The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-21

practically every one raised her hand.
Goodnight, girls" the superintend-
ent said. And they all bid her good
night and filed quietly into their vari-
Gus dormitories. A small group of
girls was allowed to come into the
administration building for a half hour
before going to bed that evening, for
they were the choir of the farm
church, held every Sunday in the big
dining room. and had to practice an
thems for the service the next morn
ing. They possessed excellent voices
and seemed to enjoy singing the sa-
cred music.
SoIoist's Case a Sad One.
One of the chief singers was a young
woman who had attracted my atten-
ton previously. She is a maid in the
administration building-whom 1 will
call Mary-whose life story is a sad
one. When she had found that her
husband was untrue to her. and
thought her health was falling she
killed her two small children and was
about to kill herself when she was
prevented, and thereafter sentenced
ito life" Her mental condition when
she came to the farm showed her to be
in a state of melancholia. Her health
has improved and she has become
more cheerful during her several years
at the farm.
After the girls had finished singing
the hymns and had gone to their
rooms before o'clock. 1 heard the
piano being played very softly: 1
slipped unobserved to the door of the
room and saw Mary sitting there
touching the keys very lightly as she
played over the hymns, fearing to
wake those who might be asleep. Lat
er I came thru this room and found
Mary pouring over the Sunday school
lesson they were to study the next
Mary is one of the most capable
girls at the farm, Mrs. Perry told me.
In addition to cooking. sewing and
general homework. in which she ex-
cells, she has become proficient in
nursing. thru constant assistance in the
farm hospital and, if she receives a
parole. will accept one of the offers of
excellent positions she has received.
Real Religious Service.
The religious services at, the farm
was not a farce, as one might believe a
] religious service at such an Institution
would be. IN the most model Sunday
school I have never seen such atten-
ton paid to the lesson and the truths
| it contained. The lesson concerned
David's befriending of the crippled
grandson of Jonathan, and the prac-
teal application made to the girls was
1.-The value of friends" Mrs. Perry
gave a short talk on the subject after
| the matrons had finished teaching the
| classes, and after a sermon by a neigh
boring preacher. who, in my opinion
| said nothing in his hour of discussion
/ of sin and sorrow Of benefit to the girls
| that equalled the superintendent
| simple talk on friendship.
/ After I had known Mrs. Perry for
half a day I discovered she was not
so stern as her appearance indicated.
| She is above the average height, slen-
der with j face that seems stern If one
does not detect the kindly twinkle in
J her eyes and does not see her smile
when she tells a joke on herself. 1t
doesn't take long to know that she is
a woman of iron will power, tempered
with much kindness of heart. Her
stern expression must have been de-
! veloped while she was superintendent
of the Girls Industrial school at Be
| lott, but her kindness of heart is in
| nate, 1 know.
Reminding the girls of their past
does not help them Mrs Perry said
to me afterward. Il want them to re-
member 1t only as a warning for the
future and not to consider it a blot
J that has ruined their lives