Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XXIV FROM THE CROSS TO THE CROWN "What are these!" "These are they which came out of great tribu- lation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of tlio Lamb. Therefore are they before the Throne of God." THE long-wished-for day dawned at length, and on the morning of Friday, August 3, --just at the moment when things showed at their worst and hopes were down to zero--the welcome news came in that the road was clear of troops, and we were to be sent on forthwith. Oh, the joy of it! For this was the ninth day of our own, and the fourth of the Lu-ch'eng --P'ing-iao party's detention here; and anything was preferable, if the will of God were so, to a continuance of conditions which were consciously sapping the springs of life. It was, however, something more than a surprise-- it was a disappointment creating the keenest distress --to tind that nothing easier than barrows had been provided for our transit. It would appear that the good Lao-ie's intention had been to give chairs for the stronger and bamboo stretchers for the weaker amongst us. But his benevolence had been frustrated by the passage of the Wu-ch'ang troops through the city, the officers having commandeered every chair and lounge, and requisitioned every professional bearer. Stretchers could be easily knocked up, but bearers not so easily. Hence it came to pass that two and no more could be placed at our disposal, and accordingly the available two were allotted to Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Saunders. For the rest of the party, whatever the degree of prostration or pain, nothing remained but the horror of jolt and screech, joined to the hardness of a knife-board. Thankful as we were to be once more on the move and working steadily towards the goal, the...
