21

bless you and the good cause that you have in your care, is the
prayer of your humble servant.”’

From Jennie Speer, Manassas, Va., Jan. 26, 1869.

“Yours of 25th received to-day, and am glad you have de-
cided to keep the school up a while longer. Also glad that I can
report a large attendance at present. Since Christmas the
school has increased rapidly, and now I have over. fifty scholars,
and more coming in every day. They keep me very busy, and
I am afraid I can hardly do justice to so many; but I call on
some of my advanced scholars when I need assistance, and so —
go along very well. The school house is very uncomfortable
and inconvenient, as it has not been plastered, and there are
two doors minus, and a great scarcity of desks and benches. The
colored people have been promising to furnish it ever since I
came here,*but as yet have not commenced it. They are short
of funds, and as we have got along so far through the winter, I
think we will Aave to get along the balance. I know that the chil-
dren cannot learn as fast as they would in a good comfortable
school room, but I know that they do learn, and think it a hard
punishment to stay from school a day. Some of them are great
grown men, and they manifest the same earnestness in study as
the younger ones have. Very many of them come four and five
miles to school, and are among the most punctual ones. The
Sabbath School is quite large now, and I can see an increasing
interest. ,

‘*¢T have no more books than are needed, and should not ia
enough now, but while in Alexandria, some time ago, I went to
a warm-hearted Missionary woman, a Mrs. Parker, and she gave
me all I wanted, and sent them to me ;—thus we find: friends,
even among strangers.

“T have not ‘tired of the work’ yet, but every'day I see
new responsibilities. ‘There are so many wrong feelings to
- overcome ; so much that is contrary to the spirit of the ‘ Gentle
Nazarene ;’ and sometimes the fruit of our labors are so long
unseen ; but I try to remember their training and advantages.”
The children seem to want to do right, when convinced which 7s
right, and that encourages me.

‘Remember me to all my good friends.”

From Carolina Thomas, Springdale, 1st. mo. 3d, 1869.

‘It seems a very long time since I have heard anything from
my old patrons, the ‘“ Freedmen’s Ed. Society,” but I suppose
I must take the blame all to myself, for not answering thy very —
acceptable letter earlier. I have a large school now, and am
fully satisfied with regard to numbers. Have about fifty pupils,

*