We have received the following letter from the little colored girl whose appeal for school-books was printed in Young People No. 76. It is gratifying to see that our young friends have responded so heartily to her petition for help. And they will all be happy when they read her grateful words of thanks.
Lincolnton, North Carolina.
My kind Friends,—Your books, papers, and cards are very nice. I did not expect to get so many. You are all so kind, I do not know how to thank you for them.
My writing is so bad, but I hope it will get to the Young People.
I get letters and books every day from the Post-office, and some books by express. One little girl sent me a dollar. I will divide with my brothers and sisters, and I will give some of the books to the colored children who come to the Sunday-school. The ladies told me to do this, and I think I ought to, because they have none. Yours, with many thanks,
Hannah McDaniel.
Accompanying Hannah's letter was also one from one of the ladies who have taught her to read and write. It will be of interest to those who have bestowed kindness on this poor little girl.
Through the kindness of Young People in publishing little Hannah's letter, she has received many favors, for which her mother's family feel deeply grateful. It is charity well bestowed. May God bless the donors!
Hannah's father died last October. Her mother is a good, worthy woman, brought up in my mother's household with the care of one of her own children. Both were our trusty faithful servants and friends for more than thirty years.
We try to do what we can in the way of teaching the colored children around us, thus following the example of our father, who died before the war, while a missionary to the colored people in South Carolina, but our greatest obstacle has been a lack of books, which we were not able to provide.
I write this letter at the request of Hannah's mother.
Miss M. R. McDaniel.
Phœnix, Arizona.
I get Young People every week, but it has to come a long way to find me. Arizona is so far off from the great cities that one might think we would be deprived of good schools, Sunday-schools, and other things we left at home, but we have them all, of the very best, too. Our school has over two hundred scholars, and our Sunday-school over one hundred, and we have a fine library and an organ.
We have lived in Arizona nearly ten years, and are delighted with it. We came four thousand miles to reach here, and on the way crossed the Rocky Mountains, and ever so many great rivers and hot deserts.
We live in the beautiful valley of Salt River, which is a branch of the Gila. The population here is made up largely of Indians and Mexicans, with a great many Chinese and some negroes. We find this a good place to study Spanish, as there are so many people here who speak that language.
I wish I could tell my little fellow-readers of the many strange reptiles and other things here, and I wish they could see the valley scenery. It is so beautiful, covered with the green grain, which is now nearly ready for harvest. I know they would like to see the little donkeys the Mexicans use to pack wood on. They call the donkeys burros. And there are so many funny little Indian babies here that they call pappooses. My letter is long enough. Adios.