Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-07-25

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SAMUELcArrA, HplA, April 2, 1861.
DEAR FATHEr:
| We received your kind letter O
January last Sabbath. We do not send to the
Post Office for our letters. There is man paid
by the government to carry them round; and n
he is a native, he does not observe the Holy
Sabbath. You speak Of the troubles in Amer
lea We get the principal news by the Eng
| lish papers almost as soon as you get them al
home-perhaps two or three weeks later. The
officers Of the fort kindly send us their papers.
We get four church papers and one musical pa
per from United States of America. We ordered
the New York Tribune the second wear we were
here, but our postage being so high, we thought
best to stop it. Mr.. Long also received Ger
man paper from Gettysburg: till lately it was
sent free. and the postage prepaid by the editor
on condition that Mr. Long would write an ccs
casional article for it. You ask me how our
work prospers. The heathon are very slow TO
receive our message. 1t requires 'precept upon
precept" and .'line upon line" to convince tbem
of their folly. Their dark minds are very slow
to receive the light of truth and their polluted
hearts are averse to the pure and holy gospel of
our Savior. We are strikingly reminded of our
own weakness by their continued refusal of the
truth which we proclaim TO them. We must
plant and water; and, if we faint not, God will
give Us an increase in due time; for he has
promised and hispromises are sure. Our house is
finished. Our committee have approved OF our
building, and have sent US thousand rupees
This is only one third of its cost. They have
promised to send US more this summer. We
want TO build a chapel and school house this
year. We have full regiment in the fort now.
Five of the higher officers ffave their families
with them; SO we do not want for English socie-
ty. They are very gay; and. ] am sorry tosay,
wicked. They frequently have dances at the
mess house, pay little or no regard 10 the Sab
bath, and their conversation is not at all cdify-
ing. They sent us an invitation to two days
dance and dinner on the 5th and 9th of Februa-
~. We declined. They else have their bill
lizards and cards in the same room in which
they read the services of the church Of Eng
land. Several of the officers got into rather an
unpleasant difficulty short time since. The
servant of one of them being drunk, they un-
dertook to duck him in a tank In his strug-
giles they lost their hold, and he sank to the bot
tom. The water was l2 feet deep and they
were unable t, raise him again. They were n.
ported Immediately 10 the commanding officer
who called a court martial next day and tried
them, and bill for manslaughier was found
against Them. They will be tried again before
a general court Martial composed of the officers
of several regiments, when it likely they will
lose their commissions, and be sent home to
England.
The officers are all very kind and sociable,
but their hearts are not in our work; therefore
their friendship does not strengthen us much.
The commanding officer of the regiment sta
toned here when We came was a very devoted
n:a. His whole sonl seemed 10 be taken up
with the missioa. He gave US much assistance
by his counsel and gifts. Those who love our
work very literally. We frequently mtel with
such friends, especially among The evil officers
The brass band of the regiment plays twice a
week on the public square of the fort, when the
ladies and gentleman come together to have a
social chat.
dom fake them ont ourselves. We have not OBJ |
served this rule SO carefully as it is generally |
observed we frequently take our little boy with |
Us when we goout. The Europeans here dress |
very much as you do 1t home. only much mere |
more galy- The order of taking food is much |
different from that at home. We have tea at |
p. M, breakfast at 10 a. m.. tiffin at p. M.
and dinner at p M, a cup of coffee is usually |
drank afler dinner. We do not observe this !
rale, as We do not think it conducive 10 health.
We did as We were accustomed to do at home |
for long time; but We were frequently inter-
upted by persons calling when our breakfast |
was on the table; SO we thought it better to |
change our rule little. We now take slight |
repast early, breakfas at 10 a. am, and dine at
3 p. M, and think it best not 10 eat anything |
after dinner.
have given you some idea of our English |
society here, but it would not be easy to give I
you a correct idea of native society, rs they |
generally keep themselves very distant from u.s. |
Their houses are every small and uncom forta- |
bic. Their principal food is rice and curry: the |
latter is made by stewing quantity of vegeta-
bles. meat and spices together. Europeans gen.
orally become very fond of it, and it forms one |
Of the principal dishes on their tables. The !
natives ere obliged to keep proper distance |
from their rulers, (the English.) not being per-
mitted TO come into their presence unless called.
1t is considered very impudent for them TO come |
to front doors; they must go to the back dcor. |
and make known their wish to a servant who |
carries their message to his master, and IT he |
50 order, they can then come into his presence, |
and make known their wants to him. If the |
gentleman with whom they have business is |
engaged, they are sent away to come another |
day. This course seems TO be necessary, as
they become very troublesome when treated |
with more respect: they then forget to be res
pectfiil. They are generally very Ignorant. and |
many of them nev.r learn TO read. They lor-
merly would not allow their women to learn to
read, but their prejudiees in this respect are |
being overcome: and where there are caste |
schools, many OF them'educate their daughters. |
he girls that are gathered INTO the missions |
are generally of The lower caste. or friendless;
but boys of all castles attend the mission schools,
and many of them are anxious to attain an
English education, since without it they cannot
get a situation. The natives here are very much
like the American Indians in appearance. but |
very different from them in character. Grati- |
tude seems almost unknown to them. II we
treat them kindly they seem to take it rs Ii
lense to do all they ean 10 ihiure us; hut if We
treat them harshly. they seem to make every |
effort TO please US, and get our favor. They Of |
ten come 10 us and profess desire TO become |
Christians. and ask to be baptized. After ex
amining them closely, we generally fnd them
wanting faith and love, ,theirobject being world
y gain. They are poor deluded people, with
little TO live for in this world. and no heaven to
ook TO hereafter.
Indigenous provisions are rather cheap here.
oung chickens ready dressed are from three to
four cents piece, and full grown ones from six |
10 nine cents. Beef, mutton and other kinds of
meat if from three 10 six cents per pound
Rice is twenty seers for rupee, which is about |
one dollar per bushel; and wheat is seventeen
seers for rupee. Vegetables are cheap. ex
cept those imported. Our health has been
very good; we have no sickness.
Your affectionate daughter.
M. ]. D. LONG.
RtMoRED RETURN OF THE SUMTER TO