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5

per the carriages were announced.  Dad and Mother and Dorothy and I got into one large open carriage, and the others into another smaller one.  Then began the long ride down the willow road to the section of the city know as Hsiakuan between the wall and the river, where most of the business of the place is carried on.  At the station we found the first class compartment reserved for Mr. and Mrs. B. F. March, and therein stowed our baggage.  Presently good-byes were said, and the family started home, leaving us to start off into the world together.

It is rather an unusual sensation for both of us to travel first class in China, but we will soon be back in third class as usual.  In spite of the novelty we were able to act as if we belonged in first, and we quite enjoyed having our own compartment with electric fan and the other trimmings.  The train started for Shanghai.

2 July, Thursday

Arrived in Shanghai before seven we made our way at once to the Missionary Home, where Mrs. Beaman gave us quarters in what is normally Mrs. Edward Evens' sitting room.  The delay of the "Asia" due to her crew strike in Hongkong, the stopping of the river boats, and the usual going-home rush of this season had crowded the place to the utmost.  We had breakfast, escaped morning prayers, and planned to go out and do a few errands.  We had written to Mrs. Harry Ward telling her that we would be in the city today, and she came in this morning from the Shanghai Baptist College prepared to spend the day  with us.  The day was overcast, and it rained by fits and starts but we wandered around doing errands, looking at dishes and silver, and so on.  In the afternoon we parted for an hour or so, and when we rejoined the lady at the YMCA headquarters Dr. Ward was there also. He had been out at the College, had come in in time to get a report off to America about the present situation in China, and was ready to go out for tea with us. We went to Scotch Bakery and sat long over tea with a lengthy conversation about present China and Chinese art. Dr. Ward has been in touch with all the important men on all sides of the present controversy here and seems to enjoy the confidence of all in a truly unique degree. He is thus able to do a great deal, and will, I know, contribute