The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-01-11
SAVE YOUR HAIR by T cSH2o sn.~ gSs; with
From the South.

Editor of Wdtchmdn;-The writer was
former resident OF Wash 'ngton county YER
mont and reader of your journal 1 write
because of certain desperate condition
which exist here, and shall speak more
particularly Of the colored people, with the
hope that riends in the North will aid us
as they are able. The ''poor whites" are,
indeed, very poor, and it is not too much to
say they are degraded and scottish. They
have little or no education, or inclination to
read even. In fact many cannot read.
They seem wholly satisfied if they can have
sufficient liquor and tobacco, and some
pork and grits. 1t is almost the universal
custom OF the farming class to borrow
money, and they do it at an exhorbitant
rate of interest, to make CROP" as they
call it, and 1t often happens that il takes
almost the whole crop to meet this indebt-
edness. They are surely falling off to a
worse condition all the time.
The colOred man is willing slave. There
is almost a universal feeling of discourage
ment among them-a feeling that they can
never rise, never have their rights recog-
nized. There Is scarcely one out of five of
the men and women OF this city who can
read or write, or add or subtract. The
scheming white men controls the minds and
talents OF these poor souls, and 80 virtually
make them their slaves still. OF course
there are many exceptions.
We have for two years aided them by hav-
ing free night school, and we now have
eight missionary teachers in the city, who
have come to us from New England and
New York. Their efforts are appreciated.
Poor old women OF sixty years of age even,
come out nightly to learn to read, and the
boys and girls crowd in upon US till we
have to turn them away. These teachers
are doing much for them morally, as well as
intellectually. They seek to develop the
moral, intellectual, and physical powers
equally, and surely 1t is not labor lost.
But.the colored people are sensual in their
conceptions and OF course appreciate phys
ical gift more than any other, and indeed
they are in need of every thing. Last week
we gave two hundred garments to the most
wre ched specimens of humanity. They
seek US from every quarter OF the city. One
old woman came with the tale OF her woe; ,
my wife accompanied her back to the shed
where she abode to know the exact truth
concerning her need. She had been sleep
ing on an ironing board with no bed be-
meath, and but ragged quilt above; and
genearlly such persons have no undercloth-
ing. Another, seemingly upright man,
who has been we'll known in the city for
years, no drunkard or brawler, but man
OF many misfortunes, came to us. He, too,
had nothing for bed, not even a quilt, but
only three old guano sacks.
The cotton mill which has been operated
principally by colored help, the knitting
mill, certain phosphate works, and other
been employed, are now closed. Hence
hard times are experienced IL is pitable to
see the many bare.footed babes and the
shoeless men aud women upon the streets.
want to ask friends in Vermont to send
me their old shoes and clothing. The Bos-
ton & Maine railroad kindly give me free
freight to Boston where the Clyde freight
steamers take goods and convey to us at
merely nominal rates Write me before
sending any thing that 1 may notify the
railway officials. Can you who believe In a
Christian civilization find better mission
airy feld2 I. X. KIMBALL,
1875 Church street, Charleston, 8. O.
Jan. l, 1899.