166 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



heart would break. She was still in poverty, had been in 

 poverty all her life, as she said. We talked and talked about 

 old times. She had her memories and even remembered the 

 incident about the duck eggs which was very precious to me. 

 When I was leaving she insisted on my staying for dinner, but 

 I did not embarrass her by staying. I told her I wanted to go 

 back to my old home for dinner, but- 1 gave her a little money. 

 I shall never forget the expression on the face of that dear old 

 soul as she threw her arms around me and patted me on the 

 back and said, "God bless you, God bless you, God bless you." 

 And the memory of those whispers still clings to me like a 

 benediction, and I feel that I would not trade them today for 

 any other incident of my life, the memory of that dear old 

 woman's talk and whisper as she said, "God bless you." 



MY EXPERIENCE IN COUNTRY ORGANIZATION WORK. 



(Mrs. Irma Mathews-McLennan, Oklahoma City, Okla.) 



I have often said to the people in Oklahoma that I was a 

 Missourian, and if I did not tell it they found it out anyway. 

 What there was about me that told them I was from Missouri 

 I never have known, but the fact was there. I have found 

 many of my kinfolk and fellow Missourians in Oklahoma, and 

 have not felt so far away from home, perhaps, for that same 

 reason. 



I deem it an honor that I am asked to return to my native 

 State and speak to you this afternoon on organization. The 

 subject assigned me may seem largely personal, but since it was 

 assigned by my former instructor. Professor Emberson, I feel 

 that I have no right to object. The subject assigned me is 

 not concerning one woman's work; it is the work of the universe; 

 the work of every good woman who has helped me and every 

 good man who has said, "I believe in you." Those are the ones 

 whose work it is, and if it has been my good fortune to help just 

 a little in leadership then I am glad and heartily glad, but the 

 greatest gladness that comes is because the people have awakened 

 to the possibility of not what I can do but what they can do; of 

 not what I would be able to help them but of what they need. 

 They have learned the strength that comes from banding 

 together and what they can get for themselves. These, then, 

 have been some of the greatest things that have come to us in 

 our new state. 



