day"
That was Capt Grace's daily morning
!, prayer. Strength to sustain her through
/ each days work; to help her bear the
4 haunting words, the insulting laughs,
the profanity and vile language hurled
4 at her on her rounds; strength to up
4 hold her in her visits TO the slums and
1 to push open the swinging doors of sa-
/ looms and attack the devil in his very
stronghold.
Capt. Grace was beauty, and that
fact made her life all the harder The
face that looked ont from tho ugly army
bonnet was the face of IN angel, with
its ivory-lilSe complexion in which roses
came and went: with its clear, resolute
turquois eyes, its dimplc chin, straight
little nose and soft red lips. The plain
uniform of the Salvation Army, which
renders Il homcly woman an absolute
fright by its very severity, only err
phasiacd the loneliness OF the girls face
and figure. Too we'll did the young
warrior know her charms. She heard
them discussed b. men on The street
corners, III ears, before the uptown
hotels and in the downtown saloons.
what n bloomin little daisy said
the Fourth ward bum.
What Il little dnrling.' said the
broadway connoisscur.
Capt Grace often wished she were as
ugly rs Ensign Jerusha, who was pocll-
marked and squint-cycd, and thus cs-
capped many of Satan's javclins. But a
regular life, constant exercise and occu-
patton and high, pure thoughts combined
to produce a beauty which grew from
day to day, and from which the earthly
elements were fast being eliminated.
In the slums she was known, loved
and blessed. Her small red hands had
pressed the aching head of the suffering
and scrubbed the floors of the slattcrn-
ly. Her smiles and tears had mingled
with those OF the unfortunate of earth
Her cheering words, gracious deeds and
prayers were a sweet SAVIOR in the nos
trils of the dcspniring.
And yet Capt. Grace was n girl, with
girls love of pleasure, pretty things,
ease and comfort. She battlel ficrcely
nj times with these temptations, faint
and weary with warfare, longing to
yield, to leave the strife, to taste hap
pincss and human joy. But her con-
science ever sounded Il trumpet call,
and Capt Grace, obcying, sprang again
to the conflict.
Just as She took down her dark blue
bonnet from the wall there came q
knock at the door. She opened it.
Miss Francesca Fadd stood there
Miss Francesca Fadd was rich pretty,
liind-heartcd, generous and always had
a nice hobby horse to ride
Just now her hobby horse was the
Salvation Army.
She had attended tho meetings, wept
in her lace handkerchief, subscribed
literally and conidcd to her dean. four
hundred that she felt herself chastencd
and comforted. She had hunted mp the
pretty captain, whose face had attract
ed her, and had made as great pet of
the girl as the young devotcc would per-
NIT.
Good morning, dearest" said the
caller.
Good morning, dear Francesca" re-
piled the captain. "Come in.
Francesca seated herself and took o
long survey of her friend.
Have you decided, Grece?"
eyes, Francesca"
'Well, you will come with me-give
over this hard life, live with me- be my
companion md sister NOu know am