The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1910-05-20
By Maud Ballington Booth
n The "LittLe Mother" Of the Prisons n
Jumbo: A Heart Story

A gentleman was once showing a
collection of gems to friend. dazzling
his eyes with tray after tray of gilt
ter1ng, sparkling wealth. Diamonds,
rub1es, emeralds and sapphires, each
were displayed in their turn, but he
Kept to the last his most priced treas
ures, small collection of opals Of
great rarity and value. When at last
tney were uncovered, the guest was
surprised and disappointed. They
were dull. and lacked the color and
ulster he expected to see. He ex-
pressed his disappointment, while
their owner, gathered them into his
hand. closing his fingers over them,
and continued telling of their worth
and Of his delight In having become
their possessor. Then he passed to
other subjects, and had apparently for
the time forgotten his opals. A few
minutes later he called back his
friends attention to these special
gems, and opening his hand displayed
them to his astonished gaze. They
were transformed. Now they seemed
aflame with fire, palpitating with light,
glorious in the rainbow tints of their
beauty. With quiet smile their own.
er explained simply that they needed
the warmth Of the human hand to
awaken them to life.
There are many gems that the God
OF heaven covets for his diadem that
seem very unlovely to the eyes of the
world; hearts that are hard, souls
unresponsive. natures unloved and un-
lovely; no grace or virtue, no gift or
talent to make them desirable: moth.
Ing noble or worthy to shine forth and
catch the attention of others. May
1t not be that they but await the touch
OF human sympathy. which opens the
way to the acceptance Of the Touch
Divine? Is it not possible that when
that touch has reached them, they
too may shine forth with an honor,
virtue, beauty and strength never
dreamed of before, so that earth may
be the richer and heaven the brighter
for their redemption?
1t was in the early days of my
prison work, In the first year Of the
history of the Volunteers of America.
that Jumbo" came to me. and his
coming was in this wise: was very
busily engaged in opening my mail,
and my secretary had had strict orders
that on no account could receive call
ers. The order had hardly been issued
before it was disobeyed, and knock
at the door broke in upon my quiet.
Explaining the reason for this inter-
ruption she said: There Is a man
here who says he must see you, no
one else will do, and from the look
and manner of the man, l think he
comes from up the River" In the
prison world Of Sing Sing, that abode
of the caught and sentenced is called
"up the River" I laid down my work,
for this was caller who had prior
claim, and needed me more than the
writer's of the letters I was opening,
so they must wait. When he came
into my office, it was with the look
and manner, the word and tone that
not only proclaimed him one Of 'the
boys" but also marked him the typi-
cal Bowery Boy at that. rose to
greet him, but before could voice my
welcome he announced well, 1've
come" and throwing back his head,
he laughed as though it were the fun
NEST statement in the world. pulled
a chair up to the side OF the desk,
and assured him that was very glad
OF his coming, and hoped that I could
help and serve him In some way. TAX.
ing the seat he laughed merrily again,
and announced once more Eyes, I've
come" He added "You can bet your
life, there's not one of 1.-The Boys" up
the River who thought I really would
come. You try it when next you are
there; tell them came to you. and
just see what they say about It, Bet
your life they won't believe it posi-
ble." I saw at once that there was
more to his coming than appeared on
the surface. and little by little gained
the story. "You see, Little Mother"
he said, II was not a member of your
l0d6uS. L dA NV 0VOA ACAA6AOu0 Nc
ligion amt in my line. I want to be
honest with you, and so tell you this.
and to speak the truth, did not want
to come to you. l was born and
brought up to it, and never did moth
ing else for living. l guess too, I
was born idle, for 1 never worked
outside of prison in my life, nor in
prison either if I could help it. I
did not go to your meetings up in Sing
Sing, as I say. religion amt in my
line. But saw the change it made in
my old pals. They said. Look here,
Jumbo, you have been in prison time
and time again, and it's time you
quit. This kind Of life don't pay, and
If you are ever going to turn over a
new leaf it's time you began now.
Well. l told them that was all true
enough, but what was the use? How
could an old-time crook make anything
of his life? Then they said The Lit
tie Mother wants US to go to her, and
she's promised to give US chance,
but l said. oh get along, I'm not go
ing to impose on her. l amt religious
and she don't want me- But they
A.