"Our work here is continually growing on our hands. Besides our usual
missionary work, I do a little teaching, a little book-making, and a little
printing. You did not know, perhaps, that I am a printer. We are teaching
a few persons to read the colloquial (or spoken) language of Amoy. But in
order to teach this, it is necessary that this spoken language be committed
to writing. It is necessary to have books printed in it. We have no
printing press at Amoy. I have had some types cut on bone or horn. With
these I print a copy. This is handed to the carver. He pastes it upside
down on a block and carves the words on the block. This block is then
inked and is made to print other copies. It is a slow process, but the
only one we have at Amoy at present. I have thus prepared a spelling-book
in the Amoy colloquial. It is not all completed yet. The carver is busy
with the last two or three sheets. A few of the first sheets were struck
off some weeks ago and made up into small books, which we have been using
to teach those who are learning to read, until the whole book is complete.
Our printing is not very pretty. When the caners get more experienced in
their work, they will be able to do their part better. Our plan of
teaching is as follows: On Monday afternoon we have a meeting for women at
our house. Before and after the service we teach them (those of them who
wish to learn) to spell. On Tuesday afternoon, Mrs. Doty meets those who
wish to learn, in a room connected with the church. On Wednesday, Mrs.
Doty has a meeting for women at her house. She also spends a little time
then in teaching them. On Friday, Abby and I go to the church and spend
about an hour in teaching. We cannot expect them to make very rapid
progress in this manner of teaching, but it is the best we can do for them
at present. There are two little girls who have been coming to our house
every day for more than a month. They are beginning to read."
"I must tell you a little of what I have been doing to-day. This forenoon,
among other things, I doctored a Yankee clock. I bought it in Amoy nearly
a year ago for three dollars. Sometimes it goes, and sometimes it stands
still. But it stands still much more than it goes. This morning I took it
all apart, every wheel out, rubbed each wheel off, and put the clock
together again. It has been running ever since, but how long it will
continue to run, I cannot tell.