| Show GAME OF CRICKET BoxERs Two English missionaries in China once saved their own liver arid those of their converts means of the na I tlonnl game of cricket Thpy were no other than the Steele brothers who were once famous throughout England throuShout as cricketers To the great surprise of everybody they gave up sport and went to China as missionaries They established a mission at Pang Soc on the YangTee river a very remote arid isolated spot says the New York Journal They not only peaehe the gospel but taught the game of cricket to their converts and puplla Then the Boxers began to rise Bands of cut throats made their appearance both up and down the river with their cry of Death to the white men Death to men the Christians At Pang Soe they be gan to hear rumors of burning mis sions and murdered burnh1S One day the storm broke Word came that a bund of 500 wild fanatics was ten mlles to the southeast fanatcs big toward the geltlemcut Tho Stecles I had no weapons there was not an other white man within a hundred I miles nor a foreign gunboat In the YangTse rTheYhad one sport o Jug Chance In a thousand and like sport 1en they took It As they had Vorkod out the spiritual salvation of I their pupils with cricket 0 they ot cldodto try to work out their own material salvation with the same potent force Presently lads with blanched faces came and reported the rapid approach of the Incendlarks Without Incchdlarlcs any ap pearance of haste thc brothers calmly ordcrofl l the wickets pitched l on the Held facing the mission building and with two teams of boys went out to play as deliberately us If the place had been a village green In their own native country Hundreds of men and women crowded about tlip Inclosurc They wanted to protect their mission aries who had secured much of their affection but at any cost they were determined to save themselves and their children even If they had to give s up the white twins to be butchered I Perfectly disciplined the lads on the field began to play their wondering parents looking on wondernb coolness the teachers Up came the rioters As they reached the outer outlr circle of the field the brothers stepped forward One of them bat In hand commanded halt and the great mob amazed at the strange sight before them actually obeyed him Then he talked with quiet eloquence and In sentences brought down to the simple understanding of his listener He did not speak of God or Christian ity But he did tel them something them tibout somethln tibout the game he was playing He said that It was a miracle worker a mlmcli strange and wonderful thing that was the whole secret of the marvelous suc cess of the white people It was the seed that had planted great British Great Britsh warships und armies all oVel the world What had It not done even In a little time at Pang Sac The village could teutlfy Were not the viase tho children rosy Had not every 1ce lad that played ihe marvelous game be come stronger and brighter and better I fitted to no to the great examination cols at Canton and win honors for himself and his parents And he and his brother were giving to China that great secret which had 1 made their own empire eo mighty and which In time was going to make China mighty too I goinG talisman als Those foollah wat a talsman foollh men with tho j knives and the torches could burn and kill common people but let them be waro The moment they touched a cricket player they were doomed to irniMc J < i JtrUttIon doolle |
