With severe limitations of health she yet wrought with delicate touch and a beautiful fabric was merging from beneath her hands.
I must allude briefly to the beauty of the day, with its clear shining after rain, the deep sorrow of the devoted friends who followed the bier on foot over miles of roadless distance from Ch’ienmen to the cemetery, that quiet, ivy-walled inclosure in which stands the chapel where the service was held—a tender, impressive service.
We had thought that few American or English friends could be present at this time of year, when the foreign residents are away from the city, but we were mistaken. Two secretaries of Legation, physicians of the Union Medical College, fellow-workers, and old-time friends were there; native pastors, Bible women, and church friends, servants and guards of honour sent by the military governor of the city and by the chief of the civil administration. The chapel had as many people standing as there were sitting. The casket with its covering of beautiful vines and white flowers, roses, day lilies, tuberoses, spirea, stood in front of the altar and was carried by the friends to the grave, where loving hands had arranged the beautiful wild date branches and vines as a lining. There, a short service with Pastor Jen and [[44]]Teacher Ch’uan taking part, and a prayer and a hymn.
The mound as we left it was beautiful with the sides covered with the green vines and date branches, and on top the lovely floral pieces and coloured flowers, two great wreaths of the long palm leaves and roses, and at the head a floral cross. There in the quiet and peace among the trees we left it. Some of the Chinese are already saying, “When a stone is erected, let it have one Chinese word upon it, just her name, then we can find her grave and every spring at the ‘Ch’ing Ming’—feast of all souls—we will go out and honour her memory.”
There is a hush upon us all. God has come very near and taken our Great Missionary from us. We shall not look upon her like again. [[45]]
GLEANINGS
FROM CHINESE FOLKLORE
BY
NELLIE N. RUSSELL
[[47]]