The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-12-13
ELOQUENT TRIBUTES TO LIFE
AND CHARACTER OF MISS PELLY
At Cairo W. c. T. U. Memorial Service-Miss
PelIys Prize Essay-Strong Words by Rev.
BabcGCk

honor of the late Miss Anna Pelly
held by the w. c. r. y. at Stafford
Hall were well attended; all the
chairs in the hall being taken and a
few standing in the rear. The pro-
gram was an especially interesting
one and part was taken in it by
a number of the pastors and honorary
character of Miss Pelly being paid
by them all
The music was furnished by the
choir of st. Patrick's church under
the direction of Mrs, l.. e. Profiet
Two of the numbers were solos, one
being rendered by Miss Myrtle Bam-
brick who sang Face to Face" and
the other by Mr.. Joe McNulty who
sang Calvary" The choir rendered
two hymns.
Rev. Babcock, rector of the Church
of the Redeemer, made the address
of the afternoon, paying tribute to
the character of Miss Pelly and Civ
ing some of the causes which led
to her martyrdom.
At the conclusion of Rev Babcock's
address, Mrs. A. R. Deem gave read
ing, taking for her selection the essay
that Miss Pelly recited when she won
the silver medal in a contest between
the classes of Cairo and Anna about
three years ago. The selection was
entitled Number Twenty-Five" and
Mrs Deem recited it in such a way
as to bring tears to not few eyes.
Miss Pelly was also entered in the
contest at the state convention of the
w. G. T, U. at Murphysboro on Oct.
o. 1906, at which time she tried for
the gold medal reciting "Who is to
Blame?" The recitation Number
twenty-five" is here given in full:
Number twenty-fve!"
Bring on Number twenty-hve!"
"The court is waiting for Number
Twenty-Five"
There was a little hanging back on
the part of the usually prompt official
but in a mCtaent more a tall, fine-look.
tuE NbItIdH StIbdI hCildlibIS up anu
placing herself before the Judge,
awaited the usual questioning.
There was something so piteously
desperate in the prisoners appear
ance, and her great, haunting eyes
had a look of such anguish in their
fierce depths, that the judge, accus-
toned to all kinds of sad sights and
sounds, yet hesitated a moment be
fore asking, with unwonted gentle
ness:
What is your name, my woman,
and where were you born?"
Me name is Aleen Byrne, yer
honor, an | were born in Aberdeen,
off the Scottish coastland."
And you are charged with striking
a MANI
"I am, yer honor, an ken weel
stricht the mon.'
"And you meant tor
4 did, indeed, yer honor. | only
wish | wight have a Kilt him!"
THAT would hardly have been for
your good, Aleen.'
Hes kilt me, yer honor
"McGinnis testifies that he never
laid hand on you,' returned the
4 judge.
I HE stabbed me to the heart yer
| honor, an the mon kens it weel!"
stabbed you? Suppose you tell US
J about it,
| 81 will. and me voice will sarve me.
Ye NIGHT no ken it is, yer honor, to
shave one bonnie laddie, an none else
We cad ain. | left the guide father c
me lad a-sleepin' in the Rirkyard
when brought me wee sonnie to this
land. They say this be a countri'
flown wi milk and honey, but oh
yer honor, it flows wi milk and honey
for some, an for others, | mind me
II flows wi very sea o. poison. For
mony year after | reacht these
shores | tolied in sun an shade, but
what greeted messer for the toll so
lang as me winsome Robbie were
thrivin' an gettin muckle .
learnin' fra his books! He growed
so fine an tall that soon he were ta'en
to a gentlemans store to hip wi
the Grants an to mind the counter
betimes Then the mon McGinnis set
his evil eye on the lad. | was forced
to pass his den on me way to and
fra the bread store, and he minded
t was messer hated the uncanny look
o. the place. An one morn as passet
by he said | needn't be so gran aboot
me by, he were no above ta'en sup
O. the liquor wi the rest, of an cen
| begged me childt for the love o God
to let the stool alane. Me Robbie
doing i'll, an promised to bide by
me will an wishes, but the mon Nc
Ginnies watchet o. night when't were
cauld an stormin', an he gave the
lad money cup o his drettul
t4lhrinks, to warm him, he would say.
| got upon my knees to me ain childt
an prayed him to pass the place no
/ more, but to gang hame by some
! ither road Then ! went mesel to
the mon wio,t soul in his body, an