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28

A = God
B = masonry, windows omitted

[[image]]

has a surpassing panorama of the hills
and the river that winds away like
a broad highway toward the far blue
hills.  As we stood there a little
breeze came up and the junks along
the shore quickly hoisted their
sails and put out.  Below us on the
shore were the exceptionally ugly
buildings of the Hangchou Christian
College, with the one good looking
structure, the chapel, tucked away
back among the trees so as to be but little visible.
Toward the city was the dirt of the sheds and little
yards [[strikethrough]]and shed[[/strikethrough]] where wooden junks and steel tugs
were being built; the end of the railroad, and the
squalid houses and little shops.  On a broad piece
of level river bank a squad of women repaired brown
junk sails.

We started back up the valley down which
we had come turning toward the West Lake and Hangchou.
It was already four o'clock and getting dark.
While we were in the valley it began to rain, and
to rain as if it would never stop.  It grew darker, 
and we decided to go straight home instead of on
to the Dragon Well valley as we had planned.  Along
the rice paddies, up through ferns and brush over
hills, down through groves of bamboo, past mournful
graves, and finally out to the edge of the
lake we made our way.  We were comfortably wet
through, and still enjoying the ride as we came
at last to the big road, and knew that we were almost 
home.  The ride had been a pleasant one, though
the horses were hard of gait and slow of pace.  We
had covered much ground, and we had had a most
pleasant time in the hills and valleys and temples,
and we had seen many things.  Altogether it was a 
good day and we were quite happy when we got home.

Awaiting us here was a fine pile of mail
from America, both letters and magazines; and
after we had changed our clothes and bathed we
had a grand orgy of reading.  Nothing could bring
a better conclusion to a fine day in the saddle
among beautiful surroundings than a hot bath, a
good supper, and a fine pile of home mail.  Truly
this has been a good day.