Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-06
MRS. DARLINGTON BOOTH
SPEAKS TO CONV|CTs
Six Hundred Men In Stripes Hear
Noted Prison Worker ut
State Pcnitcntiary.
INTRODUCED BY MAJOR WOOD
Makes Earnest Elaboration to "Her
Boys" to Redeem Their Past Lives.
Prison Band Leads Men in Singing
Old Familiar Hymns.


ing and listened intently to n little
Bray-sarbcd woman, who exhorted
thcil 10 live for the future and warned
mem against tho slough of despond.
ne woman on the platform was Mrs.
darlington Booth the famous Saliva :
ZIONIST. ana known the world over as
inc Little Mother of the Prisoners.
Mrs. Booth is on Il lecture tour and
VIII speak at the City Auditorium to-
night, telling of her work among the
prisoners in England and America. She
TOOK advantage Of the opportunity af-
forded by her lecture engagement to
carry Il message of cheer TO tho In
mates of the prison.
Mrs. Booth arrived AT the peniten-
tiary in an automobile. which Major
James b. Wool. the superintendent
had sent to the jefferson Hotel, where
shc IL stopping. She was unattended
except by the chauffeur. The super
intcndent. his assistant. X. X. Penn. and
other officials Of the prison were at the
gates TO receive her, while within tho
walls her arrival was hcralded by Il
Joyous blarc from the prison brass
band a corps OF twelve instrument
taists. which was organized last July.
MAKES TOUR OF INSPECTION
ABOUT PENITESTIAR
Mrs Booth was taken on "A tour o,
inspection before the services In the
,dinins-hall began. and commented
upon tnc conditions she observed in n
manner highly complimentary TO m.
superintendent and his STAFF Inn,e-
dihtcly after tho men were marched
INTO the hall She followed them and
mounting the platform. with Major
WOOD. she was introduced by the su-
pcr!ntendent, who said:
Now, bOys, as there is no minis, r
mere this morning, ! want 10 lead YOU
IN word OF prayer: but before I offer
word Of prayer ] want to say n few.
words about prayer. II ia the most
solemn part Of our worship Of God.
mere are times when the though, OF
gong to the Supreme Being in PRAYER
makes me nervous. II makes many
men little nervous. You know how
II Is. You sometimes go TO the kcener
ana YOU send messages to me; but
when you come down and see me your
selves you appeal TO the man in au-
monty. When we 20 TO pray We have
thht same feeling. Jesus Christ is our
Master. He stands in authority over
us when we 20 TO pray I want you
reali"e that VIC are going TO talk
10 the Supreme Reiug Himself
no matter how hunbl. w, are or
nov sinful, "" want 10 remember that
lie sent His Son To call all classes OF
men. could nei stand here and speak
10 you in this way IL did not realize
ana sinner together.
MRS. BOOTH SPEAKS
To 900 PRISONERS
II is great privilege TO have Mrs.
Booth here with US She doesn't need
an introduction to many of YOU but
some OF YOU here don't know her. Mrs.
Booths lifcwork, which she chose for
herself. is 10 try and help those who
need help the most; and she does this
herself. using her own means. 7 have
known her for years. The last time |
heard her speak was in PARKWAY Cali
fornia, when She stood up before a large
audience and plead for the men behind
her present 10 speak 10 you. know
that you Will all appreciate the mes
sage she brings"
Mrs Booth said, in part:
Dear superintendent and Boys,-I
wish TO assure you from the depths OF
my heart that / am very glad to be
with you once more. I wish had
come before the frost so that We could
have been out in the open. with tho
blue sky above us, pure air and sun
shine everywhere.
Years ago | Sc down in New York
y little colony u. girls who were 10
work among the sinful. I went down
myself and showed them how to go
into the homes-not as outsiders but
rs one OF the family. dressed them
in Old clothes and wore old clothes
myself. so that the people would con
slider us as one OF them and open their
hearts TO us. one night, after they
had retired TO rest there was a knock
at tho door. Upon inquirinp what was
wanted they learned there was an old
woman IN one OF the worst parts of
tho district. who lay dying, friendless
and alone.
MISSION WORKER GOES
no AID or Ill. W0MaN
Orc OF the girls started out through
those streets crowded with rabblc. IL
seemed safer to walk down the middle
Of the street From tho open saloon
doors drifted. ont snatchcs of rbaid
song and mirth Into the street.
through the swinging doors OF the sa-
looms. came the drunkards and DENT
zcns OF the underworld. She made her
way along until she arrived at the
house in which the dying woman lay.
and opening the door started up the
stairs. When she came to the last
flight the stairs were so rickety that
she thought they would give way.
Teaching the top, she pushed open the
door in front OF her The room she
entered was devoid of all furnitrSe--
unless you would call the bed furni-
turc. There wasn't even Il chair in
the room. The girl knelt down by the
side of the feeble woman. ministercd
unto her. and hathed her face and
hands. In few brief hours she was
left nlone with the dead
she went at early dawn into the
streets OF the city once more. But
now they wcro silent and deserted
Breathing in the fresh air as She
walked along, her foot slipped on
something. She stopped down TO see
what had caused her to slip and found
on the ground a little, faded rosebud.
The fral petals were all covered with
mud and mre from the footsteps OF
those who had trodden upon It. AS
she looked Mt 1t she thought how, like
II was to the life she had just seen
pass out. That woman had once been
Il beautiful young girl, fair and sweet.
Perhaps she had come from some beau
tiful country home and had come to the
city and led pleasant life-had n
good time while her health lasted.
FINALLY. however, she died alone. cut
off from everyone and forsaken by all.
So with the little rosebud 1t had
once been a thing Of beauty but the
mud had spoiled, broken and dnfiled II