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‘C 'ROM letters written by Mrs. Ruth Allen, wife o f Dr. Kenneth Allen, mis sionaries at Kijabe, British East Africa, interesting excerpts are made again this month. A considerable portion o f Dr. Allen’s time is consumed by what was referred to in a former letter as “ doing” the ears o f converted natives. Accompany ing this article is a picture o f a native boy in full dress. The large ring in his ear is three inches in diameter and one inch wide, made o f hard wood. A strip o f hig ear goes entirely around the outside o f the ring. Dr. Allen operates on the ears,' removing the ring and stitching the strip back into place. Finally the ear assumes fairly normal shape. Smaller rings will be seen through the top o f the boy’s ear in the-picture. Extracts from Mrs. Allen’s letters follow :, W e are living in Hurlburt’s house now. She has been gone five years now, but everything shows what a beautiful place it must have been then. I remember what good talks she and I used to have in Los Angeles when I was planning to come out here. W e have hardly met one person who has been out here over five years who has not lived here in this house and shared their hospitality, and I will hear one or another say, “Well, as Mrs. "Hurlburt used to say,” and then tell o f some encouraging word she had given them when they were discouraged or disheartened. As for her own children, she has probably given the Lord five missionaries. The native boys often speak o f them and wonder when thè other four are coming back from America. They all seem to have been great favorites with the natives, and o f course they all knew at least two o f the tribal languages as well as any native children might. I must tell you a little story Mr. Downing told us one day. He said one afternoon he had found a quiet, secluded spot in the
woods where he m ight. study and pray without fear o f interruption, when suddenly he heard boys’ voices—they came right near to him, so he could not help hearing. They were Carl and Paul Hurlburt and four or five native boys. They were talking earn estly and in a few minutes they were all on their knees praying for the souls o f those they were anxious to see saved. It doesn’t look as though Mrs. Hurlburt’s years here were wasted, does it? (Mrs, Hurlburt is living at Highland Park, this city, and her son Harry, while he is being educated and his .health is being built up, is employed as a messenger in the Bible Institute.—Ed.) ' I must have told you in another letter that Mr. Hurlburt, Miss Alta and Miss Morse went to the Congo some time ago, and Mr. Hurlburt at least will probably be back in February. He hopes very much to soon after that be on his way to Amer ica. I do hope he may, and I hope too
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