Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 37.djvu/140

 idea of the indefatigable application of old and young, mothers with babes in their arms, Grand-parents & Grand-children. Having no books, Mrs. S. with her numerous other cares, is obliged to supply the deficiency with her pen, & print her own books, consequently, she can spend but a short time each day in school. But her abscence does not close the school. From morning till night they are assembled in clusters, with one teaching a number of others. Their progress is astonishing. Today a stranger will enter the room, not knowing a letter. Tomorrow he will be teaching others. Yesterday one of my sawyers returned from taking deer, left before the school opened, consquently knew not a letter. Today he knows all, and can spell out several words. Usually about 100 attend the school. Several are now able to real a little with us, at morning & evening prayers. As soon as one gets hold of a book, who is able to spell out a few words, he immediately searches for the name of God, Jesus Christ & the Holy Spirit. They have learned a verses & several tunes, which they sing very sweetly. I usually render Mrs. S. in her school all the assistance possible, with an axe or saw in one hand & the other upon some article for farming or kitchen use. For it will readily be perceived that the joiner work of the house, kitchen furniture, & farming Utensils must be produced by my own hands; and that, if I am ready to meet the opening spring with farming utensils in readiness, I have no time to loose during the few short days that make up the month of February. Bless the day that shone upon the first Manual labor College and saw its head rise above the thick smoke, if falsely called Gentlemanism. The Indians appear very handy at every knd of work in which they have yet engaged, are remarkably kind, possess industrious habits, with scarcely the appearance of the savage or heathen about them. We consider them perfectly honest, and do not fear to trust them with any article we possess. If the least thing is found out of place it is immediately returned. What the end of these things will be, He only knows who knows all things. The beginning certainly appears favorable. If the unqualified, imperfect laborers in your unworthy brother & sister are faithful, diligent, & prayerful, we trust that some good will result from this mission. But who will venture to No. the rivers of civilized christianized