Married but childless women twice a year go to the temple of Mother, taking incense and candles to burn before her image. They come to the temple to get a shoe which is to represent the goddess in their homes. They declare that if the goddess will give them a male child, they will render thanksgiving to her. They do not cherish the slightest desire to have a female child. The Chinese classics say: “When a son is born, He sleeps on a bed; He is clothed in robes; He plays with gems; His cry is princely loud! But when a daughter is born, She sleeps on the ground; She is clothed with a wrapper; She plays with a tile; She is incapable either of evil or good; It is hers only to think of preparing wine and food, And not giving any occasion of grief to her parents!” This is an accurate expression of the Chinese preference for a male child. Indeed, a very great many of the Chinese mothers and fathers drown their girl babies when they are but a few hours old, rather than keep them. [Illustration: CHINESE BABY IN ITS CRADLE.] Whenever a child is born, the mother takes to some temple two shoes, just like the one she has been worshiping as the representative of “Mother” at home. Just before a child is born the husband and wife offer gifts as a propitiation to two female demons which are supposed to seek to destroy the mother at the birth of her child. A priest is called in to recite classics appropriate to the occasion. Sometimes several live crabs are turned out into the streets to take the evil spirits with them, and other curious devices are employed. TEACHING A CHILD TO WORSHIP IDOLS. From childhood, the Chinese are accustomed to worship idols and ancestors. Family parties may often be seen in the temples; grandmothers and mothers teaching the little ones to bow down to idols. Here is a description given by an eye-witness. He was introduced into an idol temple, and stood in the back part of the great hall, where the chief idols are placed, and from thence he could watch what went forward. Soon a well-dressed lady came in with her three children, of about seven, five and three years of age. The two elder boys ran forward, and bowed down before the idol in the usual way, and then called their little brother to come forward also and do as they had done. But this was evidently his first visit to the temple; for the little fellow was very much frightened at the sight of the idol. The mother then dragged the child into position, and standing behind and holding him fast by both arms, forced him to bow slightly three times, and then adroitly slipped out of her sleeve some toys and sweets, which she gave the child, saying that the god had given him these nice things because he was a good boy; and she told him to thank the idol, which he did with great heartiness. [Illustration: TEACHING A CHILD TO WORSHIP.]