(Before I give an account of our experiences, please allow me to relate
an incident that occurred on the train. In a seat almost parallel with
the one we occupied sat two women, one of whom was richly dressed. She
repeatedly looked my way. Her face seemed familiar. Presently I
ventured to accost her with that fact. She smilingly replied: "Of
course it is. I'm ---- ----. You came to my house in Santa Cruz dressed
in a Salvation Army bonnet. If it hadn't have been for that, you would
never have got in. One of my girls left because of what you said and did
that day. I'll be glad to have you call. I always want to help save a girl
if I can. Perhaps you can persuade her sister." Hallelujah! "It came to
pass" less than a month later.)
The gate-keeper passed us into the grounds, and soon I was being warmly
greeted by Mrs. Kincaid. Presently I inquired if she recognized my
companion. She smilingly shook her head.
"You've met her many times, Mrs. Kincaid," I said.
She guessed any but the right person. Finally she said slowly:
"It might be Callie----; but she was nothing but a bag of bones; as
forlorn-looking a specimen of humanity as I ever looked upon, whereas
this woman is fine-looking, robust, and has a splendid expression.
Surely it can't be Callie!"
"But it is Callie. Look!" And Callie proved her identity by pulling up
her sleeve--convincing evidence beyond a doubt. Never did I see matron
more delighted. Presently, following some rapid questions and answers,
she said, "How would you like to surprise your former companions,
Callie?"
"Just what I was hoping for, Mrs. Kincaid," Callie answered.
"Very well; I'll have all of them called into the large dormitory. You
wait here a few minutes."
There was an enthusiastic welcome for me, but no one recognized my
companion--_no, not one_. She stood beside me, speechless and
trembling. Finally I said:
"Speak to them, dear."
"I can't," she whispered, and the tears were in her eyes.
"Girls, I've brought some one with me today whom you all know and know
well, but I see you do not recognize her." (A long silence.)
"Who is she?" some one asked. (Another long silence.)
"Show them who you are, Callie."
"Callie? Callie ----? Surely not, Mother Roberts. She was," etc., etc.
But she was showing them; choking down her sobs of joy, or rather,
trying to, as she rolled up her sleeves to convince them. Even so, they
found it very difficult to believe, very, very difficult.
I gladly retired to a remote part of the dormitory, a grateful observer
temporarily forgotten, whilst Callie was being questioned and
overhauled by about seventy delighted women and girls. They went into
raptures of joy, they shouted, they wept, they hugged and kissed her,
until she was obliged to say, "Sit down. I want to talk to you. Do,
please."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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