At the close of the examination, the rewards, consisting of books, work-bags, &c. &c., chiefly sent by a society of females in England, were distributed.  It was impossible to repress the effervescence of the little expectants.  As a little one four years old came up for her reward, the superintendent said to her—­“Well, little Becky, what do you want?” “Me wants a bag,” said Becky, “and me wants a pin-cushion, and me wants a little book.”  Becky’s desires were large, but being a good girl, she was gratified.  Occasionally the girls were left to choose between a book and a work-bag, and although the bag might be gaudy and tempting, they invariably took the book.

The teachers were all but one blacks, and were formerly slaves.  They are very devoted and faithful, but are ill-qualified for their duties, having obtained all the learning they possess in the Sabbath school.  They are all pious, and exert a harpy influence on the morals of their pupils.

The number of scholars has very greatly increased since emancipation, and their morals have essentially improved.  Instances of falsehood and theft, which at first were fearfully frequent and bold, have much lessened.  They begin to have a regard for character.  Their sense of right and wrong is enlightened, and their power of resisting temptation, and adhering to right, manifestly increased.

On the whole, we know not where we have looked on a more delightful scene.  To stand in front of the pulpit and look around on a multitude of negro children, gathered from the sordid huts into which slavery had carried ignorance and misery—­to see them coming up, with their teachers of the same proscribed hue, to hear them read the Bible, answer with readiness the questions of their superintendent, and lift up together their songs of infant praise, and then to remember that two years ago these four hundred children were slaves, and still more to remember that in our own country, boasting its republicanism and Christian institutions, there are thousands of just such children under the yoke and scourge, in utter heathenism, the victims of tyrannic law or of more tyrannic public opinion—­caused the heart to swell with emotions unutterable.  There were as many intelligent countenances, and as much activity and sprightliness, as we ever saw among an equal number of children anywhere.  The correctness of their reading, the pertinence of their replies, the general proofs of talent which they showed through all the exercises, evinced that they are none inferior to the children of their white oppressors.

After singing a hymn they all kneeled down, and the school closed with a prayer and benediction.  They continued singing as they retired from the house, and long after they had parted on their different ways home, their voices swelled on the breeze at a distance as the little parties from the estates chanted on their way the songs of the school room.