Swamiji mentions Mr. Leon in one of His letters. We need to thank Ms.Cornelia Conger who is the granddaughter of Mr. John & Mrs. Emily Leon. Because of her a light has been thrown and the mystery suddenly solved as to where He lived during the Parliament sessions. She was only six years old in 1893, yet her memory about Swamiji was vivid when she met Swami Shankarananda. His exact words o her were – “That every great man is like a jewel with many facets. That each facet is important as it reflects a different aspect of his character.”
He was gracious enough to not consider her memoirs as ‘childish and trivial’. She had grown loving Swamiji all her life and had never forgotten His extraordinary and magnetic personality since she had never known anybody like Him. Before the Parliament commenced, members of various churches offered to host the delegates as their guests. Mrs. Leon was one of them and had requested for a broad-minded person who would’nt be a hypocrite. They were not told which type of guest would come to their house which was at 262, Michigan Avenue.
Mr. Leon’s house was full of guests who had come to see the World Exposition. The day Swamiji was to arrive she send her son to stay in a hotel and vacated his room for the guest. Rev. Barrows had informed that they would arrive after midnight. Everyone had been to be except Mrs. Leon who waited to receive Him.
When she opened the door, there He stood in a long yellow robe, a red sash and the red turban. She was startled as she had not seen a East Indian before but she welcomed Him warmly and showed Him the room. She was disturbed while going to bed as she thought some of their guests would not like this dark man in their house. She told Mr. Leon that they could shift This guest in the nearby Auditorium Hotel so that He would not feel uncomfortable.
Mr. Leon got ready half an hour before breakfast and went to his library to read the newspaper. There he met Swamiji and before the breakfast was served came down to his room and said to his wife – “I don't care a bit, Emily, if all our guests leave! This Indian is the most brilliant and interesting man who has ever been in our home and he shall stay as long as he wishes.” Here began a warm friendship between them and Swamiji became a family member of that household.
Folks, rest for tomorrow.
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