Part 8 (2/2)
”That isn't done on _purpose_ to torture them,” said Mary. ”That's a custom of the country.”
”Most of their customs appear to be tortures,” said Marty.
”Yes,” said Miss Walsh, ”the customs of barbarous and half-civilized nations are very hard on the women and girls.”
”Well, it all makes me feel very sorrowful,” Marty declared. ”I never thought before, when I've had such good times all my life, that there are so many little girls who are not--a--”
”Not in the good times?” said Miss Walsh, helping her out.
”Yes, ma'am; and I do wish I could do something for some of them.”
”So do I,” said several of the others.
”I suppose,” suggested Edith, ”the faster we send the gospel to those countries the better it will be for the girls and everybody.”
”Couldn't we raise more money this year, enough to support another school, or to pay for a girl or boy in a boarding-school somewhere?”
Rosa proposed.
”In that case we should have to double, or more than double, our usual amount,” said Miss Walsh. ”The question is, can we do that?”
”Oh, do let us try!” exclaimed several of the girls.
Then they began forthwith to make plans for raising more money.
”Of course the more members we have, the more money we'll raise,” said Mary Cresswell, ”so I think we'd better try again to get others to join our band. I have asked the Patterson girls two or three times, but I'm going to ask them again.”
”Better not ask them _plump_ to join,” suggested Bertie Lee. ”Just get them somehow to come to one meeting, and then they'll be sure to want to belong.”
”There's some wisdom in that,” said Miss Walsh, laughing.
”Yes'm,” said Bertie, ”and I believe I'll try that way with Annie Kelley.”
”I'm going to ask that new girl in our Sunday-school cla.s.s,” said Hannah.
”I'm going to try to get _somebody_ to come,” said Marty.
”So am I,” ”And I,” cried the others.
”That's right,” said Miss Walsh. ”We want to get as many people as possible interested in missionary work, and, as Mary says, the more that are interested and belong to societies, the more money will be raised, and, of course, the more good will be done. So, don't you see, you are aiding the cause very much when you try to make our meetings attractive, and so induce others to join the band.”
”I've thought of a way to make some missionary money, if it would be right to do it,” said Edith.
”What is it?” asked Miss Walsh.
”Well--you know those prizes Dr. Edgar and Mr. Stevenson give at the Sunday-school anniversary for learning the Psalms and chapters--would it do to ask them to give us money instead of books or anything else, so that we might have it for missions?”
”We certainly might ask our pastor and superintendent what they think of the plan. I have no doubt they would be willing to adopt it when they know what the money is to be used for. I think myself, your idea is a very good one.”
”Yes,” said Rosa, ”we should not only be studying the Bible for our own sakes, but be helping missions at the same time.”
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