The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-04-27
MISSION SCHOOL IN INDIA.
Miss Alice Wishart Speaks OF Her Visit
TO One of Them.
GIRLS PRETTY, WITH LARGE DARK EYES
The Bubonic Plague Spreading SO Rapidly
That Many Schools VIII Have to be
Closed Alarming Fatality.
ALLAHABAD, INDIA. Feb. 4.

Yesterday 1 went with Miss
Todd to visit one of our schools in
the native city, school of about
forty girls ranging from five to
twelve In age, who were to receive
prizes for attendance for the
year. These prizes were dressed
dolls and scrap books sent from
America. We had toleave the gairi
(vehicle) in one of the side streets
and walk some distance through
alleys just about wide enough for
two people abreast. When we
met anyone, it was sometimes
necessary to lean up close to the
wall to let HIM pass. When we
reached the school, which is held
in a clean, bare, whitewashed
room about 6X12 feet, we found
thirty girls already there, seated
on the floor with book and slate
iu front of them, arrayed IN all
those brilliant colors, and loaded
down with the rings, bangles and
bracelets of which they are very
fond. Such a variety of chaddars
(veils) l never saw /: pink, yellow,
scarlet, orange, and green, and
often all five IN one. Some of
them had four or five hoops in
each ear, and nose rings reaching
down to and below their chins,
with bracelets and anklets galore
and funniest of all, big thick rings
on each great toe. Some of the
girls were quite pretty, with
those large, dark eyes, and pen
sive looks. They were all inter-
estlng and 1t made one feel like
gathering them all together in
ones arms, so as to keep them
for Him, and away from the lives
they have to lead.
Two bright native Christian
women have charge of this
school, one of whom has come out
from Hinduism only within the
past two years. Their work is
not easy, for there are so many
things to keep the children away
from school-dlsinclination, care.
less mothers, influence of some
preiudiced nelghbor, feasts,
weddings and holidays; and just
now there is much persecution,
and plague Is raging-57 deaths
reported in a day, which is just
about half the number that oc'
cur. 1t is marvellous what these
girls, both little and big, have
learned in the short time they
have been in school. A mum bel
of the older ones repeated cor
rectly IN the native tongue the
Ten Com mmandments, 18th chap
ter of First Corinthians, cate
chism, and gave answers to ques
lions asked them from both Ole
and New Testaments. The little
tots We're quite as bright in theii
way: they would put our Sunday
school children at home to shame
with their knowledge of the Ri
ole, | am sure.
After the school had finished
showing off" by singing some
hymns, the dolls and scrap books
were brought out, the roll call
ed, and each young lady came
shyly but gracefully forward
clasped a precious doll to hel
heart, salamed (bow with nand t.
forehead) to Miss Todd, who wal
giving them, and would hurry
back to her seat with anklet,
jinglng to inspect her dolly
clothes, discuss in smotheret
whispers It's beauty, or to com
pare it with her seatmate's. II
addition to the dolls there wa
given very pretty scrap-book II
abont a dozen of the older girls
who had been present one hun
dred times | think it was, durin,
the school year. Many of tn
girls will soon have to go to thei
husbands homes and perhap
never see school again. Three o
four of the girls mothers cam
to the door and shyly peeped il
to see the dolls being given. ]
was great occasion, you may b
sure. Plague is so bad an
spreading so fast that we ma.
have to close several of just sue
schools. While MISS Todd was i
n house teaching, six dead bodie
were carried past her on the wa
To the burning CHAT. God 10 mel
cifuily preserving 10.