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February, no March 1st 1896 9 P.M. My Dearest I stayed home from Kirk tonight as it was drizzling a little intending to spend the evening with you; but I found some one who needed me more than you did and so to be loyal to our true standard of Christian helpfulness I gave the evening to the boy Pierre Stevenson He is a boy of 17 without parents or home
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He sleeps in the little room next to mine + takes his meals anywhere I find his religions training a minus quantity + all together he is a most forlorn disliked green youth tho needs a helping hand most greivously to make a man of him They will not allow him in the parlor because he is so awkward + altogether the poor child is snubbed until he makes my heart ache So when they had all gone to church I called him in to my room to visit me and have
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talked to him, drawn him out, showed him my pictures, & read aloud to him all the morning as if he were a most distinguished g'man.
I have been dishing to help that boy ever since I came here, and have jsut succeeded in beating him down the Farriers. He confided to me, that his great ambition is to be a doctor so I told him all about you & your life and [ours?] and you could just see his poor chilled [?] soul expanding under my words
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This morning Mae VAn & I planned to meet at St Andrew's Church to hear Mallinson's choir & organ. She did not appear at Church so after services Mallinson would not hear to any thing. Felt that I must stay & go for dinner with him, so I gave in and we had a rally charming time.
The people here not relieved yet & Pierre sits beside me reading "John Halifx" as I write. I have got that inestimable wedge in to his you manhood - he has been in the habit of reading most unhealthy literature. Pray for him, darling, you & I together, his feet are so near the edge and I wanted so to save him.
Yours in eternal love. Grace
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