In her first letter on returning to England Miss Macpherson writes:--
"BELOVED FELLOW-WORKERS,--Once more at home among the old familiar
scenes in the East of London, the sadness and the sin shadows our joy
and thanksgiving. My first visit in the immediate vicinity of the
Refuge I shall not soon forget.
"Taking good news of Andrew in Canada to his mother, I found his
father lying dead drunk in one corner, and his little brother lying
dead waiting to be carried off to the grave by the parish in the
other.
"In the first low women's lodging-house, I found a poor misguided
girl asking me, 'How's my little sister?'
"Passing on to Mr. Holland in George Yard, I cheered him with
answers to his many inquiries as to the placing out of his rescued
ones.
"Many a warm shake of the hand I had from poor costermongers and
grey-headed men, for what had been done for their belongings in
taking them from the sin and want around.
"My way is now open to go forward, as means permit, to rescue girls
and train them for Canada or for service in England."
Miss Macpherson goes on to tell of the purchase of the Galt Home,
300 miles westward, and states the need in these words:--
"We found that to educate our Canadian family, and thoroughly fit
them to be of value to the farmer, a few fields to work upon would be
an advantage, that they might see the effects of new soil and
climate, in the growth of vegetables, shrubs, and farm produce.
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