NOT TO BE PUBLISHED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF
THE YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

VOL. 13

R. J. Benson

Grand River, Indian Territory

I have been trying

On receipt of your letter, I wrote fully to the
agent, stating my willingness to accept the girls you named, say-
ing that we should be protected by him and your judgment at all
and in case deeply concerned. I thought I had written to you, but
I find I did not. You have been in the school work long enough
to know how strong the influence of bad boys or girls is in despoil
ing the efforts of teachers, and so far as it is possible we
should be protected against the introduction of such into the
school. At the same time, I wish to do the best for the school
and the whole Indian service. The present arrangement for secur-
ing the girls, compelle us to leave upon the Agent and those at the
Agency for wise determination in each case. Your willingness to
find pieces for the girls, tempers the situation very nicely. I
know, however, you will be disappointed in the "stick-to-a-tireless
work," however, you will be disappointed in the "stick-to-a-tireless
work," however, you will be disappointed in the

Sincerely yours,

345

Hon. R. P. Mains,

Los Angeles, New Mexico.

Mr. Dear Sir,

While I am exceedingly sorry to hear your sad account of the returned students, I cannot feel quite as you do about it. You know that neither John Chaves nor Wm. Faisacq were members of the church, although we had them under church influence and may be both respectful and apparently well inclined; we must not blame them too much. If I did not feel in all this work that the instruction was cast bread upon the waters, was directly given with reference to it, I should have been discouraged long ago. Then you know there is the other instruction in regard to the gardener who asks if the tree might be spared a little longer in order that he might dig about it to enrich the soil, and I cannot help wishing that you would temper your strong Scotch Presbyterianism with a little Methodism.

I do not think best to spare Yamie Leeds, though he is a good Christian boy, for the reason that his chances are good here, and he is improving them ardently. He no longer needs a cane. He is one of our clearest headed printer boys, but he is only a boy. Ben Thomas is in the same way, both had better stay here as long as they can.

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415

Dec. 1st

Herbert Welsh,

Society, Indian Rights Ass'n.

1810 Filbert St. Phila. Pa.

My dear Sirs,

While it is possible and would, perhaps, be a very great advantage to them, for us to undertake the care of the Apa-choke prisoners here; it would be altogether out of our line and very presently against our scheme to do so. I would not accept the responsibility. I fully agree that something should be done. It is most disgraceful that they are allowed to live there and rot, for that is just what it is, and all that it is. They are with out future and without hope, and very nearly without friends.

For the winter, perhaps, it is not practicable to think of sending them elsewhere. The uncertainty of their stay renders anything like a working out of the situation where they are on any line of industrial pursuit quite impossible. Properly handled, their brain and muscle, both male and female, could have been and can yet be realized to their greatest good, but somebody has got to be in charge of them who really desires to help them. The one hundred youth whom we brought to this school are, almost without exception, doing remarkably well.

Miss Eustis, of Hampton, goes down there, taking

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Palled West, one of our Apache boys as interpreter, Mrs. Henning-
way of Boston, sends her in the interests of humanity; but she
will probably be regarded as a meddling woman and have little
chance, even if she had the grasp, to do much.

I certainly very earnestly wish that something
might be done, and I know very much can be done to better their
condition.

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441

Dec. 9th. 7

J. R. Wood,

G. P. A. Penna. R. R.

Philadelphia, Pa.

Dear Sirs,

A score or more of our pupils, who are out for the winter, would like to visit us during the Holidays. They are in Books Co. and about Colora Md. As they pay their own way and their means are very limited, I would be glad if you could allow us a round trip rate from the different points. Could I not purchase the tickets here, under your authority, and could they not be made good in some way?

Very Respectfully,

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442

Dec. 9th. 7

James Moss,

Soldiers' Home,

Bath, N.Y.

My dear Sir:-

It does not seem practicable for me to give you a
place here just now. Our places are all fill-d at the beginning
of each fiscal year, and there are no vacancies for the present
year.

With your varied experience and military training, I have
no doubt I could make use of you in some way; but it does not
appear to be within range now.

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443

Dec. 9th.

Gen. J. W. B. Marshall,

25 Boston St.

Boston, Mass.

My dear Gen'l.

We are printing Romaine's letter in the Morning Star. It is a good wind up of information on the Crow business, I think any move in regard to changing the position of the Crow prisoners should begin with those who have them in charge, and am now specially favorable to having them come here; yet if the matter were presented by the authorities in Washington, I would try to meet it.

Romaine is exactly right about the rot of the Guard House. It is a start in civilization that could hardly be worse.

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