I said to them, “I feel sure this poor woman wants just the kind of help and sympathy that some of you know how to give. I leave her in your hands, and you can let me know if you want any help from me.” The next afternoon, one of these newly appointed missionaries called on me. She said she had just come from Mrs S—, and described her visit as follows:— “I really could hardly help crying, ma’am, when I first went in, and saw what a state the poor thing was in. Her baby was born on Saturday afternoon; and because she was too poor to pay the midwife the whole of the sum due to her, the woman did not return to her the next morning, as they usually do, to wash and dress the baby; but there she had been left, without a creature going near to do anything for her. She was too ill to do anything for the baby herself; and there they and the other children had been crying for hours. I tried to speak cheerfully to her, and told her I would soon set it all to rights; so I made up her bed clean and comfortable, first, while the water was heating, and then I got a great washing-pan and washed the poor miserable little baby in it, and put on it some clean things, which I found in the bag of baby-linen that had been lent her. The little thing had been crying for hours; but it soon felt comfortable, and went off to sleep before I had finished dressing it. I put it into bed with its mother, and then I got the Bible and read a few verses to her; and then I knelt down and prayed with her as well as I could. I asked God to help her out of her trouble, and keep her from thinking hard thoughts of Him, and make her to see He meant it for her good. Then I talked to her a good bit; and she told me how she had been well off once, but that her husband’s drinking had ruined them all. She cried very much, poor thing, and said she had been praying all the morning that God would send some one to help her. I tried to comfort her as well as I could, and told her that we would all pray for her, and that God could change her husband’s heart. Then I kissed her, and so I came away: and now, ma’am, I am come to you, if you please, for some food for them; for they all want that badly enough.” The next morning another of these self-constituted missionaries went. She was not so gifted in many ways as the one who first called. She had fewer words at command, and her hands were stiff, having suffered from rheumatism, in consequence of which she found it impossible to dress the baby; so she went for the mother mentioned above, who wished to do something to help; and took care of her children while she was gone. After this she returned, carried away everything that wanted washing, and brought it all back clean in the evening. This she continued to do for three weeks: in fact, these three kind women took the entire charge of the poor sufferer, and watched over her till she was able to work again.