Putnam patriot., 1909-03-05

We all know that great results grow
out of very small and apparently in-
significant causes; that pivotal turn $
in character and circumstances oil :.
times hang upon single thread. or
even hair, so IL Is not surprising that
this review of missionary workers
bunch of them. II happened thus;
Once upon time, many years since.
small girl in northeastern Gonnecti-
cut WAS taken upon journey In a
tone. horse shay by her grandparents,
and they stopped for the night at the
house of an old relative. Our little girl
did not know anything about the fam
lily, but that they lived in an old house
in an eut-of-the-way corner, aud SEEM
ed te be in great trouble. They we're
talking about daughter who had gone
out rs missionary 10 Africa and died
there, and this poor, little tired thing,
sitting alone on a teotstool, felt very
henesick. Aud then one Of them said.
"We'Ne got her hair, and she brought
in long, heavy shock of light, wavy
hair, aud held il up before them, and
they all burst out crying and this poor,
little tired thing cried harder than any
of them, and that was all She knew
about IL, She did not know the name
of the missionary lady, nor where she
lived and died, but that hair--that
long, wavy, glistening hair--was most
wildly impressed upon her memory.
Our second thread comes from the
"Sunshinen column OF the New York
Tribune. A good lady on Long Island
felt moved, one Christmas season, To
give the origin of the tune adapted TO
the old Christmas hymn
.When she pherds watched their tiocks
by night"
1t WAS composed by her great-uncle,
Daniel Reau, the publisher of sing
ing book of tunes of his own compost
ton, and this particular tune WIS SO
much his favorite that he gave II the
name of his best girl--the lady whom
he afterwards marricd--Sherburne
Now II so CHANGED that our little
girl who made the journey and SAW the
hair, was also the grand-niece of this
same Daniel Read, and knew all about
his singing book and his naming the
Christmas hymn tune for his iady love;
but she says she has given the name
wrong--the name was Jefusha Sher-
man, and she was the most beautiful
girl In Stamford and her portrait hangs
now in the Historical Society gallery of
New Haven. And so she made correc.
ton and came into correspondence
with the Sunshine contributor, who
proved 90 be the niece and namesake OF
the unknown missionary Iady--Anna
Eliza Read, wife of Benjamin Rush
Skinner, who went 10 Liberia AS mis-
sionaries In 1870. Moreover the niece
had inherited not only the name but
the very hair that had so long dangled
before the eyes of our friend, and rs IL
matched her own, wore IL upon special
occasion. II is not often that child
hood vision materiaiizcd thus into a
present reality. | think myself that
the young woman made a mistake In
leaving her hair at home. We know
that the mighty Samson lost his
strength when shorn of his locks, and
perhaps this good lady would have been
better fitted To grapple with the malt
rious climate had she taken her hair
along. However this may be, this story
led me TO find out all that could OF The
SINNERS and their work, and thence
to other missionaries who had gone out |
from this section.
Thompson, Dee. ", 1908.