ed or
more quiet crowd could have been desired. They listened attentively to the
exercises, which were fully two hours long, and at the close, group by
group, they all went up to thank the doctor for the pleasure she had
provided for them, and then quietly dispersed.

Tea, cakes, and oranges had been provided for the invited guests, but as
more than twice the number invited had arrived, it was found necessary to
omit that part of the entertainment. However, the doctor sent her servants
the following day to distribute the cakes and fruits among those for whom
they had been provided. That the guests had enjoyed themselves was evident
when the next Christmas drew near, for many either sent to Dr. Hue, or came
themselves, to remind her not to forget to invite them to the Christmas
entertainment. Nor did a single guest fail to appear on Christmas evening.

If a physician's chief reward is the gratitude and appreciation of those
among whom he works, Dr. Hue is indeed rewarded for her self-forgetful
service of those whom she lovingly terms "my Chinese." Appreciation of the
work she is doing is convincingly shown by the way in which the people
flock to her, and in their great eagerness to have the hospital kept open
the year around. This has proved to be impossible, although every summer
Dr. Hue has made an effort to continue the work, being willing to toil even
through the intense heat of July and August, and, since the students must
be given a vacation, with only half her usual corps of assistants. One
summer she wrote with gratitude that the thermometer in her bedroom
registered only 93 deg. that day, after two weeks of 99 deg. and even 100 deg., and
added, "It would do you good if you could see how grateful these people are
to see us keeping our hospital open; and we are very glad to be able to do
something for them in this very trying hot season."

But the intense heat of a South China summer and the things that it brings
with it, make it impossible to keep the work going continuously in the
present crowded quarters. Often it is the dreaded plague which necessitates
the closing of the hospital doors. One morning Dr. Hue heard that the
neighbour directly across the street from the hospital had been stricken
with this fatal disease. She closed the hospital at once, and put up a
notice telling the patients why it was necessary to close, and assuring
them that she would begin work again as soon as it was safe to do so. The
ne