New-York tribune., 1911-09-10
A QUEENS REFORM
With Her Faithful Subjects
She GiUeS Up Fighting.

The Queen of Arthur Avenue" came
strolling along 1s6th street, in the neigh
, 5orhood OF Hughes avenue. in The Bronx,
one evening some ten weeks ago. She was
bent on mischief Leader OF gang OF
voting Italian girls, II was Up TO her to find
something for idle hands 10 do. Do girls
form gangs" and go about on mischiev-
Gus errands? Is not that form OF city life
and activity monopollzed bv the BOYS?
Perhaps the boys, gangs are in the large
majority but in several sections OF the city
the budding sufra gette manifests her early
longing for leadership along lines similar
10 those favored by her big brother.
60, on this midsummer evening the
Queen OF Arthur Avenue" passed through
ls6th street with the dignity suitable 70
her royal state She bore herself with all
the assurance OF her thirteen years, dsfi-
ance in her sparkling brown eyes. eager
ness in the quick turn OF her head as she
looked here and there for possible prey.
All, tent at the street corner What
opportunities Il might offer tent al
ways suggests 10 the youthful miscreant
NOllrN u -DLE-H anu StD44cS al 44t'l- ei-ANr
nod 10 her followers and almost instantly
a shower of missiles rained upon the can
vas roof. which sheltered representatives OF
the Evangenstic Committee OF New York
City who were about 10 begin q series OF
meetings for the unchurched Of the neigh
borhood.
The girls stood breathless, awaiting
round OF curses 70 come from within. 70 be
followed by men with clubs. resulting in an
exciting chase down nearby streets whose
turns and hiding places the girls knew 50
wei. Disappointed they continued 70 wait.
No, curses, no clubs, no angry men issued
from within Amazement gave way 20 in
dignation al the failure Of their attack. and
a second and yet a third volley was dis
charged from their brown little fists. No
response from the people in the tent Who
could they be 70 show such indifference?
CURIOSITY overcame fear, and the gang eau
tiouslv crept around until they found ar
opening IN the canvas walls As soon as
their faces appeared az the open space q
sweet-faced yourg woman stepped up 70
them and smiliugly invited them inside.
Won't YOU come in TO the meeting she
asked In reply, the g.rls took 70 their
heels and fed swiftly from sight
Night after night this sort of thing was
repeated, until az last the attacking party
yielded entered the fort % the foe. ann
very soon were sitting entranced by the
colored pictures shown on the screen. ard
before long were joining in the chorus OF
Jesus Loves Ne" which they had uncon-
sciously learned during the evenings they
The visitor 10 the tent during the fol-
lowing weeks might have seen Agnes Sim
plicio. with her erstwhile companions in
mischief. sitting IN the front row every
night. leading the singing and the rec!ta-
ton OF Scripture texts The rags and the
dirt had disappeared, and instead there
were clean and decent garments. and faces
shining with happiness as well as a new
knowledge OF the practical possibilities ot
soap.
we nave made up our minds 70 follow
the Lord" Agnes would have explained. II
asked. and We don't fghr any more
Agnes is only one Of the sixteen hundred
little folks who have attended the chill
dren's ten meetings conducted by the
EvangeHstic Committee during the hot
Of New York City Some OF them.
IKE her. had been the teTrors of their re-
spective communities. Others were TOO
much crushed by domestic cares to aspire
10 any such distinction. They came with
tiny babies OF three or four weeks in n.their
arms or with larger ones tugsing al their
skirts. when they wore skirts. Tor there
are little fathers" az well ar little moth
srs" Again. they sought the tents for a
little rest and diversion, after tying willow
DR. making artificial flowers since o'clock
n the morning Yesterday afternoon the
children closed their season. Sixteen hun
1red boys and girls. representing ten diff
,ereut nationalities besides the negro race.
10 Calvary Methodist Church for
their closing rally. OF course they began
by singing America" This was followed
by a story OF the boyhood OF Jesus. told
bv Howard Frederickson. twelve years old.
from the tent az 18TH street and St Anns
avenue. The Bronx. and then the familiar
text beginning For God SO loved the
world" was repeated IN ten languages
This department Of the work OF the Evan
eelstic Committee has been in charge Of
Horace r Baker. of Princeton University
The chairman OF the Evangelistic Commit
Tee Is william jay Schierelin. and Miss
Helen Gould is one OF the largest con
uibutors 10 the work.