EXTRACTS.
Fifty years ago there was a boy in Africa who was taken prisoner in one of the fierce wars between the tribes, and was carried away from his home to be sold as a slave. First he was sold for a horse. Then his buyer thought him a bad exchange for the horse, and compelled his master to take him back. [pg 280] Then he was sold for so much rum. This was called another bad bargain by the man who had bought him, and again he was returned, to be sold for tobacco with the same result. Nobody wanted the poor, miserable slave-boy, who was on the point of committing suicide when he was bought by a Portuguese trader and carried away in a slave ship. How little that wretched boy knew what the future had in store for him as he lay chained in the hold of the crowded slave-ship! But one of England's war ships that were clearing the high seas of the slavers bore down upon the Portuguese vessel, rescued the captives, and the African boy was placed under Christian influences, baptized and educated, and to-day he is Bishop Crowther, England's black Bishop in Africa.—The Gospel in all Lands.
A very obliging Indian.—Dr. C.A. White, Professor of Paleontology in the Smithsonian Institution, relates this pleasing incident. Being in the Ute country a year or so ago, in pursuit of scientific facts, he found himself on one occasion encamped some fifty miles from Uintah Agency. Being desirous of sending a letter to his wife in Washington, he entrusted it to an Indian who, he learned by signs, was on his way to the agency. He was not sure that the Indian understood what he desired him to do with the letter, but took the risk of that. His wife received the letter and was surprised at finding it postmarked Salt Lake City. The Doctor afterward learned that the Indian arrived at the agency just after the mail had gone, and knowing that it would be a month before another mail would be sent out he actually carried the letter to Salt Lake City, a distance of 225 miles, for this white man whom he had never met before, and whose name he did not know. Doubtless the Indian thought the letter of great importance, but where is the white man who would have done as much for his best friend, without the hope of reward or even thanks?—Council Fire.
SCHOOL ECHOES.
In 1864 in Memphis, in a refugee school that I visited while chaplain in the army, the Bible lesson was John xv., "I am the vine and my father is the husbandman." One little fellow recited it thus: "I am the vine and my father is a married man."
What for we come to this school.—We come for to intelligent about the civilization ways, and we want to American write, we want to American home, and we want friendly each other with the white people. We are commence learning discretion and we are works our own hands. My conscience has cried because our Indian they can not do nothing with their hands and when I look back our old Indian ways I am great sorry, but when I looked future I have examined with careful attention, and I very great pleasure. Last summer I went home. I worked at harness, but I don't [pg 281] know some about measure length and wide, cut off I know but not perfectly, so I come back to school again, because I want to learn perfect all things about harness make without anybody help me.