Chapter 4

Yesterday, after school, the parson went with me over the swamps to the homes of some of our scholars. We passed through several ditches, where the water was up to the hubs of the buggy wheels; there was a log for a foot-path over these places. It was very muddy all along the way, and yet these children are seldom absent from school. To-day, the clouds are heavy and dark, and the rain has come down in torrents, yet many have come into school from these long distances, to our surprise, one boy having the promise of being promoted into the second reader came at least six miles, bringing a chicken and six eggs to pay for his book; when he arrived he was wet to his skin. Two-thirds of our school were present to-day. I realize as never before the effort these children are making for themselves. Oh! I remember how freely money was given and the young men from our homes that freedom might be obtained for this people; then the women must wait and pray at home, but now the way is open for women to teach the young of this vast race that the future may not disclose a nation within a nation, hostile to the good and true of a Christian people. Shall there not be volunteers among our New England girls, who shall say: "Here am I. Send me" to the work?

Very cordially yours,

E. P.

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Some of our hard-worked sisters at the North may wish to enter the service of the A. M. A., that they may get a little rest and find time for literary culture. We commend to such a careful perusal of the following report.

MONTHLY REPORT BY MISS H.

Days taught during the month, 25; Hours taught, 150; Scholars classified, 73; Tuition collected, $54.75; School books sold, 111; Book money, $24.00; School programmes, 10; Slates corrected, 1,250; Arithmetical examples (oral), 325; Words written on the blackboard, 225; Spelling words (oral), 450; Reading lessons, 50; Golden Texts, 4; New song taught, 1; Five-minute talks, 10; Conducted chapel exercises, 4; Conducted home devotions, 5; Tuesday evening public talk, 1; Interviewed mothers of refractory scholars, 5; Notes to parents, 10; Postal cards (absent scholars), 20; Written examination, 1; Choir meetings, 4; Whipped scholar, 1; Attended woman's prayer meeting, 4; Church services, 20.

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CHILDREN'S PAGE.

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VIC'S LILIES.

School was dismissed, and the boys and girls came rushing out with merry shouts and laughter. The voices had a musical ring and the intonation peculiar to uncultivated colored lads and lassies. They were a comely, thrifty-looking set, and the instinctive hopefulness of their race looked from the bright eyes and shone in the cheery faces. Life had gone hard with some, but had failed to quench their faith in the good time yet to come.

As they neared the corner of the street and came in sight of a large, handsome white house, a girl's voice called, "Hush! hush!"

"Lor', now, Vic!" her brother Phil remonstrated, "what nonsense!" But in spite of the remonstrance every voice took a lower tone, and the house was passed almost in silence. The blinds of the house were closed, and from the door-knob hung the black-and-white token of mourning. Vic was saying, "Yes, sick jest two days; taken Sunday and died this morning. When I tol' teacher, she said, 'Death loves a shining mark.'"

"I'm awful sorry," said Nan; "he was a mighty peart little 'un, and he al'ays looked up and smiled when we passed. But if I'd knowed he was really goin', I'd sent a message to sister Fan. Don't you think she'd like to know about the Christmas tree, Vic?"

"You're a green un," said Phil. "You don't s'pose that little pink and white chap has gone to our heaven, do you? He'll see Fan a heap sight! She's off in a little cubby-hole with all the rest of the darkies. All the first-class 'commodations b'longs to the white peoples, ye know."

"Hush, Phil," said Vic; "you shan't stuff Nan so. Everything will be all right, honey, when we gets up dere. Shouldn't be s'prised if Fan knew all 'bout the tree. And p'rhaps the good Lord will let her help take care of the little fellow till his po' mother comes. Ole Dinah says she's awfully cut up--his mother, you know. You see they're strangers here, came for the mammy's health; and Frankie, he was the only chile. 'Pears like I want to comfort the po' mammy. My lily has three blossoms. I mean to take them all to her."

"'Pears like you'd better min' your own business. She may be a dog-on white lady, if she do come from the Norf. Like as not she'd turn up her nose at your lilies. I'll 'low the little un was a brick, but you'd better let his mother 'lone." This was Phil's advice.

But although Victoria Porter had a black skin, she had a tender, loving heart, and she had pored over the Christ-life until she had unconsciously imbibed its spirit. She was always yearning to comfort some one. Later in the day she stood at the door of the white mansion, holding her precious lilies. "They're for his mother," she said to Dinah. "Tell her we chil'ens loved Frankie, and we're all mighty sorry."

It was a simple message and a simple offering, and the giver was a poor little black girl; but behind the gift was sincerity and love, and the heart of the poor, sorrowing mother was touched and comforted.

And Vic's lilies had a mission of which she knew not. They preached a lovely sermon on the high privilege and duty of comforting others. We may be poor, and very humble may be our station in life; but if we try, we may make life brighter and sweeter to someone. What a glad surprise it will be to Vic when the Saviour honors her many kind acts by the words--"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

E. E. B.

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RECEIPTS FOR JANUARY, 1885.

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MAINE, $714.22.

Andover. "Friends" $9.50 Bangor. "Little Women" and "Busy Bees" of Bangor, and Ladies of Hampden, Bbl. of Christmas Presents, _for Wilmington, N. C._ Bath. Central Ch. and Soc., 32.50; Winter St. Ch., 47.15 79.65 Brunswick. 2 Bbls. and 1 Box of C., _for Selma, Ala._ Centre Lebanon. "A Friend" 10.00 Cumberland Centre. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 21.00 Cumberland Mills. Warren Ch. to const. STEPHEN A. CORDWELL and PETER W. FILES, L. M's 68.31 Elliot. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 3.50 Ellsworth. Cong. Ch. 34.47 Farmington. Rev. C. E. Pope's S. S. Class, _for Student Aid, Talladega C._ 5.00 Gardiner. Bbl. of C., _for Selma, Ala._, 3.20 _for Freight_, by Miss S. E. Adams 3.20 Gorham. Bbl. of C., _for Selma, Ala._, 2 _for Freight_, by Miss M. E. Smith 2.00 Limington. "A. B." 2.00 New Castle. Mrs. Chas. D. Crane, _for Student Aid, Fisk U._ 30.00 New Castle. Mrs. C. D. Crane, _for Selma, Ala._ 8.00 North Bridgeton. By Miss Proctor's Sch., _for Student Aid, Wilmington, N. C._ 1.00 Orland. Mrs. S. T. Buck and Daughters 35.00 Orono. Bbl. and Box of C., _for Wilmington, N. C._ Portland. High Street Ch. 90.50 Portland. Brown Thurston's Class, High St. Sab. Sch., _for Student Aid, Hamilton N. & A. Inst._ 25.00 Portland. Miss A. Partridge, Bbl. of C., _for Wilmington, N. C._, 59c. _for freight_ .59 Searsport. Second Cong. Ch. and Soc. 11.00 Searsport. 2 Bbls of C., _for Selma, Ala._, 4 _for freight_, by Mrs. C. T. Hawes 4.00 South Berwick. Mrs. MATILDA BURLEIGH to const. herself L. M. 30.00 Union. Bbl. of C., _for Selma, Ala._ Woolwich. Mrs. E. M. Gardner. .50 --------- $474.22

LEGACY.

Castine. Estate of Mrs. Lucy S. Adams, by Rev. Geo. M. Adams, Ex. $240.00 --------- $714.22

NEW HAMPSHIRE, $755.21.

Alstead Centre. Cong. Ch. 12.24 Antrim. "Friends" by John E. Hastings 26.50 Candia. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 15.00 Candia. Frank E. Page 5.00 Chester. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 20.00 Concord. South Ch. Sab. Sch. 8.99 Derry. Woman's Miss'y Soc. (one share) 20.00 East Alstead. Cong. Ch. 13.63 Exeter. Second Cong. Sab. Sch., 20 _for Student Aid, Talladega C._; Second Cong. Ch., Bbl. of C. _for Talladega C._, 1 _for freight_ 21.00 Exeter. Mary E. Shute 15.00 Exeter. Miss A. E. McIntire, Bbl. of C. _for Wilmington, N. C._, 50c. _for freight_ .50 Farmington. Cong. Ch. 14.28 Francestown. Cong. Ch. 25.00 Hampstead. Cong. Sab. Sch. 12.20 Hanover. Cong. Sab. Sch. (one share) 20.00 Harrisville. Mrs. L. B. Richardson 10.00 Hillsborough Bridge. Mrs. J. Gerry 1.00 Hollis. "A Friend" 1.00 Hudson. Bbl. of C., _for Dudley, N. C._ Keene. First. Cong. Sab Sch., _for Student Aid, Atlanta U._ 70.00 Keene. Second Cong. Sab. Sch. 46.30 Keene. Ladies' Benev. Soc. of Second Ch., _for freight_ 2.50 Lebanon. Cong. Soc., _for Atlanta U._ 40.00 Lisbon. "A Friend" 2.00 Londonderry. Chas. S. Pillsbury 1.00 Lyme. Cong. Ch., to const. Dea. W. S. BALCH L. M. 30.00 Manchester. Franklin St. Church 70.50 Mason. Box of C., _for Dudley, N. C._; 1.60 _for freight_ 1.60 Milford. "Willing Workers," _for Student Aid, Tougaloo U._ 50.00 Nashua. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 25.96 Nashua. Bbl. of C., _for Dudley, N. C._ New Boston. Presb. Ch. and Soc. 6.75 New Ipswich. Leavitt Lincoln 50.00 Newport. Cong. Ch. 42.52 Pembroke. Mrs. Mary W. Thompson 5.00 Penacook. JEREMIAH C. MARTIN, to const. himself L. M. 30.00 Salisbury. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 5.30 Temple. Cong. Sab. Sch., 28.03; Rev. Geo. Goodyear, 5 33.03 Winchester. Cong. Ch. and Soc. ad'l 1.41

VERMONT, $678.67.

Barnet. Cong. Ch. 72.00 Bennington. Cong. Ch., bal. to const. Dea. G. A. WATTLES, HENRY G. ROOT and Miss E. M. HUBBARD L. M's 53.20 Bennington Centre. First Cong. Ch. 16.25 Cambridge. Madison Safford 5.00 Chester. Cong. Sab. Sch. 30.62 Hartford. Cong. Sab. Sch. 14.06 Ludlow. "A Friend" 5.00 Manchester. Ladies of Cong. Ch., Bbl. of C., _for Atlanta U._ Marshfield. Lyman Clark 20.00 Montpelier. Mrs. L. C. Bowen 10.00 New Haven. "P. M." 100.00 New Haven. Ladies' Aid Soc., 2 Bbls. C., _for Oaks, N. C._ Quechee. Cong. Sab. Sch. 9.36 Saint Albans. Henry E. Seymour 5.00 Saint Johnsbury. South Cong. Ch., 54.72; "A Colored Man," 2 56.72 Saint Johnsbury. Mrs. Franklin Fairbanks, _for Student Aid, Fisk U._ 50.00 Springfield. Mrs. F. Parks 100.00 Stowe. Cong. Sab. Sch. (Part share) 8.00 Wallingford. Cong. Sab. Sch. 10.00 West Randolph. Miss B. Nichols .50 West Brattleboro. Cong. Ch. 11.69 West Randolph. Susan E. Albin 7.00 West Randolph. Cong. Sab. Sch., _for Woman's Work_ 5.00 Williston. Cong. Ch. 16.00 Woodstock. Cong. Ch. 19.00 By Mrs. Henry Fairbanks, _for McIntosh, Ga._; Johnson, Sab. Sch., $13.67; Chelsea, Ladies' Soc., $10; Pittsford, Cong. Sab. Sch., 20; Montpelier, Ladies, $10 53.67

MASSACHUSETTS, $5,202.67.