The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-08-27


AS it nestles in its spotless purity
upon the breast of man or woman
of wealth or poverty, it tells to the
world that the wearer is one of the
vast army that is waging a mighty
war against the hosts of sin.
Not a war which is destroying
homes and devastating nations
strewing the plains and hillsides
with the dead and dying, but a
blessed war of peace, for the uplift-
ing of the nations and of the homes
for the protection of the weak and
the oppressed, striving to put temp
tation out of the way of those who
cannot resist it and making this
poor old trouble-tossed world a bet
ter place to live in.
Only tiny bow of white ribbon
Only poor little woman wearing
it. rs there any power in that
you say.
How small is a little drop of wa
ter and yet how great is the mighty
ocean, beating its snow-capped
waves against the rocks, dashed into
fury by the angry elements.
Yes, there is wonderful power in
one bow of white ribbon. Upon the
breast OF wife and mother it Yields
its influence for good over the en-
tire family. When worn upon the
street it silently points the way to
a better, purer life. Sometimes it
brings to the hayward one visions
of home and mother and causes him
to take new start in life.
1t is power when worn by the
woman, serving to protect
her against the class of young men
with whom marriage would be a
failure and eXerting an
influence for good over all the young
people with whom she comes in
contact. OF course there are excep-
tons to all rules. The inheritance
Of taste for drink combined with
a weak will are sometimes more
powerful than the influence of the
wife. Still, the girl with the white
ribbon upon her breast and the love
Of all that it represents in her heart
is guarded against many evils.
The same may be said about the
young man wearer of our badge.
The low, rough, or Whitened sepul-
cher class of young men have moth
ing in common with the young man
who wears the white ribbon. His
society is not desirable, therefore
hey let him alone.
1t is help to the business man.
Spreading its atmosphere of purity
and honor, it causes those with
whom he comes in contact to have
in him.
We hear so much about the Sc
ret societies being such a help to
he stranger in strange land. The
ame can be said of the far reach
ng influence of the W. G.. r. Y.
When | first arrived in Lakeland
With the intention of moving my
amily here if | could find a suitable
louSe, the train was an hour late
nd was alone. Being in a strange
ity by myself after dark did not
righten me until | found that the
otels We're all full, for it was in
he busy tourist season. The only
riends that we had here, that !
new of at that time, We're off on
visit.
Finally | met young woman |
Tho said that her father was run
ing a boarding house and that l
light get in there. went home
18th her, with a very thankful |
cart, only to find that their house
as also full. Her father said that
would be impossible for them to
nd room for me. No doubt there
'ere plenty of places in the city
here | could have spent the night
ad | only known where to find
hem. AS it was, knew not which
'ay to turn nor where to go. The
orror of sitting up all night in the
epot doomed up in all its unpleas-
ntness.
A pleasant faced old lady who
as a tourist, then came forward.
he had heard the conversation,
nd, pointing to my white ribbon,
lid: You are a member of the
Z, c. 7. U. cannot see you
lrned out into the night My bed
only Il single one but you may
ave half of it That was a time
hen the little white ribbon secured :
e a nights lodging. That dear old
dy will always occupy a warm spot
my heart.
| have been wearing the white
bbon for twenty-one years, so it !
no wonder l love it and all that