ide of a hill.
Beautiful quays, broad streets lined with shade trees, churches,
barracks, theaters, hospitals, hotels, and shops with great show
windows take one back in thought to the European capitals; and as the
elaborately decorated pagodas are not near to the Christian churches,
and, as there are not many more Chinese than English people in the
streets, one can almost forget that he is within the confines of China
and a tropical land.

In this great capital city nearly all the missionary societies of China
have settlements, and in each of the missionary seminaries the stranger
finds a hospitable welcome, but the one we like best of all to visit is
the beautiful College of the Holy Saviour in Mayland. It stands in the
very shadow of the cathedral, the tall spires of which, towering to the
heavens, tell us in which direction to turn our steps to find it. We
know full well that the door-keeper, the old Italian Brother with
snow-white hair and coal-black eyes, will greet us cordially, and show
us the garden and the grounds on which blonde-haired European boys play
in brotherly fashion with pig-tailed Chinese youths. When Brother
Onufrio--for this is the name of the door-keeper--is in very good humor
and has the time he tells us stories of his experiences in the College
of the Holy Saviour in which he has been in active service since its
foundation. One of these is the wonderful history of the small Irish
lad, Willy Brown, the son of a sea captain, and his friend, the Chinese
foundling, Joseph. We shall tell the tale just as Brother Onufrio
would tell it, beginning with the day in the first year of his
residence in Hongkong when the crosses were placed on the spires of the
dome of the cathedral.

* * * * * *

A few days before the Chinese New Year in 1858 the work on the
cathedral had progressed so far that the great golden crosses could be
erected. Securely fastened with strong ropes they lay at the foot of
the scaffolding ready to be drawn up into place, and standing about in
a half circle were missioners, pupils, and workmen. The Apostolic
Prefect, dressed in festal robes, and attended by the small acolytes,
Willy Brown and the Chinese Joseph, had blessed the crosses. Then at a
signal the workmen pulled the ropes and, as they rose on high, the
clear, piping voices of the boys rang out in the splendid old hymn:

The Royal banners forward go,
The Cross shines forth in mys