Another harvest has been successfully gathered. Everywhere the farmers are out taking advantage of the harvest moon to gather the beans. I asked a Chinese why they are gathered at night, and he replied that the stalks cut the thands badly if they try to pull them in the day time, but the dew softens them at night and they are easily gathered. The custom here is to thrash the bean vines as the wheat is-thrashed._ The fall wheat is coming up well and the farmers are happy. There is a great deal of wheat planted this season. The country is free from the curse of robbers and soldiers, thanks to Gen. Feng. No wonder the Honan people of the working classes tremble at the news that he may be sent elsewhere.
The schools are better managed than ever since I have been in this city. Our Mission has started girls' schools in all of the five counties, and requests are coming in all the time from the larger towns for a teacher to open up school in their locality. This is a healthy sign and one we strive our best to encourage.
The Autumn Festival was celebrated in great style It was a new thing here All the Christians took up the idea and every one brought something. These gifts were afterwards sold and the money goes to the building fund for the new church.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.