The American Missionary — Volume 42, No. 10, October, 1888 eBook

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I feel that aside from the pleasure so much company gives me it will help our work. This is the station farthest out in the wilderness, and now that people know that soon the “native wild man” will be no more, they all want to see him. I have two beds. When ladies come they fill the bedrooms, and so if distinguished gentlemen come. I sleep either in the kitchen or laundry on a blanket or robes. Several times this year my bedrooms have both been full and I have made “down” beds on my sitting-room floor for from two to six gentlemen. As I only have four very small rooms, the kitchen floor is often covered, too, with beds. My table is an extension table and my heart is an extension heart, but alas for my dishes and silver! When Prof. W—— of Oberlin was here the dishes would not go ’round and had to be pieced out; but, after all, the guests have the best I can give them and have it freely, and I gladly give them my services, and they seem to enjoy it.

I put up a log house for a work room and laundry; I helped an Indian boy to make a shutter to the door and window and I did all the dividing and helped lift the logs, and we put up a pretty good room, and it only cost me twenty dollars, I believe; and O! what would I have done without it, with my big washings and ironings and inexperienced Indian woman to work! I secured a little lime from the plasterer and I am going to try to whitewash inside with a broom—I have no brush. The Indians all came home without signing either paper for the Commissioners. They will not sell their land. I am very sorry, for I think it the best thing for them.

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