to China.

III

SEVEN YEARS IN KIUKIANG

Quite a little anxiety was felt concerning the reception which the young
physicians would receive from the Chinese on their return to Kiukiang. A
foreign-trained Chinese woman physician had never been seen or heard of in
that section of China, and, scarcely, in all China, since Dr. Hue King Eng,
of Foochow, was the only other in the Empire at that time. The doctors' own
friends had long been asking when they were coming back, and when at last
the time arrived they had their plans all laid for welcoming them. The
missionaries had some doubts as to the propriety of a public ovation to two
young women, but the Chinese were so eager for it that they at last
consented, and from the moment the young doctors left the steamer until
they arrived at the gate of the mission compound, they were saluted with an
almost continuous fusillade of fire-crackers. Of course the noise attracted
curious crowds, and by the time they reached the Bund they were surrounded
by a host of their townspeople who were eager to get a glimpse of the
"women doctors." Some of them were heard to say, "Why, these girls are
receiving more honour than was shown to our commandant when he arrived!" As
the company slowly proceeded up the Bund, the missionaries were besieged
with eager questions: "Are they Chinese women?" "Is it true they have been
studying for four years in a foreign land?" "Can they heal the sick?" "Will
they live in Kiukiang?" When all these questions were answered in the
affirmative there was a vigorous nodding of heads, and "_Hao! Hao! Hao!_"
(Good, good!) was heard on every side. It seemed remarkable that in so
dense a crowd the universal expression of face and voice indicated only
favourable interest.

Shortly before the doctors arrived one of the missionaries wrote, "We are
expecting 'our doctors' back this fall, and after they have several months
of hospital practice in other mission hospitals in China, we hope to have a
place ready for them to begin work." The doctors had expected, too, a
little time for resting, and visiting with the friends whom they had not
seen for so many years. Moreover it was thought that some time would have
to elapse before they could gain the confidence of the people sufficiently
to begin practice. But on the third day after their arrival four patients
appeared and asked for treatment; on the following day the same four
returned and six newcomers arrived; and