The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-08-07
A BEAUTIFUL STORY or JENNIE
cASSEDAY

SHSS.SOt
I The following is the beautiful story
of Jennie Casseday, the founder Of
the home mission department of the
w. C. T. u.
Jennie Casseday was born at Louis
vile, KY, in 1910. Her early child
hood was exceptionally vigorous
Then came the sculptor, with his NAL
let and chisel, sent to hew out of this
fine marble all that it could endure Of
the image of God, much that was
certainly to be so noble and heroic, sc
clear-cut and fine, so ideally beautiful
that it should stand as a model to all
generations for all time; the sculI
tors name was pain. Into a little
corner of a little room he thrust her
and darkened the windows. Her
mind as well as body was racked by
the blow that had fallen, yet out from
the conflict which none other could
fight fer her she came with all the
glory that belongs to conqueror to
conquest.
In 1869 she read story of young
school teacher who lived IN Roxbury
and taught in Boston. She noticed
the great waste of flowers as she daily
travelled to and from school; she de.
termined to have it otherwise, if pos
sible-determined that great basket
fulls of the beautiful, fresh blossoms
should find their way into some of the
darkened corners of the crowded city
few miles away, into some of the
darkened lives that knew almost moth
ing of natures gift.
She fell into the habit of carrying
from RoXbury a basket of flowers at
the end of each week and giving them
to the ragged children whom she met.
1t was a simple act, simply done.
This story inspired in jimmie Cas-
seday a great longing and determine
ton to establish a life work in her
home city.
Sympathetic hearts and willing
hands were quick to respond to the
call from this sick-bed; many were
the conferences held, and under the
guidance of jimmie Casseday's strong
clear brain the Louisville Flower Mis-
sion came into being-came to bless
more of the city's suffering ones than
even her great planning heart had
dared to hope.
For four years this beautiful mis-
sion had been in operation when the
attention of Miss Frances Willard
was first drawn to the noble work,
and yet nobler women behind it. Call
ed upon while national president OF
the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union, to address a Louisville assem-
blage, and lingering for day, Miss
Willard learned the story, proudly
told, of Jennie Casseday's mastery
amid excruciating pain.
A visit was arranged. and out of it
grew the plans that placed Jennie
Casseday at the head of the flower
mission department of the National
Woman's Christian Temperance I'm
ion.
Since her death in 1898 on the re-
currence of her birthday from year to
year, the flower missioners of every
union seek to give to the work OF
their department fresh significance by
practical demonstrations suited to the
varying demands of varying human
ity; here word of hope to some dis
heartened soul; there a helping hand
to some worthy one, and now a little
flower in some darkened room-food
or raiment or CHEEKY words, as the
occasion may demand.
The jennie Casseday Infirmary, the
Rest cottage, home for working girls,
noble institutions, through which Lou
isville has sought to honor the hero
ic life of this heroic woman, are yet
not the truest monuments to her life.
That Miss Casseday's life of self
forgetful service left an indelible i'm
preston on the life of Louisville is
evidenced by the beautiful monument
erected to her memory by the school
children, bearing the inscriptions:
Thou, in our wonder and astonish-
ment,,
Has built myself lifelong monu
ment."
Miss Casseday's birthday was OBJ
served by the w. c. T. U. here Tues
day afternoon at the Methodist
church. A report of that meeting has
already been printed in this paper.
A BIG FLOWER