Little did either of us dream how short the earthly joy was to be, or how soon the Heavenly reward was to begin. Very early the next morning she was up helping to get breakfast, and from her mother-in-law and a neighbour who came in I heard much that filled my heart with joy and pride. The mother said, “When I heard the girl my son was engaged to was a Christian and in school I was very angry and wanted to break off the engagement. I looked with great dread upon her coming to us; but I want to tell you, she is the best daughter-in-law [[95]]in the place. In all these years we have not had a single quarrel and that cannot be said of any other family. My youngest children love her and mind her better than they do me. I thought she would want to read all the time and so had my son burn her books. I thought she would be above farm work, and all these years she has worked so hard and with never one word of complaint. One year we lost all our crops and in the winter had to send to the market town, six miles away, for the famine relief grain. She had to go early, walk there and back, and carry our portion. She did not have any warm clothes that winter, but she did not say anything.”
“Yes,” chimed in the neighbour, “I had to go too that winter, and your Wen Jung (Literary Glory) was so modest and ladylike, never pushing or crowding, that the official asked who she was and gave her more grain.” Again the mother-in-law said, “When I saw how she endured the hardships, always so strong and true, I knew it must be her religion, for I too have been a daughter-in-law. She is always kind to the old grandmother, who has a terrible temper. I have known Wen Jung to stay up all night to make her a pair of shoes. Yes, my daughter-in-law is the only one of the family who has not felt her stick or been reviled by [[96]]her. When I saw how her God helped her I just wanted to know Him. Now for months Wen Jung has had evening prayers and has taught me to pray.”
It was so delightful to sit there and hear all these sweet things of one of our schoolgirls. It was a joy to see her pride in her poor home where everything was very clean and neat, and as she moved about getting breakfast I thanked God for this “new woman” in China. With what loving care she waited on us. How she did want to show her love; later on, when the neighbouring women came in for a little service she came and sat with her arms about me. I said to the women, “She is our girl student and we love her.” “Yes,” said some one, “she is always talking about her foreign friends. For years we have wanted to see you. You may be proud of her, she is the best daughter-in-law in the place.” About noon I left, promising to visit her on my return from the place I was going to visit and hold a station class.
Alas! the death of a member of our station called me to Peking by the shortest road, and the next month the Boxer storm burst upon us. After the fury was spent and we could get news of those distant from us, we found that nine of the ten who belonged to us in that place had [[97]]been cut down. The Boxers came at sunrise one beautiful morning in June and the mother-in-law was killed at once in her own room. “Literary Glory” ran out of the house and out into a field, but was overtaken and most brutally hacked to pieces. Her husband was taken to a temple, tried, and beheaded. Brave, true-hearted, humble “Literary Glory.” If ever any one heard the “well done” she did. She gained two souls for the Master she loved and left a name that will be fragrant for long years in that village. Faithful in the small things, she filled the cup to overflowing by giving her life. What is her “new name” up there, think you? Is it “Heavenly Glory”? My young readers who have given your money for Bridgman School and helped to educate this dear girl, does the result of your investment satisfy you? Can you not say with her, “My reward has come to me, God has been very good to me”?
“We take with solemn thankfulness
Our burden up, nor ask it less;
And count it joy that even we
May suffer, serve or wait for thee.
Thy will be done.”
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