. A'Chu and other stories. of the spirits or demonsthe boat people fear. ,. A few paces farther on an old worn-out house-boatrests on the river bank. The broken hulk is barelyable to support the rickety, arched frame over whichhas been spread a tattered piece of matting for a is a bunch of straw covered with severalworn-out garments for a bed. Two cracked bowls,a teapot and a» cup, a pair of chopsticks, and a black-ened cooking utensil resting on a tiny clay stove, arethe only other furnishings in sight. This boat is a sampan home for the aged. Herea little old woman sits on her he
. A'Chu and other stories. of the spirits or demonsthe boat people fear. ,. A few paces farther on an old worn-out house-boatrests on the river bank. The broken hulk is barelyable to support the rickety, arched frame over whichhas been spread a tattered piece of matting for a is a bunch of straw covered with severalworn-out garments for a bed. Two cracked bowls,a teapot and a» cup, a pair of chopsticks, and a black-ened cooking utensil resting on a tiny clay stove, arethe only other furnishings in sight. This boat is a sampan home for the aged. Herea little old woman sits on her heels, her long, leanarms hanging over her bony knees. The boat peoplegive her a smile and a filial greeting as they go a kindly hand passes out a tasty bit of relish,a bunch of fresh spinach or mustard leaves, or amore nourishing portion from the givers own allow-ance of food. What else could be done for an aged sampanwoman? She has lived all her life in a boat, andcould not now be happy in a house on shore. Prob-. Canton from Day to Day 123 ably her children have done the best possible thingthey could do for her — to leave her sitting here quietlyto dream over again the scenes of her active life in theold boat. On a pile of stones under the shade of a tree agroup of girls have gathered, perhaps to chat about anew bracelet one of them wears. Or perhaps theyare talking about the new suits they are making forthe coming dragon-boat festival. One rests her headpn anothers shoulder, and affectionately strokes herhand. Another pair entwine their arms in the school-girl fashion of our Western lands. I suppose noneof them can read, but a look into their bright facesconvinces one that it is not because they could notlearn. Do you not think we ought to teach the gospelto these neighbors of ours, and not only to these, butto all the millions of boat people living whereverwater flows in China? THE LANDWARD SIDE OF OUR STREET The landward side of our street along Pearl Riveris li
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