. She wrote a
letter to the Mission Board asking for someone to take care of these
children.

One day a trader came and knocked at Mary's door. He was carrying a little
black baby in his arms.

"I found this twin out in the bush," said the trader. "The other one was
killed. This baby would have died, but I know how you love these little
ones, so I brought it to you."

"Thank you," said Mary, taking the tiny baby in her arms. "I shall call her
Janie, after my sister." Mary adopted the little baby and the baby brought
Mary much joy and happiness.

One time Mary took a baby six months old into the mountains. The baby was
sick. In the valley it was very hot.

"This child shall not die if the cold can save him," said Mary.

Up in the mountains it was much cooler than in the valley. Mary pitched her
tent and stayed there for a time so the baby could get well.

One night Mary woke up. She heard a growling noise. She looked around. A
panther was in the tent! He had the baby in his mouth! He was going to
carry it away!

Mary jumped up. She grabbed a burning stick from the fire and rammed it
into the panther's face. With a wild howl the panther dropped the baby and
ran off. Mary picked up the baby who was crying now. She looked him over,
carefully. He was not hurt. Softly she sang to the baby and rocked him to
sleep. After the baby was well, Mary went back to the mission station in
the valley.

Another time news came that twins had been born. All the people had thought
a lot of the mother, even though she was a slave. Now everyone hated
her. The other women in the house cursed her. They broke up the few dishes
she owned. They tore up her clothes. They would have killed her but they
were afraid of Mary Slessor and what she would do.

They took the two babies and stuffed them into an empty gin box and shoved
it at the woman.

"Get out! Get out!" they said, "you have married the Devil. You have a
devil in you." They threw rocks at her and drove her out of the village.

Mary met the poor woman carrying her babies in the box on her head. The
screaming, howling crowd of people were following her.

"Go back! Go back to your village," Mary told the crowd. Then turning to
the woman she said, "Give me the box and come with me to my house."

When Mary opened the box, she found one child dead. The baby's head had
been smashed when it was jammed into the box. Mary buried the poor little
baby. Soon the owner of the woman c