River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-10-24
MONTANA BILL.

Tor the meeting tt.a- evening at the
headquarters Of the Salvation Army
In san Francisco. Throughout the
large attending crowd the spirit of ex
pectancy moved uneasily, but with
muffled wings, its energy stirred not
only By divers vagraEt rumOrs on the
street. but also by many fOve ana
foliage plants WHICH hamper he
stage
After some preliminary religious ex-
ercises conducted by the brigadier, p
man with a clean face. a clear eye and
a coax'ng voice. that gentleman made
the following speech.
you doubtless all read az the time
Of its publication a telegram from
Butte. Mont, announcing the dis
tressing experience Of our brave little
sister, Cadet Annie Smith, who was 50
great a favOrite with Us here before
she was ass .gned ~ do duty at Butte
There was an amused twinkle IN the
brigadier's eyes. but in the audience
there was spreading litter
swell" resumed the brigadier. Our
noble little sister, with the help of
God, passed through the ordeal, as
most of you are aware, but as it IS
part of our plan u confess publicly
our errors and shortcomings, will ask
Cadet Smith TO give you trus AMI
full account OF what happened 10 her
at Butte"
A faint clappiug OF hands, vOcifer-
Gus ''God bless Cadet smith, here and
there and removal Of some of the re-
straints which mu fled the wings of
the spirit Of expectancy greeted the as
cent 10 the platform of a small, 1.-the
young figure arrayet al the sonber
blue and quaint poke Comet of the
army. Her face was "a glowing crimson
as she faced the audience, but her eyes
were bright ana her glance was firm,
and the vigor of a strong and sturdy
soul lent a certain grace of freedom 10
her pose
after had served several months
selling War Crys in san Francisco"
she began with a steady voice which
had acquired that plaintive quality 80
common among the hard workers in
the cause, Il was sent 10 Butte, where
there was a small corps O.: workers
They had become disco u-aged, and it
was thought that my experience would
help them a little. didn't know that
Butte was 50 different from san Fran
cisco, and the members of the corps
there didn't know 1t either, because
they had never worked anywhere else
That Is why they didn't tell me some
things that l wish had known more
about
II started out the first day with
about two hundred War Crys- They
looked surprised at the corps headquar-
tiers when I asked for 80 many, but L
thought could sell them
'.Of course l went into the hardest
part OF town, and after | had visited
one or two saloons and failed to sell a
copy went INTO another one A good
man, men were gambling l had never
seen anything bat card playing II san
Francisco. but they had wheels of
fortune and a great many other things
TO gamble with Several men were
drinking at the bar. l went among
them all and asked them 10 buy the
paper, but they simply stared At me IN
wonder. The games began To stop.
and then big, fine-loolsing man with
a broad brimmcd hat came up To me
and said land he said-he said: Hello.
little Parson sally. what 10 YOU want?'
lie said it Just like that lie was so
big and his voice was 50 deep-and-
and he YVES So
'.Out with it. cadet!' cried half a
dozen voices in the audience. and the
girl broke down, stanmering and
blushing.
Handsome" she added, desperately
as though the saying Of the word was
a cross between martyrdOm and the
confession of a mortal sin. Great APP
plause and laughter followed this dec
laration. with an occasional God
bless Cadet Annie This 50 over
whelmed the Girl that her lips trem-
bled and tears spraug 70 her eyes and
she cast a despairiug, appealing glance
toward one particular spot before her
in the audience where she had not had
the courage 10 look before. That
single look was sufficient 10 rive the
bonds of decorum which had held a
giant in restraint, and the uprising o.
a towering frame sent the brigadier' 5
programme ana discipline tumbiing
into chaos The tall man approached
and mounted the platform with the
stride Of a grenadier, while Cadet
Annie gazed at him with a dismay
which was still inefficient 10 quench
the light Of the stars that shone all the
brighter in hcr eyes now mat her
checks had paled simultaneously a
startled hush fell upon the audience
for. although the familiar uniform ol
the Salvation Army sat upon the mans
splendid frame. he was a stranger t.
all and there was a commanding All
about him that stilled all sounds.
He staIked To the girls side and
stood there facing the big crowd like
lion at bay in defense of his lair
And an uucommouiy handsome man
he was, with swarthy face. jet black
wavy hair worn long. and formidable
black mustache and imperial These
two made a strange picture as they
stood side by side, she so small and
Eeemingly - frail, he 50 tall and mus
cular and competent; she looking al
at him. he ignoring her aud sweeping
the hall with glance half of defiance
half Of benignaucy and wholly OF
strength and mastery When the mar
spoke his voice rolled forth in thos,
rounded pillows that in a rich diapasou
sing the mysteries Of the deep.
NV friends he said, with God:
help and the brigadier's consent
which he never took the trouble to Sc
cure-''it seems too hard for this poor
child 70 tell what happened to her in
the gambling house at Butte that day
was there when Il happened ana saw
IL all, and I will tell YOU the story.
can't bear 70 see her tortured as sh,
has been this night. Cadet Ami,
Smith, take your seat
Tie said that stiu without looking a
her. With glance al the brigadiel
which meant; How can help il wheI
this big thing shoulders me away
she slipped behind the rose embanke.
parlOr organ aud he empowering foil
age plants on the stage and was lost I,
view.
The brigadier sat watching the maj
with a peculiar expression which n,
one could have understood had anyon,
thought 70 observe il, but the strange
SO completely filed all eyes and so i'm
pressed his mastery personality on tn
consciousness of all who could see anC
hear that nothing else could be OBJ
served. The stranger resumed;
~ knowed the gambler that playe'