Part 4

There has been much labor in corresponding with so many persons: 69 letters and postals have been written. This includes work only among the Freedmen, yet we have rejoiced in the interest awakened in various places by this means, and are glad to help this good cause in every way in our power. Aid has been given in various ways and different places, which, including postage, makes $37.24. This _patch-work_ has become quite an institution, 2,504 blocks have been sent, greatly helping the teachers in their work, saving their time and strength, and helping to form habits of industry which are so essential to the well-being of these women and young girls, thus fitting them for usefulness in the future. One old lady, who is much interested in the young, and fond of patch-work, gave us 78 blocks very nicely basted, which were sent to Ladies Island, so meeting the needs of a young girl whose quilt had come to a standstill for want of materials.

In 1882, in order to enlarge our field of operations, we sent to Dr. Strieby for new names of pastors and teachers among the Freedmen, and are now able to report that we have forwarded to the Southern States 1,021 papers and pamphlets, 339 lesson papers, 122 tracts, 74 Scripture cards and 103 Christmas cards; postage $5.72. Besides these, papers have been sent by several persons in different States. A teacher in Texas writes, “I should like Sunday-school papers, temperance, and other tracts, to distribute as I visit among the people.” “Can make use of the patch-work and any other sewing prepared; thanks for encouraging words, and sympathy, we need your constant and earnest prayers.”

From N.C.—“Your Christmas cards reached us safely; the children enjoyed their gifts, and received them gratefully. My field is not an easy one, but I am endeavoring with the Master’s help to plant and replant fruitful seed. Any good reading matter is acceptable. I need material for my sewing school (one dozen spools of cotton and six crochet needles, were sent to this school by two young ladies). Your letter was full of encouragement and good advice, and strengthened me much. My work is chiefly among the children, have 50 or 60 in Sunday-school in the morning, and about the same number attend the Band of Hope every Sabbath afternoon. We have prayer-meetings every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. I have also a Bible-class for adults, which I teach an hour and a half every Wednesday evening. Have received the patch-work from Mrs. M., it is indeed a great help to have it basted, my time is so occupied.”

Ga.—The teacher writes: “Thanks for your interest in us, we pay for our Sunday school papers, for we think the people prize them more when they pay for them; but I can send what I receive into the country, where they are very glad of them; sent your roll last night out twenty-five miles to a place where they have nothing to help them; have several places to which I can send, and profitably use all I receive. We are trying to give the people a little instruction in mission work; and take up a collection once in three months; this people need nothing more than to understand that there are others as poor as themselves, and they certainly are very poor, but, as they receive, they must also give; true growth comes from looking out. Our day school has over 100, and our Sunday school nearly as many more, some coming four or five miles, and have been very enthusiastic in their work. My scholars are looking forward to teaching. Last summer 14 were out, and more will probably go this summer. We are hoping to give them better ideas of religion, that they may help to change the character of the coming generation. We have organized a “Woman’s Missionary Society.” They are to meet from house to house, taking their supper with them; think it will go far toward making them better housekeepers, as well as teaching them to make things, which they will sell, and so get a little money into their treasury, then they can send a dollar to some cause in which they are interested. Pray for the success of this society for through it, I hope to reach the homes, and there is so much to be done in the homes before there can be much improvement.”

We have had cheering words from pastors in Arkansas and Kentucky, telling of souls converted, Christians revived and children gathered into Sunday schools. Our papers have been given where there is great destitution of reading matter.

At Christmas a few cards and papers were sent to a pastor in Childersburg, Ala. He writes: “I want to thank your class for their gifts to the children, who are destitute of such things. Our church was burned a year ago, after a temperance lecture, but the people are building better than before. We held services in our church last winter without a stove, and the house all open, yet we trust the Lord was with us; our school numbered 30 or 40 during the cold weather and a larger number when pleasant. There are many who cannot read, and many who can have no Bibles.”

We have been much interested in these pastors and teachers, some of them have made great sacrifices, and though not appreciated by those who should sustain and encourage them, future generations will rise up and call them blessed. We are very grateful to all the kind friends who have helped us in our work by papers, postage, patch-work, and in various ways and places, especially for the Christian sympathy extended to these pastors and teachers. It has been duly appreciated, and lightened many a burdened heart; so we trust our “Paper Mission” has not been a failure in the Southern States.

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CHILDREN’S PAGE.

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A TALK WITH THE CHILDREN.

MISS IDA M. BEACH, SAVANNAH, GA.

“The lady asked me was I agoin’ to hear the children make their speeches,” said a little colored girl but just transplanted from her Southern home to this Northern land.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Why, it is breakin’ up day in the schoolhouse over yonder, and the children are goin’ to speak.”

Sitting by my window the next day, voices of children attracted my attention. Looking up I saw two little ones—a brother and sister—trudging along followed by another little girl. I noticed the fresh white dresses and pretty aprons, and that they seemed to be very much in earnest about something. A half hour later the mother passed, and it dawned upon me, then, that it was the “last day of school.” Afterward, riding by the school-house, and peeping in, I saw rows of bright children and many happy parents and friends. It brought to my mind another “last day,” where were children dressed by just as loving hands in their white lawns, and pink and cream buntings. Their songs were just as well sung—perhaps better—for a lady, after spending a day in a public school of a New England city, wrote: “The children are trained by a music teacher who receives $800 a year, but their singing could not be compared to that we heard by the pupils of ——,” referring to these of whom I am telling you. Their little “speeches” were recited just as distinctly; the teachers were just as proud; the parents just as happy, nay, happier. I’ll tell you why by and by.

Have you studied U.S. History? And do you remember the story of our late Civil War? Then you know that one result of it was that nearly four million slaves, who were owned by other people, to be bought and sold like any other property, were made free. They could go where they chose; work as they wanted to; receive the wages they earned; make homes for themselves, and not be afraid that their children would be torn away from them to go with another master.

If you should take the cars in Richmond and ride though—what States?—till you came to Florida, you would pass through miles and miles of pinelands scattered all along. Set right in among the pine trees are little log cabins, the homes of many of these people. Owning little farms, raising their rice and corn, cotton and sweet potatoes, they seem very happy indeed. I heard snatches of “Hold the Fort” coming from within one of these cabins, and remembered seeing a little church not far away, so I think they must have Sunday-school, and use the “Gospel Hymns,” don’t you?

Stopping over one train in a Southern city, and inquiring for the homes of the colored people, you will be directed to almost any lane. Shall I tell you about one I visited?

Clara told me where to find her. Hunting around among many houses which were nearly alike, I suddenly saw a face at a window which I knew must be that of Clara’s mother. I crossed the street and knocked at the door. It was old and weather-beaten, and fairly creaked as I rapped.

A little old woman, with a white turban bound about her head, opened the door. With a courtesy and warm greeting she offered me a chair. The floor was uncarpeted, but as clean as frequent scrubbings with soap and water could make it.

Two sticks were burning in the open fire-place, before which stood a half dozen flat-irons. Mrs. —— apologized for “bein’ a ironin’ on a Saturday,” and after giving a few finishing touches to a piece on the board sat down to tell me about Clara.

“My husban’ is dead, an’ it is very hard to get an hones’ livin’ an’ keep Clara in school. She ain’t strong, ma’am, Clara ain’t, an’ can’t do much hard work, but she love’ her books an’ want to teach. She was graduate’ las’ year, but nothing would do but I mus’ sen’ her this year. It is mighty hard to get the money, you know, ma’am, but I never can give her nothing but an education. I never had none myself, but, Clara, she is right smart in her books, ma’am. I wants her to be educated.” The same story oft repeated, “the children, the children they mus’ be educated.”

Do you know, now, why those mothers were so happy when listening to the songs and recitations of their children? Can you realize how proud they are when they find that Nehemiah and Charles Henry can read and write like any white boys?

Who will hunt up nine others and be one of ten to save ten cents each month to pay the tuition of one of these children?

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RECEIPTS FOR AUGUST, 1883.

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MAINE, $222.07.

Bangor. First Cong. Ch., 18.61; Rev. Joseph Smith, 10 $28.61 Bluehill. Mrs. E. W. Mayo, 4; Mrs. H. W. J., 1 5.00 Brewer. First Cong. Ch. 12.85 Brunswick. Cong. Ch. and Soc., 69.60; Marshall Cram, 10 79.60 Brunswick. Mrs. John D. Lincoln, _for Selma, Ala._ 2.00 Dennysville. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 13.02 Ferry Village. Rev. R. D. Osgood 10.00 Gorham. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 28.38 Gorham. Miss E. B. Emery, _for Macon, Ga._ 3.00 Kennebunk. Union Ch. and Soc. 21.61 Limington. Miss A. Boothby 4.00 Waterford. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 14.00

NEW HAMPSHIRE, $234.62.

Amherst. Cong. Sab. Sch. 20.00 Candia Village. Jona. Martin 5.00 Derry. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 17.65 East Jaffrey. Miss Eliza A. Parker 20.00 Goffstown. Cong Ch. 37.74, and Sab. Sch., 1.55, to const. MRS. HATTIE A. PAIGE L. M.; “A Friend,” 30, to const. MISS LUELLA D. CARPENTER L. M. 69.29 Hampstead. Miss Ann M. Howard 5.00 Hancock. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 25.00 Mount Vernon. Cong Ch. and Soc. 5.00 Pembroke. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 52.58 Rindge. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 2.10 West Concord. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 13.00

VERMONT, $164.96.

Barre. Cong. Ch. 12.50 Castleton. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 31.00 Jeffersonville. “A Friend.” 25.00 Johnson. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 15.00 Ludlow. Cong. Ch. and Soc., 20.47; and Sab. Sch., 1.80 22.27 Manchester. Miss Ellen Hawley, _for Foster Hall Reading Room, Talladega C._ 20.00 Pittsford. “D.” 1.00 Post Mill Village. Mrs. C. M. Holbrook 1.00 Saint Albans. First Cong. Ch. 13.05 Tyson Furnace. —— 1.14 Vergennes. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 20.00 ——. “Rutland Co.” 3.00

MASSACHUSETTS, $2,078.81.

Amesbury. C. F. Hovey, 10.40; E. P. Elliott, 50c. 10.90 Amesbury and Salisbury. Union Evan. Ch. and Soc. 17.00 Amherst. G. C. Munsell 2.00 Barre. Evan. Cong. Ch. Sab. Sch. 17.00 Belchertown. Cong. Ch. and Soc., adl. 0.25 Blackstone. H. Hodgson 1.50 Boston. “In memory of little Fannie,” 10; Mrs. Susan Collin, 1 11.00 Bradford. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 40.57 Brookfield. Ladies’ Benev. Soc., Bbl. of C., _for Fisk U._ Campello. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 54.27 Coleraine. Mrs. Prudence Smith 2.50 Chicopee. Second Cong. Ch., 32.17; Mrs. Henrietta M. Daniels, 10 42.17 Falmouth. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 45.00 Granby. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 80.00 Haverhill. G. Merrill and wife, 150; Centre Cong. Ch. and Soc., 34; Mrs. Mary B. Jones, 10 194.00 Hopkinton. “Friends” 2.00 Housatonic. Cong. Soc. 50.56 Hubbardston. “A Friend” 4.50 Hyde Park. Heart and Hand Soc. of First Cong. Ch., Bundle of Goods, _for Santee Agency, Neb._ Ipswich. South Cong. Ch. Sab. Sch., _for Indian Aid, Hampton N. & A. Inst._ 50.00 Ipswich. South Cong. Ch. and Soc 20.00 Long Meadow. Gent’s Benev. Soc. 21.60 Lowell. Rodolphus Stevens 15.00 Lunenburg. “L. L. E. N.,” a Chronometer. Mattapoisett. Cong. Ch. & Soc. 10.00 Medford. Mystic Ch. and Soc., (30 of which to const. REV. THEOPHILUS PARSONS SAWIN L. M., and 30 from D. W. Wilcox to const. MISS EMMA JOSEPHINE WILCOX, L. M.) 122.15 Middletown. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 12.00 Millbury. Second Cong. Ch. and Soc. to const. SAMUEL N. ROGERS and ALBERT W. LINCOLN, L. Ms. 72.35 Mill River. M. R. Wilcox 10.00 Monson. Cong. Sab. Sch., 20; Mrs. C. O. Chapin, 5 25.00 Monterey. Cong. Ch. 8.00 Newburyport. “A Friend” 5.00 Northfield. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 7.60 Oxford. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 19.97 Peabody. “A Friend,” to const. MISS SUSANNA MILLS, L. M. 30.00 Phillipston. D. & L. Mixter 2.00 Randolph. Miss Abbie W. Turner 10.00 Reading. “A. H. M. S.” 2.50 Revere. “A Friend,” by Mrs. A. S. Steele, _for Orphans from Chattanooga at Tougaloo U._ 50.00 Rockport. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 33.30 Roxbury. Immanuel Ch. Sab. Sch., _for Student Aid, Fisk U._ 30.00 Shelburne. First Cong. Soc. 83.76 South Easton. “A Friend” 20.00 South Hadley Falls. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 25.00 South Weymouth. Union Ch. and Soc. 36.64 Springfield. First Cong. Ch., 23.92; Hope Cong. Ch. 39 62.92 Sudbury. U. E. Ch. and Soc. 20.80 Sunderland. Cong. Ch and Soc 40.00 Sunderland. “M.” 2.00 Wakefield. “Mission Workers,” _for Indian girl, Bird’s Nest, Santee Agency_ 30.00 West Boylston. Polly W. Ames, 3; Geo. W. Ames, 2.50 5.50 West Springfield. First Cong. Ch. 20.00 Worcester. Hiram Smith and family 30.00 -------- $1,508.31

LEGACY.

Milbury. Estate of Asa Hayden, by Harriet W. Hayden, Extx. 570.50 -------- $2,078.81

RHODE ISLAND, $584.00.

Central Falls. Cong. Ch 63.00 Little Compton. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 21.00 Providence. Geo. H. Corliss 500.00

CONNECTICUT, $3,398.82.

Berlin. Mrs. C. M. Jarvis, _for Woman’s Work_ 5.00 Bethel. Cong. Ch. 20.00 Birmingham. Cong. Sab. Sch. 5.00 Branford. H. G. Harrison 5.00 Canterbury. Westminster Cong. Ch. 4.15 Central Village. Cong. Ch. 10.00 Chester. “I. O.” 5.00 East Hampton. Cong Ch. 25.00 Fair Haven. Cong. Ch. Bbl. of C. _for Tillotson C. & N. Inst._ Farmington. A. F. Williams, to const. CLARENCE BROWNING VORCE, L. M. 30.00 Goshen. Cong. Ch. 14.78 Greenfield Hill. Cong. Ch., adl. 18.30 Greenwich. First Cong. Ch. Sab. Sch. 5.31 Griswold. First Cong.. Ch. 30.00 Hadlyme. R. E. Hungerford, 100: Jos. W. Hungerford, 100; Cong. Ch., 7 207.00 Kensington. Mrs. M. Hotchkiss 5.00 New Britain. Mrs. Alonzo Astor 3.00 New Haven. Nelson Hall 50.00 Norfolk. “B.” 2.00 North Guilford. Sarah R Fowler 6.00 Norwich Town. “*. Cong. Ch.” 35.00 Plantsville. “A Friend.” 300; E. E. Stone, 100; H. D. Smith. 100; Stephen Walker, 60; Geo. F. Smith, 25; E. W. Twichell, 25; O. W. Stone, 20; W. S. Ward. 10; Mrs. J. C. P., 5; C. L. Ames, 5; C. D. Smith, 5, _for Atlanta U._ 655.00 Putnam. Ladies, _for Student Aid, Straight U._ 2.00 Ridgefield. First Cong. Ch. 32.14 Salem. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 6.00 South Britain. Cong Ch. 36.00 Stafford. Mrs. T. H. Thresher 5.00 Stamford. “A Friend ” 5.00 Terryville. Cong. Ch. 180, to const. MAGGIE MCNAUGHTON, SUSIE BELLE GRANNIS, LURA GENEVIEVE BUNNELL, ANNIE S. COOK and EMMA C. L. CASTLE L. Ms.; Elizur Fenn. 5; Mrs. Elizur Fenn, 5 190.00 Thomaston. Cong Ch. 24.46 Tolland. Cong. Ch. 13.59 Trumbull. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 16.43 Union. Cong. Ch. 2.12 West Hartford. Cong. Ch. 30.40 West Hartford. Anson Chappell 5.00 West Winsted. Second Cong. Ch. 201.27 Wethersfield. First Ch of Christ 60.59 Wolcott. Cong. Ch. 10.03 Woodstock. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 18.25 --------- $1,798.82

LEGACIES.

Goshen. Estate of Miss Sarah Beach, by Henry Norton, Ex. 500.00 New London. Trust Estate of Henry P. Haven (_of which_ $300 _for Talladega C._ and $200 _for Tillotson C. & N. Inst._) 850.00 Orange. Estate of Mrs. H. Coe, by L. W. Cutler. Ex. 250.00 --------- $3,398.82

NEW YORK, $22,720.10.

Big Hollow. Nelson Hitchcock 5.00 Binghamton. Mrs. Chauncey Bean, _for Woman’s Work_ 5.00 Blauveltville. “A Friend” 1.50 Brooklyn. Central Cong. Sab. Sch. _for Missionaries, Fernandina, Fla._ 100.00 Clifton Springs. Rev. Lewis Bodwell 2.00 Coventryville. First Cong. Ch. 10.56 Eaton. Cong. Ch. 13.25 Hancock. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 10.00 Ithaca. First Cong. Sab. Sch., _for Theo. Dept., Talladega C._ 35.00 New York. “Friends” 50.00 Nyack. John W. Towt 50.00 Port Byron. Sarah B. Osburn, _for Chinese M._ 0.50 Poughkeepsie. First Cong. Ch. 40.08 Sherburne. Cong. Ch. 59.41 West Groton. Cong. Ch. 19.54 Sab. Sch. 1.46 21.00 Wellsville. Cong. Ch. 22.97 Yaphank. Mrs. Hampton Overton, _for Chinese M._ 5.00 ——. —— 60.08 ------- $491.35

LEGACIES.

Deansville. Estate of Mrs. Polly M. Barton, by D. W. Barton and Jos. F. Barton, Exs. 500.00 Victor. Estate of Emeline Lewis, by D. Henry Osborne, Ex. 21,728.75 ---------- $22,720.10

NEW JERSEY, $1,110.00.