Everlasting Pearl | Page 2

add that the account of the early years is given just as it has been told by the woman herself, and the account of the later days is a simple narrative of the facts as they have come under the observation of the writer.
WALTER B. SLOAN.

CONTENTS
CHAP.
I. BIRTH AND INFANCY. II. FOOTBINDING III. CHILDHOOD DAYS IV. ENGAGEMENT V. MARRIAGE--
PART I VI. MARRIAGE--PART II
VII. DARK DAYS VIII. MISERABLE COMFORTERS IX. BROKEN CISTERNS X. WAYS NOT KNOWN XI. THE MESSENGERS OF PEACE XII. THE BEGINNING OF CONFLICT XIII. THE BATTLE GROWS FIERCER XIV. LIGHT AFTER DARKNESS XV. SAVED TO SERVE XVI. PERSECUTION AND TRIAL XVII. LABOUR AND FRUIT XVIII. FRUIT MORE ABUNDANT XIX. PREPARATION FOR FURTHER SERVICE XX. DAYS OF SHADOW XXI. THE SHADOW DEEPENS XXII. ENTERING THE VALLEY XXIII. ANOTHER JEWEL WON FOR CHRIST XXIV. CONCLUSION

ILLUSTRATIONS
EVERLASTING PEARL . . . . . Frontispiece
A PRECIOUS BUNDLE
PLAITING SILK BRAID
A SOURCE OF GREAT DELIGHT
WRITING THE ENGAGEMENT DOCUMENT
ADORNED AS A BRIDE
THE OUT-STATION OF KUCHENG
ANOTHER JEWEL FOR CHRIST

EVERLASTING PEARL
CHAPTER I
BIRTH AND INFANCY
It was a warm, close day in May, in Central China. The summer heat had just set in, and the inhabitants of Kucheng (Ancient City) were somewhat weary and languid, when a woman brought the news to her neighbour--"A daughter has been born to the Tu family." The news soon spread from door to door. All languor was shaken off, for curiosity got the better of lassitude, and the women, now fully alert, hobbled on their small feet to the little house where farmer Tu lived with his young wife and parents.
The house was a small, unpretentious building, with mud walls and a tiled roof. The interior was like that of all the homes around. If you had seen one, you had a good idea of the appearance of the rest. You entered the guest-hall, where on the wall at the farther end hung a large centre scroll, representing the "Ruler of Heaven," before which incense was lighted morning and evening. On either side of the idol, and on all the pillars you would see paper scrolls pasted up, with trite sayings written in flowery phrases, such as--
"If in your house you walk circumspectly, then when you leave your home you will associate with virtuous friends only."
"If the house is clean and beautiful, an excellent wind will be wafted through it."
"If the flowers give out their fragrance, a bright moon will shine upon them."
On either side of the guest-hall were doors leading into the bedrooms. Into one of these the women crowded eagerly, in search of the little newcomer, shouting, as they entered, their congratulations, first to the grandmother, and then to the parents of the child. On seeing the precious bundle held out to them, decked out in all the new, gorgeous, but uncomfortable clothes bought by the maternal grandmother, one visitor could not help whispering, "What a pity it is not a boy!" But the other women politely interrupted her, and the young mother looked proudly at the "bundle of clothes" handed back to her. It was true she would have preferred a son, so would her husband, and above all her mother-in-law, but as it was their first child, even the little girl received a welcome. Had she been the second or third girl in the family, she would not have had the same kind reception. Very likely she would have been given away to some other family, who would have made her a drudge, and in later years have married her to one of their sons; or she might even have been left to die from want.
[Illustration: A precious bundle.]
But now things were different. Her parents were ready to lavish all their love and kindness on the little girl. They called in the fortune-teller, asking him what her fate would be in after years. He, having been told the day and hour of her birth, declared the child had been born under a lucky star. Her heart was good, her disposition kind and amiable; they need not worry about her, only, he added, she was born to toil and hard work. Satisfied with his prophecies, Mr. Tu paid him his wonted fee, fully believing in his skill.
After a month had elapsed, the relatives and neighbours were invited to a feast in honour of the child. Candles and incense were lighted before the gods, the babe was presented to them, and henceforward she was regarded as under their protection. When the little girl was a year old, the relatives assembled again. The grandmother had brought another lot of presents, among them some beautifully embroidered shoes, as the time had come for the child to learn to walk. She was old enough to notice things, and the baby eyes looked delightedly at her feet, that had never worn shoes before, now so beautifully adorned