Everlasting Pearl | Page 3

the little girl was a year old,
the relatives assembled again. The grandmother had brought another lot
of presents, among them some beautifully embroidered shoes, as the
time had come for the child to learn to walk. She was old enough to
notice things, and the baby eyes looked delightedly at her feet, that had
never worn shoes before, now so beautifully adorned in the gayest of
colours. Again a thank-offering was given to the gods. The
grandmother carried the child forward, and this time the baby fingers
had to hold the incense that was lighted before the sacred picture.
Thus, instead of being brought to the living, loving Saviour to be
blessed, the little Chinese boy or girl is led before the dead idols, and
dedicated to them. Do not say, "Oh, it will make no difference, the
idols are nothing." The idols are nothing, but there is a fearful power of
darkness behind them. The longer one lives in China, the more one
feels that in a true sense the Chinese child is dedicated, not to the idols

only, but to the prince of darkness himself. And oh! how one longs to
lead the parents into the light of Christ, so that they may bring their
little ones to Him, who is waiting to bless them.
CHAPTER II
FOOTBINDING
The name given to the little girl was Ch'ang-Chu, which means
"Everlasting Pearl," and a little treasure she proved herself to be to her
parents. She was good-natured and kind-hearted, full of life and spirit,
and gave much joy to those who watched over her. But it was very
seldom--indeed, only on state occasions--that she was called
Everlasting Pearl in her home and among her little friends. More often
she went by the name of Nü-ku, or "Girl-dog." Her parents, afraid of
losing her, had given her this name in order to deceive the evil spirits
who might be seeking her life, but who were not likely to trouble
themselves about a "dog."
One day, when Everlasting Pearl was about six years old, she saw her
mother working on a pair of small shoes, and asked for whom they
were. Her mother informed her they were for her, as it was time she
had her feet bound. "Your feet are getting so big and clumsy," she said,
"and you are running about far too much for a girl. It is high time that
you had them bound." Everlasting Pearl made no protest. She knew all
girls had to have their feet bound, and, of course, she could not be
different from the rest.
So when the shoes were finished the footbinding was begun. But oh,
the suffering of it! The mother took a long strip of calico, and wound it
tightly round the little foot, bending the toes right under the sole. She
did not succeed at once in getting the right size, so she undid the
binding and tried again, whilst the little girl cried aloud for pain. Over
and over again the process was begun, but not finished, as the shoes
were so small that the feet could not be squeezed into them. But at last
they were made to fit the shoes, and Everlasting Pearl walked about
with sore and aching feet, wondering if they could ever become as

small as those of some young girls she knew. Night after night she
cried herself to sleep, wondering whether the pain would ever come to
an end, and how she could possibly endure it much longer. But there
were compensations. Month by month and year by year her feet grew
smaller, until her shoes were tinier than those she had worn in her
babyhood. Her little girl-companions admired the tiny feet, and
respected their owner, and both she and her mother received a great
deal of praise from the older women. Her small feet were a sign that her
mother cared for her, and meant to marry her well: so the future looked
bright and promising.
CHAPTER III
CHILDHOOD DAYS
A few uneventful years passed by; happy ones for the little girl, as she
was loved and appreciated by all. Two little brothers had been born in
the home, and Everlasting Pearl might often be seen with the younger
of them strapped to her back, rocking herself to and fro, and softly
cooing to the babe. Or she might be found crouching before the
cooking-stove, feeding the fire with brushwood, dried bracken, and fern,
trying to use as little fuel as possible; for strict economy had to be
practised in that home. At other times she would be sitting on a low
stool beside her mother, spinning hemp, not with a spinning-wheel, but
separating the threads with her fingers, and afterwards winding the
thread into balls. Or she would