desire was
acceded to, and the wretched victim made his escape, more terrified than
really hurt.

The next reminder of the incident was the following item in the
builder's final account: "To missing tools, unclaimed in accordance with
missionaries' loving heart, 2s."

One of the minor expenses connected with our building operations was the
inviting of guests to a succession of feasts. The occasion of the
stamping of the contract in the _Yamen_, which marked the conclusion of
the middlemen's responsibility in the purchase of property, was
celebrated by a handsome meal, to which all in any way connected with
the transaction were invited.

The necessity of conciliating our neighbours to the inevitable trouble
which the dust and litter of building would entail upon them, caused us
to spread another feast, to which all who could shelter beneath the term
"neighbour" were asked.

By the building contract we found ourselves obliged to conform to the
customary requirement made by workmen that every tenth day we should
provide a "reward for work," which, in fact, amounted to supplying one
pound of white flour and a handful of vegetable to each workman. This
arrangement ensured pleasant relations between the men and ourselves,
for each time they were our guests grievances were forgotten and a fresh
start made. The swinging of the huge beams of the church roof was the
occasion for extra festivity.

This custom of inviting guests does much to smooth over difficulties,
and is customary, not only in matters of building, but also on numerous
other occasions. For instance, the autumn rains swelling the river
necessitate the use of a ferry boat for about two months of the year.
The expense of this is met by public subscriptions from the more
important people of the city, and a small fare for each passenger. Those
whose names appear on the subscription list are invited to an annual
banquet given by the ferrymen; I have often wondered what would happen
were some simple soul to accept the invitation, which in reality is only
intended to serve as a reminder that subscriptions are now due.

It is part of the convenient social system of this land that no woman
would presume to put in an appearance on such occasions. Throughout the
building operations the only part of the feast in which we were
privileged to share--which privilege was unquestioningly granted--was
the payment of all expenses.

How glad we should have been to find such