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young man said, “ Miss Phillie, my hand didn’t go up, but my heart did.”
I had intended giving him a book, and also to use my own judgment in
giving to all, but wished to see how many had the ambition to try. The
young man who had such an earnest desire to study it, but felt a hesitancy
for fear he might not succeed, is one of my best students: he gets it un-
derstandingly, and is determined to rise.

We hope to hear from you more frequently. When letters and papers
do not come there is a great dearth in our island home. We hope you
will feel that we have done well, as our desire is to do the very best for
the people. As regards the conduct and progress of the pupils mentioned
in the report I am well satisfied, not because either is just as I would like
it, but that both exceed my hope and expectation. They do wonders, I
think, considering their past life.-—/St. Helena, S. C., Twelfth Month 1st,
1866.

From Cornelia Hancock.—TI feel very glad there is a prospect of be-
ing able to continue the schools commenced by your Association, for it
is decidedly the best way to improve the condition of the Freed people. The
children are becoming good scholars; they are getting along so as
to be able to make a practical use of their learning. Ignorance is
all the Freedmen are suffering from in this section. ‘There is law and
justice sufficient at their command, but as they are now they are cheated
in every store and in all bargains, and do not know what their rights are,
or where to go to have their wrongs adjusted. Their condition, though, is
vastly better than one year ago. The planters near here, both northern
and rebels, have offered to the school all the wood required for our use.
We have told the colored people of the offer; they were rather dilatory
in getting the wood, arguing that the rebels must have some sinister
motives in offering it,—that they wanted their land cleared, &. To-day
the wood gave out. I told the children there would be no school to-day,
nor until the wood was attended to. Looking disconsolate, they turned
their faces homeward and reported this: the result was that there is
plenty of wood on the premises to last for weeks to come. All the child-
ren who had no fathers to haul wood for them betook themselves to the
woods, and brought bundles on their heads ; I think there was half a cord
carried in this way to-day alone. The greatest punishment that can be
inflicted is the idea of having the school closed — Mt. Pleasant, Twelfth mo,
12th, 1866.

From Sarah M. Ely.—The two boxes, 91 and 92, and two barrels, 93 and
94, came safely and in excellent condition. It would be useless for me to try
to tell how our hearts and those of your sable friends thank you, and how
often blessings will go up to our Heavenly Father from those who, until
Northern kindness greeted them, knew not that such a thing as kindness
existed, They often say, “Me thank you,” and “me thank God for
this. May His blessing rest on the North,” and my heart responds
Amen.—St. Helena, First Month 28th, 1867,