The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1910-04-29


a body and asked me to come again.
T. met them again and again. and a
very close bond of comradeship was
formed between our hearts. Letters
reached: me from parents all over the
land, thanking me for the good news
their sons had :. written home of
changed hearts and new lives. I some
times smiled as read these letters,
and wondered whether the mothers
realized how young was the one to
whom they were pouring out their
heart desires and feelings towards
those boys whom l had been led In
so strange way to influence.
One night when I had managed to
get them all shut out of the saloons
by keeping them in my meeting with
a promise not to look at their watches
until after closing hours, they came
In body under my window and SER
enaded me for an hour. The student
body of Sweden had taken the prize in
the whole Of Europe as the best sing
ers and were renowned for their won
derful singing. The newspapers the
next day, commenting upon my SER
enade, said that it was an honor which
had never been accorded to any one
In Sweden save the members of the
royal family: that is, by the whole
body of student singers. AS sat at
my window in the moonlight looking
down on those upturned faces. and
listening to the wondrous harmony of
the brilliant manly voices, I appreciat-
ed to the full their loyal chivalry.
They sang no foolish love songs, they
chose only themes of patriotism. valor,
noble deeds and purposes. There had
never entered into their relationship
with me any thought or word. look
or action, that could have embarrassed
me. Before they formed in ranks and
marched singing away, one chosen
spokesman stepped forward and ad-
dressed me, and in the name of the
student body thanked me for coming
to them, and for the straight, faith.
full message l had brought. He as
sured me that they would be better
men. purer in living, truer to the
ideals of their home and mothers as
result of these meetings. He added
that they hoped I would return and
work with them; that If I would. I
should be known as Miss Charles.
worth Of Upsala," and that they would
make me their chaplain and promise
to attend in full force every service
should hold for them. l knew, how
ever, that that was an impossibility.
My marriage, and my call to this dear
land of my adoption were not many
months away, and my adieu to Upsala
would be good-by forever and that
good-by must soon be spoken.
When the day of farewell came. the
students swooped down in full force
upon the depot. There was rule that
only those holding tickets would be
allowed within the gates. Unceremon-
iously. they bowled over the officials
and crowded the depot, blocking every
available space around my train.
walked through a little lane opened
up in their midst for me to pass in
When l was at the car window, they
raised their voices in a farewell song,
while someone stopped and lifted up
a tiny golden-haired boy with blue
eyes and flowing curls, who presented
me with my bunch of white roses tiad
with the colors Of the university.
I had come back to the starting
point of my reverie. l picked up the
letter again and read: Il am sure you
Will remember because you are sucn
lover of flowers, but do you recall the
little boy who gave them to you?
write to tell you that l was that little
boy, and l am now a life prisoner in
Sing Sing"
A chill dark cloud crept over the
blue sky, the bunch of white roses
faded in my hands, the blue-eyed child
was weeping, and saw before me rise
high, stern, gray walls, heavily barred
windows, and long line Of figures in
gray tramp, tramping down a stone
corridor until lost at length amid the
black shadows that engulfed them.
But from the shadows comes to me
that call to work and love and hope
that points to the new day-dawn, and
remember that one whose mes
senger l am has said: 1.-THE Spirit
of the Lord God is upon me; because
the Lord hath anointed me to preach
good tidings unto the meek; he hath
sent me to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to
them that are bound" GIL
Copyright. 1910. by Joseph B. Bowles.)
His Rats.
M. Paulhan, congratulated by a cor.