A YOUNG TEACHER’S STORY.
I fully realized last April, for the first time, that I had begun a missionary life, when I was helped into a covered wagon, where there was not room enough to sit up straight for the supplies. I had a dizzy headache before I had gone three miles; the smell of bacon, cheese, tobacco, and whiskey was enough to make any one sick. I was wishing that the driver would take some of the things out of the wagon so I could sit more comfortably, when he stopped and took in four sacks of guano—my condition can be imagined better than described. I thought the Lord called some one else, and I had answered. When I got out, the man asked me which was the best—a proud walk or poor ride. I only thanked him for his kindness, and said nothing about which was best.
Some say, time flies; it seemed to me that time had lost its wings. At last the much-wished-for Tuesday appeared, beautiful and bright. Just as I sat down to breakfast, I heard some one ask if the school-mistress was in. As I had no appetite whatever, I excused myself from the table, and went to the door to see what was wanted. There were boys and girls of all sizes, with their buckets, books, and slates, all ready for school. We were soon on our way to the school-house; the walk was very pleasant through the piny woods. The school-house was in a very pretty place; a few steps from the door was a nice spring of water, and a large cave. We sang “What shall the harvest be,” then prayed. It was quite difficult to get their names. I asked one little girl her name; she said “Maggie.” I asked her “Maggie what;” she said “Maggie nothing.” There was one little girl in school that I thought never would get acquainted with me. I asked her one day why she didn’t study her lesson; she said she was wondering what kind of a woman I was. I asked her what kind of a woman did she think I was; she said I looked like a white woman to her. [The writer is a dark person.] I told her she might lay aside her books for ten minutes and take a good look at me, so that she might be thoroughly convinced as to what kind of a woman I was. I then asked her what she thought; but she thought just the same. The weather was so warm, and the days so long, that the children could scarcely keep awake. I would let them go to the spring and bathe their faces, so they might keep awake longer.
In the evening, four or five little children came and offered to carry my books and bucket home, for the school-house had neither door nor window, hence it was not safe to leave them there. I gave each one something to carry, but they became quite troublesome. Lucy would say, Mary had carried them twice, and she only once; so I thought that it would be best to provide myself with a desk. This I did by moving a plank from the floor and putting them all under the house. That was no trouble whatever, for sometimes, while walking the floor, the next thing I would know I would be under it.
Whenever I went under, I expected to be snake-bitten before I could get out. One day, one of the scholars let her pencil fall through the crack of the floor, and asked me to let her get it. As I had cautioned them about looking for snakes before putting their hands under, I said nothing to her about it. Just as she reached down to get the pencil, she fell back and screamed. I had not the power to move for a few minutes, I was so sure she was snake-bitten.
I looked under the floor, and there was the largest rattlesnake I ever saw. We all got sticks and poles ready for a battle. I was captain, so you may be sure which side whipped. The snake appeared to be very angry; he made one strike, and I threw down my pole and ran, and told the children to kill it if they could,—but they all followed me. I was real glad whenever any of the children had to be kept in, for I did not like to stay in the room alone.
I walked two miles and a half every Sabbath, and sometimes through the rain. If it rained hard while we were there, we would have to get in one corner of the room to keep dry. We should be real earnest if we would accomplish much good. I did everything that was in my power, and felt that the Lord was with me and blessed my efforts.