bring of privation, hardship, suffering, or death.

The valley folk were very suspicious of the two friends at first,
and curious about them in a shy, kindly way.

Why had they come? What were their real motives? Did they mean only
good to the valley? It took many months of devoted service on the
part of the women to answer these queries.

Did sickness ravage some home where many little ones were crowded
into two or three rooms? Was some man crushed by the heavy logs
while at work? There the nurse friend came with her comforts and
her skill to fight for the life of the sufferers, to watch beside
them during the long, chill nights of pain--to pray that the
healing power of the Christ might be manifested.

The two friends found that the valley had no Sunday-school or
regular preaching service to mark the Lord's day. Occasionally an
itinerant preacher held meetings, but Sunday after Sunday came and
went in the valley with no religious service whatever.

They found that the children received but poor schooling, and
little or no training for life.

They found mothers who knew only the monotony of drudgery and were
eager to share in the fuller life.

They found the wide use of corn whisky to be sapping the moral and
physical strength of the men, and that everywhere among them
lawlessness prevailed, even though some were anxious for better