gradually improving. Not quite so
much stress is laid on child-marriage; indeed, some native societies are
being formed for the purpose of opposing this custom, and many more
girls are allowed to attend school than used to be the case.

"But there is room yet for great improvement. You, my young friends, in
your happy childhood and girlhood, cannot conceive the miseries of these
poor little creatures. Thank God your lot is cast in a Christian land,
and oh! do all you can to send the gospel light into these dark places
of the earth."

The girls had a great deal to say about this letter, and as it was
sewing afternoon, Miss Walsh allowed them to talk over their work
instead of having any reading.

"Somebody told me," said little Daisy Roberts, "that in India they don't
care as much about girls as boys, and sometimes they kill the girl
babies. Is that so?"

"Yes," replied Miss Walsh. "It used to be a very common custom, and is
still so to some extent, though the British Government has done much to
stop it."

"They must be very cruel to want to kill their own dear little babies.
Why, if anybody should hurt our little Nellie, we'd all fly at him and
nearly tear him to pieces," and Daisy's face got very red and she
doubled up her little fist at the very thought of such a thing.

"It isn't always, nor perhaps often, done in a spirit of cruelty.
Sometimes it is because the parents are poor and cannot afford to marry
their daughters, for weddings cost a great deal, and according to the
notions of the country everybody must be married. Often it ruins a man
to get his daughters married, and he lives in poverty all the rest of
his life. Then very ignorant and superstitious parents sometimes
sacrifice their children to please their gods, and as girls are not as
much thought of as boys, it is frequently the girls who are killed. But,
as I told you, the Government does not allow such doings, and when
people are found breaking the law they are punished. Besides, as
Christianity spreads these wicked things cease."

"I think that way they have of making little girls get married is
awful," said Edith. "Just think of being dragged off to be married when
you're only a little mite of a thing, and having to leave your own mamma
and live with a cross old mother-in-law who abuses you!"

"Don't their fathers and mothers love them at all, Miss Agnes, that they
send them off that way and allow them to be miserable?" asked Marty,
who was