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small patches of ground, from the community known as the
United Brethren, at New Lebanon, N. Y., was also sent to the
several teachers in good season for planting their gardens.
Feeling that the knowledge imparted in our schools can only
be useful to the Freed people as they have suitable books and
other reading matter, which must necessarily be very difficult to
procure in the sparsely settled districts recently devasted by
war, we have from time to time forwarded suitable newspapers and
periodicals, and have recently appropriated $100 to the purchase
of books, which are already deposited as circulating libraries in
most of our schools, to be loaned to the scholars until vacation,
when they are to be donated or sold to them, as may be judged
best by the teachers. In aid of this useful design we solj-
cit special contributions of books, periodicals or money, which
will be appropriated so as best to promote the improvement and
elevation of those who have so recently been ushered for the first
time into the rich enjoyments of knowledge, as communicated
by means of books. ;

In the Second month, Louise de Mortie, Superintendent of a
“Home for Orphans, irrespective of race or color,” near New
Orleans, La., visited this city, and was present at one of our
meetings. Her mission was to interest the friends of the Freed-
men in this institution, in order to secure a donation of ten °
thousand dollars, which a French gentleman had guaranteed,
provided twenty thousand more could be raised by the first of
the Third month. She appealed to us to aid in the collection of
this fund, and gave an interesting account of the origin and
growth of the Orphanage, so ably portraying the advantages of
such an institution in the city of New Orleans that we were well
satisfied with its claims, and of her ability to conduct it. An
appropriation of two hundred and fifty dollars was made to the
Orphanage, and we have since heard that the sum required was
collected by the specified time.

The committee appointed in relation to the exclusion of the.
colored people from the horse-cars in this city has been released,
the necessity for its continuance having been removed by a re-
cent act of the Pennsylvania Legislature, which provides that:
they shall be entitled to the use of all our public conveyances.