American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-07-27

You are darling-that is true!
just as you are, my dolly!
Sarah o. Jescett, in St. Nicholas.
A sCHoOt IN sOfTH CAROLINA.
There are numerous schools for col
ored people in South Carolina, all in a
flourishing condition as to attendance.
The teacher of one of these is self
sacrificing young lady, who must be
possessed of a 1arge aftount of faith,
for the progress of the pupils is necessa-
rily slow and painful, and they are not
all children, either.
The time is O'Clock, and the particu-
lar school Of which I speak is on the
outskirts of an old plantation. Very
picturesque is the scenery on all sides
immense tees; lovely plateaus of the
richest emerald-green, flowers every
where. Near the school-house is a field
upon which the trees have been burned,
and the stGiHtsps, scrae of them 10 feet
high, present a variety of grotesque
groupings that make them wildly life
like on nights when the moon is up.
The sghool-touse Is built of logs, but in
a superior fashion, and within presents
a very unique and pretty appearance,
with its pictures, maps, trimming of
OAK, spruce and pine.
Miss Spense walks with me from our
clearinghouse, talking earnestly upon
the subject, for her heart is in the work.
She is small person. very slender,
with dark, almost swarthy complex
ion, and coal-black eyes, large and III
minous, full of fire and feeling. Her
dress is simple brown linen, "plain
as pipe-stem," for she can give but
little time to adornment.
We meet scholars of all sizes, and as
we pass one miserable hut, an AFFECT,
forlorn creature, all mouth, apparently,
comes into the road, and taking off his
apology for cap, mumbles-
"Missis, mayn't 1 go if be goodP"
81 don't know, Nap" says Miss
Spense, considering little, "last time
you cane 1 had to send you home, yoti
know
eyes, Missis; but I'll be good" is
the pathetic response. And he looks as
if his very life depended upon the an
swer.
"Will you go out quietly il I dismiss
your ass the teacher.
"Sartin, I'll go out, missis, ssrt.n,"
was the meek response.
every well; then YOU can come. -
And the poor fellow goes into the
house, grinning all over his black face.
"Idiotic," says Miss Spense, as we
pass alons. ellis wife was killed dur
ing the war, he himself was nearly kill
ed, and the result is crazed brain. His
name is Napoleon, and formerly he in
sisted on being called it in full; but he
is more gentle now. He loves to come
to the school, but sometimes he gets
singing fits, and then am obliged to
put him out"
We are at the schoo1-house door,
Twenty, thirty funny little faces, from
cream-yellow to ebony-black, throng
the entrance.
''Missis, rs brought you a nosum-
gay!n cries one bright little yellow boy,
holding up bunch of grass and wild
flowers loosely tied together.
"Nosegay, Caddy," said Miss Spense.
81 thought that was a boy" 1 say.
"Oh, it is! only his parents thought
fit to christen him Cadwallader, and
that is such a mouthful of a name that
concluded to shorten it by calling him
Caddy."
We are in the school-hou now, and
every seat is full. Here on the left is
Nanny Hester, a colored woman,
nearly 80, small and 1.-THE, and bright
"andfull of snap yet, said Miss Spense.
She has got as far as words with three
syllables, and is proud enough of her
progress.
"Yo' see, miss, wants to read my
blessed Bible afore l Dies" she says to
me; for she is introduced to me as one
of the curiosities of the school. "My
little missis as died use to try to teach
me; but bress you, dat was 10 years
ago, when was young and foolish"
Young and foolish at seventy!
Miss Spense has hung up her white
cape-bonnet, drawn on her school-mits
and taken her position behind her desk
1 sit beside her, and it is impossible
to describe the feeling that comes ovel
me as look around upon the motley
gathering. Such faces! some stupid
some brutal, some quick with intel
ligence, all strange and depressing
Why depressing, can not tell but the.
certainly were to me.
Presently, at some signal, they begin
to sing. I shut my eyes, and almos
think myself an inhabitant of anothe
world, so sweet, SO rich, are the child
ish tones! and they seem to throw sou
into every word and tone.
'Oh, missis!"
This is after prayers.
"Jimmy tole a rorful lie."
"John Dollinger," said Miss Spense
show often have forbidden you t
speak without permissionp"
s.But he did, missis, he tole a rorfr
lie :"
"What did Jimmy tell a lie aboutP
l. -.