Missionary Visitor, The (1912) . ; thecustomary greetings were over. Butthere the conversation came to a stand-still. Surely there was some cogitationgoing on in that old gray head; a visitfrom Henrietta usually means some-thing wanted. Well, it is for her tomake the first move, thought I; soI waited, while she looked around theroom. Presently she seemed to gatherher thoughts together, for she spoke. I have sad words for you, she said. That is bad to hear, said I. Whatis the trouble? You know Ernestina? Yes, of course I knew Ernestina, thepoor girl whose limbs are stiff and par-alyzed, Henriet
Missionary Visitor, The (1912) . ; thecustomary greetings were over. Butthere the conversation came to a stand-still. Surely there was some cogitationgoing on in that old gray head; a visitfrom Henrietta usually means some-thing wanted. Well, it is for her tomake the first move, thought I; soI waited, while she looked around theroom. Presently she seemed to gatherher thoughts together, for she spoke. I have sad words for you, she said. That is bad to hear, said I. Whatis the trouble? You know Ernestina? Yes, of course I knew Ernestina, thepoor girl whose limbs are stiff and par-alyzed, Henriettas granddaughter. Well, said Henrietta, today Iwashed Ernestinas clothes, so that shemight have clean things for church onSunday. She still goes to church some-times, for she can walk slowly if I leadher, and she starts in good time so asto be there before the bell stops ring-ing. So I washed her clothes, and hungthem out to dry. And I heard a greatnoise, and I went out; and, ai, ai, thereI saw that the dogs were eating Ernes-. An Eskimo Girl. October1912 The Missionary Visitor 339 tinas clothes. Eh, the bad dogs! Idrove them away, though I am only apoor weak old woman, but I only savedsome rags. Most of the things wereeaten, and now Ernestina has got noth-ing and cannot go out and go to shall I do? Well, thought I, of all things for thedogs to do! I have known them to eatthings made of skin. Once they de-voured my wifes Sunday boots; sev-eral pairs of sealskin gloves have sud-denly gone when I have been so un-wise as to put them down ; I have seenmy fur cap swallowed at a gulp; butI have never before heard of clothesfresh from the wash-tub as a diet fordogs. No wonder Henrietta felt thather words were sad! She is old—wellon towards seventy—earning a fewshillings by hammering the oil out ofseal-blubber. How was she to find newclothes for the crippled girl? I can promise you that she left myroom that night with a smile on herwrinkled face, and with a big bundleb
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