ot there on
the appointed day. A large crowd of children with oyster shells were
waiting; evidently the given sixpence and the promised shilling had
created some excitement in that corner of Bethnal Green.

They were soon all round me, and a general chorus arose with hands
outstretched, "Please to remember the grotto! please to remember the
grotto!" I called them to silence, and said, "Can any one tell me why
you build grottos?" There was a general chorus, "To get money, sir."
That was all they knew, and it seemed to them a sufficient reason.

Turning to the little cripple, I said, "Did you ask your teacher?"
"Yes, sir, but she said it was only children's play; but I bought some
candles, and they are lighted now."

I said, "Now, children, listen to me, for I am going to tell you about
the beginning of grottos.

"A good many hundred years ago, when Jesus was on earth, He had two
disciples named James; in after years one was called 'James the Greater'
and the other 'James the Less.' After the death of Jesus, James the
Greater was put to death, and the disciples were scattered, and wandered
into many far countries. James the Less wandered into Spain, telling the
people about Jesus. He lived a good and holy life, helping the poor and
the afflicted.

"When he died, the people who loved him and reverenced him made a
great funeral, and built him a costly tomb, but instead of putting up a
monument to him, they built a large and beautiful grotto over the place
where his body lay. They lined it with beautiful and costly shells and
other rich things, and lit it with many candles.

"Thousands of people came to see the grotto, and gave money to buy
candles that it might always be lighted.

"Every year, on the anniversary of St. James's death, the people came
by thousands to the grotto. One year it was said that a crippled man had
been made quite well while praying at the grotto. This event was told
everywhere, and from that day forth on St. James's Day people came from
many countries, many of them walking hundreds of miles to the grotto.

"Some of these people were ill and diseased, and others were sick and
blind, and some were cripples.

"It is said that a good many of them were cured of their afflictions.

"Now all these poor people that walked slowly and painfully to St.
James's tomb carried big oyster shells, in which they made holes for
cords to pass through, and they placed the cords round their necks.

"When they