The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-23

0 our rescue work in mind during these days of retrenchment in the city, finances and whenever it is pos sible to contribute a bit to its up-keep,, was the simple re- quest of Adjutant Emma Walgren, the gentle. kind matron of the Salvation Army Rescue Home, as she chatted with me yes' terday about the work being done there
 Many years ago a soldier of the Salva- tion Army in London, took a poor girl off the street into her home; she improved so much that she took another and an other until her husband complained that he could not afford to keep these girls. SC the soldier reported this to headquarters a house was taken for this purpose and from this beginning the work has grown to it's present dimension.
 To minister to their temporal needs in order to obtain opportunity to minis ter to their spiritual needs and to press home Gods claim upon them, was the ob- ject of the work and right faithfully has it been followed forming as it does today, an almost international organization for charity.
 The rescue work of the Salvation Army
 in Birmingham, has been phenomenal in
 it's efficiency. it's scope, and its influence and it has merted (and justly sol the generous support not only of the city, but of the general public in every effort it has made to broaden and augment its charities.
 Not the least factor in it's successful nj, ie A mt llolr capable, and much beloved matron oi the Rescue Home, whose services have been unfailing and whose kindness oi heart and tender ministry to the "down and out class is too widely known to need comment.
 From far away Sweden, Adjutant Wal gren came to this country, not knowing how to speak word of English, yet with a heart attuned to high and beautiful she chose for her medium the Salvation Army, of which she had been an honored soldier in Stockholm.
 'I heard the call to shoulder arms and join the Salvation Army many, many years ago." said Adjutant Walgren rem iniscently. Tn fact it has been over 2t years since I first became interested in the work and although my family ob- jected at the time to my leaving home and entering the army, that still small voice that bade me do my duty was more insistent and compelling than an earthly voice, and so told my people of my in join the army"
 Ut Is much more difficult to become an officer on the other side than it is here" Adjutant Walgren sa.d. There are many things required, when it comes to efficiency. over there that are not needed here, and as housekeeping was my espe- cial talent l decided that I would go in for that phase of the work and immedi- ately l began to affiliate with the rescue work. could always make a good pie and a nice loaf of bread, and so I didn have much trouble in getting along. My brother came to America about that time, and a little later I followed him over here, and went to his home in Illinois where I joined the army. That has been nearly 19 years ago. and four of those years I have spent in Birmingham. I have seen the rescue work in all of it's phases here. I have seen fine come grow from small beginning to the large build ing We have now which after all was not urge enough tO dccOlIlIlOudle our R1rlS and babies and so recently We have made a fine new addition to the home. consist Ing of a hospital laundry and work room.
 This is all neatly furnished and well arranged, and it has given us a great dea! of pleasure to be able to make our girls more comfortable. Then, too, we have rented the cottage next door to the Rescue Home at 3301 Avenue E. and lranr 1xal, 1;,,ly xI,a are the finest lot of little citizens in the
 world. We have two wonderful little boys. Clayton and Claude; they are twins and they are worth a trip to the home just to see what fine, healthy, specimens they are. We have dear little girl, the baby of the 22 little ones io our care, and all the rest look after her and guard her like she belonged to them"
 What becomes of these babies?' interrupted. when they are big enough to leave the ,home?'
 Some of them are adopted Adjutant
 Walgren replied, but the majority re- main with their mothers"
 And the mothers?'' I queried. "Some,'' she said. return to their friends; some go to situations with theii babies; a few go to other institutions and hospitals; for those who desire, the home stands back of them with open door, sup plying the natural craving of every girls
 heart for home and friends, a joy in pros
 perity. a refuge in adversity.''
 "At the home they are made to feel in
 dependent because we let them do tht
 necessary work of the home, each having 1 her share to perform, while at the same
 time they are taught needlework, plair
 and fancy, and other things that can fl
 them to go out in the world and make a respectable living" Adjutant Walgrei
 continued. These unfortunate girls com,
 to us usually between the ages of 13 ant
 21 years of age, and it would seem tha weakness and downfall are no respecto
 of persons, because they come from tn, home of the rich, the poor and the mid
 dle classes. as well as from the gentee
 and grinding poverty, street and brothel. ! s'The girls are well taken care of ans so are the babies at the home,'' continued