The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-20
BELATED LETTER COMES
FROM LONE MISSIONARY
Nisn Hayes Reports to Richmond
Iourd That All Is Quiet
In Snltillo.
GRAVE FEARS FOR HER SAFETY
Bnptiht Representative In Mexico
Writes InterestinE Account OF Her
Work for Orphan Girls.

Miss Ida Hayes. the missionary sent
out BY the Baptist foreign mission
board, located In Richmond. who has
so heroically refused to desert tn" five
homeless little Mexican girls lcf, IN
her care and seek safety under the
United States flag, was safe at her
post IN the Madero institute at Saltillo
on April - = letter from her mailed
on that date reached the offices OF the
foreign mission board yesterday after
being more than a month en- route.
As stated In her letter. the iight!ng
NJ that time was In the v.ci~t;. "t
Torreon and had not reached Salt!lio.
However. the battle line has been ad-
vanccd to the latter city now. and the
lighting is being waged in the very
street before the building In which the
lone American keeps watch. What
has bcfallcn her since She mailed The
last letter or what VIII be her fate
should the r!oting end law!cssness
conjecture.
Officers at the foreign mission board
headquarters yesterday said that they
felt no great fear for Miss Hayes
safety. as Mexican officers had thus
far shown III. greatest consideration
FOR all o: tne missionaries. and they
believed that they would continue 10
do so.
In her letter received yesterday.
Miss Hayes said that she and her
wards we're safe and were continuing
their work despite the unsettled state
Of affairs in the war-torn country
She said that while two o! the girls
had not seen relatives IN three years
and others had been separated from
their families FOR more than twelve
months, all showed the greatest OPP
tim!sm and hope.
Miss Hayes's letter In part follows:
Il am !nclosing tho picture men
toned in my las; letter ana wish l
could give q brief sketch OF each girl;
but I can briefly and c!ccrfully say
! could not have been left with five
more earnest or serious girls. They
do their own cooking. washing and
ironing with their regular school
work. l think 1t best for them to
feel personal responsibility In the
/ matter OF their education, and not to
feel that things come too freely. The
work does not hurt them: you can see
how strong ana we'll they all look. and
they are learning some useful lessons
| am sure.
"Thcy have been here now almost
three years two OF them have not
been home during that time. and for
= year none has had any regular com.
munication with her home: so they
have really been the orphans OF the
mission. The fighting about Torrcon
continues Wounded are being brought
into Saltillo In large numners am
glad the missionaries are not there.
tor there VIII ne little left OF the once
fair city. All troops from here have
been over there for ten days"
officials at the headquarters of the
mission board yesterday were unable
to account for the long time which il
required for them to get the letter.
One week Is generally sufficient time
FOR letter to reach Richmond from
Saltillo. IT is said. Whether the dcray
was occasioned by the censorship mann
tanned by the Mexican government or
whether It was caused by the discon-
tinuance Of regular railway traffic Is
unknown. Other letters from Miss
Hayes have told OF her ietters being
opened before they were received by
her. the government inspectors read
, ing every line of n letter before II ~
delivered. The letter which reached
here yesterday had not been opened
and because OF the fact that 1t is post
marked Mexico City, May C, 1t Is
thought that the Scvcring or commune
cations by rail may have caused tho
delay.
No further word has been received
from Secretary of state Bryan, who
was asked to attempt to communicate
with Miss Hayes several weeks ago,
when the mission board found it i'm
possible 10 do so. lilo stated then that
he could not get In touch with her.
The letter which reached Richmond
yesterday was mailed before he was
called on for aid
The stand taken by MISS Hayes ana
her heroic work in remaining with
the girls, who are attending her school,
has attracted considerable interest not
only in the world OF missionaries, bu,
among the general public. Since tho
publication OF the story. telling Of
her plight. in The Times Dispatch
many inquiries rs TO more recent news
Of her have been made of tho board.
Laying OF Cornerstone.
winchester. Va, May 19.-Tho cor
ner-stone Of the new Methodist Epis-