After this everybody was entitled to a holiday and went quickly to the tea and cake which Zura and her helpers had prepared and served from small booths.  The rest of the exercises were to take place in the near-by house that Miss Gray had been using temporarily.  By removing all the paper partitions the lower part of the house had been thrown into one large room.  Circling the crowd of waiting people seated on the floor a row of cots held the sick and afflicted, worsted by sin and disease.

Before them stood Jane, who, in the custom of the country, bade them welcome.  A small sea of faces was lifted to her.  Such faces!—­none beautiful; all stamped with crime; some scarcely human, only physical apparitions of debased Nature.

With shifting glances they listened to an official who made Jane an offer from the city to contribute to the support of the hospital, the pledge of two doctors to give their services so many hours a week, a contribution of milk from a rich merchant, and an offer from a friendly barber to give so many free shaves.  Their eyes widened with wonder and suspicion.  What could people mean by giving things and taking away the excitement of stealing them?

But when the man spoke of how the officials had watched Jane and her work, at first with skeptical unbelief because they thought she would not endure a month, now with warmest sympathy because she had succeeded in keeping the Quarters freer of crime and disease than ever before, they forgot their fear and voiced their approval in much hand-clapping, and wise shaking of heads.  They called for Miss Gray.

Jane arose and very shyly thanked the city’s representative.  Then as gently and as simply as if talking to wayward children, she spoke to the men and women before her, who bent forward with respectful attention while the sick ones fastened their weary eyes upon her.

“My people, the building of this little hospital means not only the healing of your bodies, but also the way to cleansing your souls.  Dear friends, let me say in this world there is nothing worth while but your souls.  Make them clean and white.  Sell them for the highest price.  What do I mean by that?  I mean that if it is for the sake of your souls, it is nothing to go hungry, cold and in rags.  What matters the outside so long as you make your hearts sweet and shiny and true?  All of you before me have gone astray.  So many of you have wandered like lost children from the homeward path, and darkness came and you could not find the way back.  Each of you was once a happy little child, with some place to call home and some one there to care when you were lost.  I do not know why the darkness overtook you, but I know it did, and to-day, as before, I am a messenger to show you the way back.  I have come to tell you that there is still Somebody who cares whether you are lost or not.  There is still Some One who waits to guide you home.  He asks you as a little child to take hold of His hand and He will lead you out of the fearful darkness.  I do not ask what nameless deeds have made you fear the light of day and the eyes of men.  I only know you are my friends, to whom I so gladly bring this message, and to whom I so willingly give my strength and my life to help you find the way back to the greatest Friend, who, understanding all, forgives.”