"Ten Cents a Bag, or Two
For a Quarter.'

By a "Missionary's Wife."

HE Hawaiian children have an odd way of earning their vacation money; by picking up beans fallen from the algeroba trees. These beans are long, something like the locust bean, and are used for horse feed. Children often earn as much as fifteen or twenty dollars in this way during the summer.

I had never seen anything of the kind before, so I asked a little girl what the children were doing with the gunny sacks. She replied, "Why, picking awg'roba beans."

"How much do they get per bag?" I asked.

"Ten cents a bag, or two for a quarter," came the quick response. "What was that?" said I, thinking I had not heard aright. "Ten cents a bag, or two for twenty-five cents," she reiterated. I glanced at my husband, whose eyes were sparkling.

"You mean fifteen cents a bag or two for a quarter," he remarked. But she tenaciously held to the fact that it was as she had said. Several days later a native woman came to visit me and in the course of the conversation she said her girls were gathering beans. I took occasion to ask her how much they received per bag. "Ten cents a bag, or two for a quarter."

I laughed outright, and was forced to explain that at that rate it was cheaper to buy one bag at a time. But she still declared they were sold for that price, although it did sound more business-like at "Fifteen cents a bag, and two for twenty-five."

Next day the little half-white girl who stays with us started to gather beans and when the huckster, who is Chinese, came along, she bargained with him to buy her beans, saying, "John, how much you gi' me for my beans?"

"Ten cent one; s'pose you have two, me give quarter."

"Why, John," said I, "that's no way to do business; buy two for fifteen.'

"Nots allight, allee samee evlee body buy."

So I thought I would try this "get rich quick" scheme, and taking my bucket I started out.

It was about ten o'clock in the morning, which is not very cool in the tropics, but I did not have far to go, as the vacant lots back of our place are covered with algeroba trees.

The beans had been gathered once that morning but the wind. had shaken down some more and I started in with vim. However, it seemed the little pail filled too slowly. With the perspiration

trickling down my face, I worked away, picking up all I could find, stumbling over fallen limbs, and catching my skirts on the thorns which are long and sharp.

"There are some nice ones under that shrub," and in I went. It was easy enough getting in but in backing out my hat caught on a thorn and in trying to disengage it I scratched my arm badly. "Ten cents a bag, two for a quarter," I laughed and was consoled. "Just there are some more," and I bent low to avoid the branches of a large, old tree as I gathered the beans beneath it.

"Ah, kuku," I cried in pain as I carelessly stepped on a thorn. Hobbling out I dropped the beans in the bucket, repeating the incentive, "Ten cents a bag, and two for a quarter."

The suede slippers I wore served as little protection against the briars, so by the time one had skinned the leather from the heel and another had penetrated the flesh, I was not slow to guess why beans sold at "Ten cents a bag, and two for a quarter."

Weary and very warm, my feet and hands smarting from the scratches, I thought I would make my way home, (the distance of about a block) filling the bucket as I went.

A slight tear in my skirt and one in the hose was all that befell me on the way home.

Having reached there I found I had been gone about an hour and only filled a ten pound bucket. But I was thoroughly convinced that I knew why algeroba beans sold for ten cents a bag and two for a quarter."

HONOLULU, HAWAII TERRITORY.

Winter and Spring.

Bring hither to her grandpa, little Pearl,

I wish to touch her brow as white as snow,
Smooth with my wrinkled hand each silken curl,
And hear the little darling laugh and crow.
Dear little soul! You say her eyes are blue;
But mine are dim with toil and weary age;
God bless her! Her fresh life, so pure and new,

Revives my heart at even this late stage.
A pretty group we form,—was that your thought,—
Winter rejoicing with the infant spring?
The evening and the morn together brought?—
Do hear the lovely creature's laughter ring!

Against my blanched beard she leans her head,
Crowned with her childhood's coloring and glow;
An early moondrop blooming in its bed

Beside a lingering drift of April snow.
How she condemns us with her innocence;

Yet draws us to her with love's gentle hand. She is a guardian angel, driving hence

The evil by her presence, pure and bland.

Now you must take her-bless her; won't she go?
Ah! but she must, for grandpa's hands are weak;

And grandpa's head will soon be lying low-
But it will rise again when God shall speak.
How like a planet will his lofty brow,

Shine, when he walks upon that brighter shore;

And he will be as pure as she is now,

Blooming with youth that fades away no more.
O! may he meet his "Pearl" in that fair clime,
Developed to an angel passing bright;

May strong arms guard her until that blest time,
And right hearts teach her how to choose the right.

DAVID H. SMITH.

Travel Sketches.

1. A Trip to the Jordan by Rosa P. Pitt.

N the morning of the 16th of November, 1910, a party of ten arose early-at four o'clock-and prepared for a long, eventful day to be spent at the banks of the Jordan. The day was a delightful one, the rain of a couple days previous having settled the dust that otherwise would have been disagreeable. Our hearts were filled with joy as we departed at half past five-our baskets were filled-and our bottles of water prepared for the long drive. But most

Here, in the River Jordan, one and a half miles from the Dead Sea, Brethren Pitt and Griffiths baptized four persons, November 16, 1910; the first elders of the Reorganization to baptize in the Jordan.

of all, we were made glad that four precious souls were to be buried in the waters of the Jordan, in baptism. This made us all rejoice, that in the same Jordan where Jesus had been baptized, we should see four become members of our church-which is the same church of Jesus Christ. As we went along we passed the Garden of Gethsemane, near the Mount of Olives, and Bethany. In Bethany we saw what is claimed to be the original remains of the house of Mary and Martha, the tomb of Lazarus, and many other interesting sights. We drove over barren hills and a wilder