LETTERS FROM INDIAN BOYS.
Miss Eustis sends us the following letters from two of our Indian boys at Hampton. She says: “Almka came to us a little more than two years ago in his blanket and long shaggy hair, and knew no word of English, and Tom Smith was only a little better off:”
My Dear friend
I want to speak English. Hampton boys I like very much and colored man massachusetts I staye very good I like very much very nice eat bread caks butter tea coffee milk and sweet appls and sweet potatoes and meat and chicken. I back my home I think take again work hard. I like work I like shop very much I know how make wheels. Mr. williams show me. I like him very much I think good to make wheels I back my home very glad so see my friends Indian boys and my father and sister and mother and brother. I like very much white man and colored man and colored woman and white woman. I stayed in Boston four day very good time. I went to christmas day very nice.
Went I was Indian, I use to water my father horse. I used to hunt deer. I bring home my friend all eat. I use scout with white men. I fight Indian some no like white people they fight. dont fight now I come away my home to be like a man so I throw Indian ways. I like Hampton I work study I dont know I think like wild Indian have blanket and leggins I like Hampton I learn about God I like very much I make cart and shopse I like to work very much I do not know English talk or write I know little your friend
Almka.
Dear friend I would like write to you and tell you all about myself. I don’t known any thing when I first came to school, because I never school at my own home. and I like going to school at Hampton better than my own home. because I learn here more then my own home. And I like to work. if I learn how to work, when I go home. I think I must help some other Indians that dont know any thing about the white mans way or about Gods word, and I think that is best way to teach each other. and I known how to write. but I dont known how to read yet. I know how to talk englist but not much. And we are work every afternoon. so we like it very well. and school every morning. and we like it to learn a good way. We dont want be a bad man. because if we are bad God would not like that kind of man. so we want be a good. and we learn the white mans way now and we were past the Indians way about too years ago. and we take the new way. All the Indians boy and gurls very well. and doing well. and we had very pleasant time last summer over Shell Banks. we had work out there and when we done our work we used play out there. I wish to work out there a gain next summer. I heard that them Indians at my home learn some thing now. they don’t try to learn befor I come here, and I am very glad that they try to learn some thing now. and I wish that the Indian boys and girls come here to school and learn some thing for their people. now our lesson in Arithmetic and reader. and English too. and I like to study them very much. and I been here two years. so I learn some thing now. but not much. and some of the Indian boys went over Mass last summer and went back here again last oct. and they told us that the white people are good. because they are kind to the Indian boys and girls. that is all I have to say to you from your friend
Thomas Smith, or No-watish.