railroad that has been built to Kai-fung Fu, the capital city of Honan province, lying fifty miles east. When the author was there, all goods destined for the capital must be sent from Cheng Chow on wheelbarrows. The price to the missionaries was seventy-five cents each barrow for the trip. Before the coming of the railroad to Cheng Chow all supplies for this whole section of China wero brought up from Hankow, about four hundred miles, on these barrows, and sometimes it would be several months before the goods arrived. One authentic case is related where one barrowman stopped at his home, stored his load, harvested his crops and then finished his journey, delivering the goods. At Cheng Chow, the ordinary charge for delivering a barrow load, not to exceed two hundred pounds, from the railroad station to any place inside the city, a distance of from one to two miles, is about three cents to the missionaries, but probably less for a native, as Europeans must always pay a little more for the same thing than would be expected of a Chinaman.

The city of Cheng Chow is a little superior to most Chinese cities in that it is blessed with a large number of trees. In the summer, when these are in full foliage, they give to the city a very beautiful appearance, and afford as well considerable protection from the intense heat of that climate. The city has also about the usual number of children swarming on the streets that will be found in other Chinese cities. To the author they all seemed fat and dirty, as well as peaceful and happy, for the future conditions of poverty and

abuse had not yet reached them. A quarrel or a fight is seldom seen on the streets; and in this respect they are in striking contrast with an equal number of children on the streets of an American city. He saw only one street fight in Cheng Chow, and that between two half-grown boys. There was no striking, pounding, kicking or wrestling. It was a test of endurance in hair pulling. Each boy securely fastened his hands into the long hair of his opponent close up to the scalp, and then they both pulled until one cried enough.

Dogs and beggars seemed more plentiful ia Cheng Chow than in most other cities. In making a single trip from one compound to the other he counted thirty-nine dogs. The redeeming feature of this condition was that they were all arrant cowards. Cheng Chow has a regular guild of beg. gars. They fasten on to the luckless stranger, especially a European; and woe be to the one who refuses to give them a few cash. It is understood to be the practice of most missionaries in China, located in cities like Cheng Chow, to arrange with the whole number to come regularly twice a year to the mission compound where, after religious services, a certain amount is given to each one, thus purchasing immunity for the six months to come. These beggars seem to regard any physical deformity or any incurable disease as a special blessing, and they are experts at the business. The author saw one who could shiver up and down his whole body as if he were half frozen, though the day was only a little cool.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

OPENING THE NEW MISSION-"JOURNEY'S END."

It may not be our lot to wield
The sickle in the ripening field;
Nor ours to hear on summer eves,
The reaper's song among the sheaves.

Yet where our duty's task is wrought
In unison with God's great thought,
The near and future blend in one,
And whatsoe'er is willed is done.

-John G. Whittier.

"So do I gather strength and hope anew,
For well I know Thy patient love perceives
Not what I did but what I strove to do.
And though the few ripe ears be sadly few,
Thou wilt accept my sheaves."

-Unidentified.

"I am not concerned to know
What to-morrow's fate will do;
"Tis enough that I can say
I've possessed myself to-day;
Then if haply midnight death

Seize my flesh, and stop my breath,

Yet to-morrow I shall be

Heir of the best part of me."

-Isaac Watts.

When Miss Leffingwell arrived at Cheng Chow, the last of May, she immediately began the neces

sary preparations for opening the new mission. She had with her the two young ladies only; and as they were entirely without experience, their assistance would consist mostly of sympathy, comfort and advise.

In a way, the care which she would

naturally feel for them even added to her burdens. The two young men of the party were still at KweiFu, in the province of Hupeh; and as it would not be proper for them to be too closely associated with the unmarried ladies of the mission, it was thought best by Miss Leffingwell that they should remain there until the ladies should be settled in their compound, and a suitable, separate place could be