Quite a little anxiety was felt concerning the reception which the young physicians would receive from the Chinese on their return to Kiukiang.  A foreign-trained Chinese woman physician had never been seen or heard of in that section of China, and, scarcely, in all China, since Dr. Hue King Eng, of Foochow, was the only other in the Empire at that time.  The doctors’ own friends had long been asking when they were coming back, and when at last the time arrived they had their plans all laid for welcoming them.  The missionaries had some doubts as to the propriety of a public ovation to two young women, but the Chinese were so eager for it that they at last consented, and from the moment the young doctors left the steamer until they arrived at the gate of the mission compound, they were saluted with an almost continuous fusillade of fire-crackers.  Of course the noise attracted curious crowds, and by the time they reached the Bund they were surrounded by a host of their townspeople who were eager to get a glimpse of the “women doctors.”  Some of them were heard to say, “Why, these girls are receiving more honour than was shown to our commandant when he arrived!” As the company slowly proceeded up the Bund, the missionaries were besieged with eager questions:  “Are they Chinese women?” “Is it true they have been studying for four years in a foreign land?” “Can they heal the sick?” “Will they live in Kiukiang?” When all these questions were answered in the affirmative there was a vigorous nodding of heads, and “Hao!  Hao!  Hao!” (Good, good!) was heard on every side.  It seemed remarkable that in so dense a crowd the universal expression of face and voice indicated only favourable interest.

Shortly before the doctors arrived one of the missionaries wrote, “We are expecting ‘our doctors’ back this fall, and after they have several months of hospital practice in other mission hospitals in China, we hope to have a place ready for them to begin work.”  The doctors had expected, too, a little time for resting, and visiting with the friends whom they had not seen for so many years.  Moreover it was thought that some time would have to elapse before they could gain the confidence of the people sufficiently to begin practice.  But on the third day after their arrival four patients appeared and asked for treatment; on the following day the same four returned and six newcomers arrived; and so it went on, until dispensary quarters had to be hurriedly rented and regular work begun.

They had been back only about a month when they were sent for one evening to visit a woman who was in a very serious condition.  On arriving at the house they found there the best known native doctor in the city, richly dressed in satin and silk, and accompanied by four chair-bearers.  He had told the woman’s family that he could do nothing for her, and after welcoming the young women physicians very pleasantly, he took his leave, advising the family to put the