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Sometimes she remained away for nights at a time, and on these occasions her only accommodation was a mud hut and her only bed a bundle of filthy rags. A larger venture was made at the instance of a chief named Okon, a political refugee whom she knew. He had settled at a spot on the western bank of the estuary, then called Ibaka, now James Town, and had long urged her to pay the place a visit.
She cut out clothes for the people and taught the women how to sew. She gave medicine to the sick and bandaged the wounds of those who got hurt. "King Okon," said Mary, "I would like to go into the people's homes in the jungle. May I go?" "No, white Ma, I cannot let you go. This is elephant country. The elephants go wild and run over everything in the jungle.
It was not easy to be a missionary, but Mary was gladly willing to do it because she was working for Jesus and saving souls. One day a man came to the mission house. "I am the servant of King Okon. King Okon has heard of the white Ma. King Okon has heard how the white Ma loves our people and is kind to them. King Okon invites the white Ma to come and visit our country."
The chief, and the men of position in his compound and district, sat in judgment upon them, and decided that each must receive one hundred stripes. Mary sought out Okon and talked the matter over. "Ma," he said, "it be proper big palaver, but if you say we must not flog we must listen to you as our mother and our guest.
"A stormy night ahead," said Mary apprehensively to Okon, who gave a long look upward and steered for the lee of an island. The sky blackened, thunder growled, and the water began to lift. The first rush of wind gripped the canoe and whirled it round, while the crew, hissing through their set teeth, pulled their hardest. In vain. They got out of hand, and there was uproar and craven fear.
These girls are only sixteen years old and still love fun and play. They are too young to be married. They meant no real harm." The men did not like to hear that. They did not like to hear that their ways were wrong. "If punishment is hard," said the old men, "wife and slave will be afraid to disobey." "King Okon," said Mary, "show that you are a good king by being kind and merciful.
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