_Nov. 27._ Rose is a trump. She does all my cooking neater and better
than I have ever had it done--makes bread and biscuit and puddings as
well as I could myself, and until this morning, with our help, of
course, has done the chamber-work too. With those three children I
have got along as well as I could ask. I begin to appreciate what and
how much they have learned the last two years.
[_Dec. 11._] Over seventy children at Sunday School. I had a very nice
time with them indeed, and was much struck with their progress in
general intelligence. Their eager, intelligent faces and earnest
attention and interest in all I said to them were a great contrast to
anything they would have manifested two years ago. Indeed, I could not
have talked to them, and they would not have understood me if I had,
in anything like the same way that I did to-day.
_Nov. 23._ We saw Mrs. Vaughn, who seems to find life here very hard,
and repeats the inevitable experience of all those who have ever had
anything to do with the blacks previously, that these are the most
degraded and barbarous of their race in the country.
We met C. Soule and Captain Crane,[176] with their two servants,
coming down to spend Thanksgiving. We had a right pleasant evening.
Captain Crane played and sung, and we were very glad to hear the
piano, and he to touch one.