Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-12-08
FRIE>ps. Sa.wxlr ScuooL,,

FRiE>l,s. SHAWNEE School,,
Indian Territory. l In mo. 18th, l>i1.
Friends Heltoteay 4 Ddrts:-In taking up my
pen to address you, I ar. reminded OF the pa
iient who, seeing the doctor coming hid him
self, saying that i, had been SO long since he had
been sick. 1t has been long since l have
written 10 the printer. that | feel as though l
should be almost afraid TO see HIM. Though my
pen has been rather tardy IN transmitting the ef
fusions of my mind. yet this has no, resulted
from wil!ul neglect; and any one who is acquain-
ted with the cuties of Missionary life, will know
how 10 pardon me for any seeming neglect on
, this point. l, could no, be expected. in occu-
patton, that taxes largely, the energies both of
body and mind during the day and part OF the
night. tina, could find much time for writing
letters for the public eye, aud when it rs consd-
cred in addition TO this, that large circle OF IA
miliar friends eagerly expecting those uns,u
died epistlcs, which are ever won't 10 pass be-
,wee4 those who are endcared 10 another by
the strong ties of humanity Such is my
but hasten to conclude apology which is be-
coming tedious to myself
Since las, " inter | have been engaged in the
agriculture, lbor> of the farm belonging to tins
establishment W. have had favorable
for the production OF most kinds of vegetables,
and We have raised plentiful supply OF the
su6stantid!s of iie. Our wheat crop consid-
cred one of the best in the county, and Welded.
perhaps about five hundred bushels. We raised
SIXTY acres of corn, most of which ~ rcmarka-
bly, good. We have also plenty of exec llent
market for every kind of surplus at moderate
prices Wheat is selling a, 60 cts. per bushci;
corn at % cts, bacon ut 10 per lb. but very
scarce; pork. believe. is selling at from - 90 to
s2,5o per hundred. We are feeding abou, forty
head OF hogs the present year.
The prospect of u wheat crop next wear is no,
very tl"ttsring at present. account of the
drought this fall. l think il has been much the
dryest spell of weather. that ever witnessed
1t has not only been dry that grain " oulL not
vegetate but we have been reduced to great ex-
ireiitiiies on account of the scarcity of that
best Of all beverages, the pure ale Of father
Adam.
There forty Indian children in Thu, Ins,i-
tuition at present. seventeen boys aud twenty
three girls; most of whom are making a COM
mendahle progress in learning. Notxithstand-
ing The many pcrplex lties necessarily attending
the bus ness of teaching these little "lnpins"
how TO work, yet there is something so winning
about them, as 10 make feel attached To
them. am not sensible of amy difference in
my feeling towards them and white children: and
| fancy It would be some~hat amusingto some
of your readers 10 see the little fellows running
alter me, cinging to my legs and and
shouting eVuakeret, the Indian word for Qua
kerr l have been frequently amused al the
singular notions which not only these children,
but some of their parents have nb,bed
corning the Qnnkers. whom they consider as .
distinct tribe OF people, aud some of the chill
drcn viii stoutiy contend that not white
people, but tluakeTs.
The annual pay nlent Of auuuiies to the Indians
arc Just over, aud II Is enough 10 make the heart
OF a Christian SICK to see the stratagems that
made use Of by traders, to get these annu tiles
in ticir own hands On the days Of payment.
numerous traders and others whose conscience
appear To have been scared as with hot iron,
flock to the of operations, with their traffic
cunningly selected to eniice the ..untutored Iu-
dian which they sell at enormous prices, and
the Indians, not knowing the value of an article,
are often s~indied out of their money Here
we see forcihiy exempliied the truth of the say
ing that acknowledge is power" The white
man by his knowledge has the power to swndle
the ignorant red man and he is no. wanting IN
efforts to IL.
Though far removed from the common
walks of civilized society, We are by 10 means
beyond the rumors of the present ncfarious war
with Mexico, for there not less than four mil
itary roads passing near us, and two of them
directly by our farm; along which have passed,
during the summer, immense trains of soldiers,
Government catt'" and wagons; aud have
been annoyed by them not little. Such a dis
play of military operations must needs remind
one that something is wrong some wnere The
road leading from Fort Levenworth TO Santa Re
frequently though it were a neighboring to WI,
but it is about seven hundred miles from u.s.
saw man few days since his return from
Santa Fe; he said he had been sixty-five days in
performing the journey; they often subjected
10 many dangers aud harishps.
notice that Your Cincinnati correspondent
speaks Of fish weighing 20 lbs, and aliudes to
the entertainment it might be TO old
friends J. B. II. or squire :. engaged in drawing
such ashore. Without wishing to tell
any yarns | can say that rivers here can
beat that all to Smash a trader who lives on
the banks Of the Kansas river, assured me that
one had been caught there weighing 80 pounds, 4
and smaller ones frequently caught-they
are very plenty in these waters, and mostly
catfish. No at present.
am, very respectfully.
RICHARD MENDENUALL
For he PoiIadivm.
FL