The Laclede blade., 1904-05-28
FROM THE ANTIPODES.
Miss Wells Writes EntertainsIy Of Her Work
In Faroff India.
MY DEAR FRIENDS:

l report continued progress in all
lines Of work and great forward strides
in some departments, so far this year
In school we have larger number Of
girls than ever before and we believe
that they have made better progress
both mentally and spiritually than
ever before. Altho' a change in
teachers was made necessary by the
former one going to leave and never
returning, yet, am convinced that
we gained great deal by our loss.
The present incumbent is good
teacher and seems to be a thorough
Christian.
The assistant whose support was so
kindly granted by the Des Moines
Branch is proving herself very help
full. She is young and has not had
much experience but is anxious to do
all she can. She relieves me of the
teaching as we'll as of many other
duties. She has done great deal for
the girls in their studies. AS I write
a class of little tots are reciting that
old piece of poetry which was the
first most of us ever learned and
which appeals to every little ones
fancy. "Once there was a little kitty,
white as the snow" and etc. These
little girls pronounce their English
very clearly and correctly. Some of
them are only four years and yet
they know all their English alphabet
and many Of them know all their
Telugu letters which number more
than five hundred. Sometimes the
veil is lifted from our eyes and we are
permitted to catch a glimpse of how
Gods providence is working, and how
things which seem to US accidental
are really of his planning and ex-
ecution. In village more than
hundred miles from here lived poor
widow with several children the elder
ones Of whom were married but the
three younger ones two daughters and
a son were still with her. Of these
three the elder is a nice quiet girl.
The mother being so poor had not
been able to get her married when
small and altho' but thirteen she is
now so large that no heathern will
marry her. So to this woman's dark
ened mind the only honorable course
left open to her was to dedicate this
daughter to serve the gods, to be all
that is bad under the garb of piety, to
be a prostitute in the name Of some
diety. To the Hindu mind this is a
meritious life. A few weeks before
this jogi ceremony would have
been performed some of our
Christians, entirely ignorant of
the plans afoot asked few
days leave to go to their country and
bring some of their relatives children
to school. [ do not believe they
brought the ones for whom they went
but they persuaded this girls lmother
to let her daughter be educated and
allow us to provide a suitable mar
riage for her. Such a step is not an
easy one for heathern sisters to take,
SO suspicious of all things new, so
ignorant and superstitious are they.
The girl has done nicely ever since
she come and we all love her. She is
SO willing to work, SO good natured
and so kind to all. She has made
good progress in her Tulugu having
learned all her letters and is now
reading her primer. We are hoping
that she will ask for baptism when
,he knows and understands a little
more about the Christian religion.
Our little girl who would have
been a priestess to the demonds had
,he not become Christian went home
recently for a few days visit and
brought her cousin to school when she
sAmonp tbo cbildran there l