Our Brother in Red. (Muskogee, Indian Terr.), Vol. 2, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 1, 1883 Page: 4 of 16
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OUR BROTHER IN RED.
day, wo are sowing seed that shall
bring forth sheaves for the Master.
I start to day for my first quar
terly-meeting on the Choctaw Dis-
trict. Expect to go from there to
the Council, now in session at
Armstrong. Will write you more
fully after my return. Your brother
in Christ, E. A. Cray
Oik Lodge, C. N., Oct. 12,1883.
[We will look for the promised
letter. Hope Brother Gray will
favor us with frequent communica
tions for this paper. Our readers
want to know more about New
Hope and the Choctaw country.—
T. F. B.l
Letter from Miss Marcia Marvin
Dear Brother Brewer For the
last four or five weeks I have been
intending to write to you of our
school, and now that there is so
much good news to tell, I can post
pone it no longer.
You remember that my sister,
Minnie, determined, if possible, to
have a piano for the Seminole
Academy, as she felt that a year of
music - teaching would be thrown
away without the aid of that most
necessary instrument. Immediate-
ly on our arrival she commenced
agitating the subject, with the hope
of securing one before Christmas.
After writing a few begging letters
she delegated the work to our sis-
ter and Mrs. M. G. Goodfellow, of
St. Louis, and the combined result
was, a piano expressed to Eufaula,
by the 29th of September.
My pet project was a sewing ma-
chine ; something that could not be
done without, in my department;
but it moved more slowly. Indeed
sometimes, when the mail brought
such cheering Lews from the piano,
and no word about a machine, 1
would almost grow discouraged.
However, last Tuesday's mail
brought from Dallas, Texas, the
good news that the machine, thanks
to Mrs. F. E. Howell and Mrs. H.
A. Bourland, was started. All this
time, to our great impatience, the
piano has been lying at Eufaula, as
no safe conveyance could be ob-
ained to bring it across the coun-
try, till last week a wagon was
started after it. Last night two
wagons came to "the store," one
bringing the long-looked-for piano,
and the other—the sewing-machine.
So we rejoice together. The music-
teacher insists that the first use of
the piano will be "Old Hundred,''
with its accompanying words,
" Praise God, from whom all bless-
ings flow." I am sure that the first
use of the machine, whether mend-
ing or making, hemming, tucking,
or what not, will be a song of praise,
though probably not so easily rec-
ognizable as such.
Indeed this has been a u red-let-
ter" week. Three boxes filled
with articles the children needed
badly, have come. Two of them
would have been here two or three
weeks ago, but were in a " break-
down"; and have been lying all
this time just about eight miles
from us, u So near, and yet so far,"
the high waters of Canadian form-
ing an impassable barrier.
While telling the good news I
ynust not omit the hope we have of
obtaining a hack, through the good
offices of Mrs. Nathan Scarritt. She
thinks that the ladies of her Con
ference will interest themselves in
that matter for the school. You
know how much needed a hack is,
when you remember that burning
August morning you bade farewell
to three pilgrims perched up in a
covered wagon, heavily loaded, be-
sides, with trunks and other bag
gage, with 120 long, dusty miles
before them, and three and a half
days of slow, broiling endurance to
jolt through.
We are the more elated by all
this good fortune, as the first six
weeks of the session were especial-
ly trying. Every child in the house,
excepting two, I believe, and most
of the grown people, were sick dur-
ing that time—somefimes six or
eight at once. One child, who was
in miserable health when brought
here, died the first day of October.
Now that the frosts are come, and
health is established, we are ready
to appreciate our blessings.
I was interrupted at this point
by the announcement, " The piano
has com^!" It was a picture—the
curious faces of the children while
the men opened the big box. After
some hard work the piano was put
in its proper place. Then came
the unlocking, opening (intensely
interesting processes), and the
"Doxology," after which several
pieces were played for the enter-
tainment of the children and the
men who helped in the unpacking.
The piano was a surprise to us all
in the gocd tone, fine quality, and
handsome case, which our good
Brother Nennstiel, of St. Louis, fur-
nished at a remarkably low rate.
It is a really handsome piano; and
we were delighted to find that, not-
withstanding the rough roads, it is
in good tune.
In the afternoon the machine was
brought over—a " White," with all
the attachments—a first-class ma-
chine. Another large box was
brought at the same time. This
3d day of November is one long to be
remembered. If the friends who
have been the means of giving us
fso much pleasure could see the
smiling faces we see at every turn,
they would have the satisfaction of
knowing that their munificence is
appreciated by the grateful recipi-
ents. The Seminole Academy will
have greater reason than ever be-
fore to celebrate Thanksgiving-day.
It is Saturday night, and you
know Saturday is a busy day in all
households. We usually think it
impossible to spare a moment from
work on this day, but this especial
Saturday has witnessed so many
wonderful occurrences, that the
most natural thing to do is to take
time to commemorate them on
paper.
Hoping that the Harrell Institute
is having as prosperous a week as
the Seminole Academy, I remain
your friend, Marcia C. Marvin.
Sasakwa, Nov. 3,1883.
Christian faith is a grand cathe-
dral with divinely-pictured win-
dows. Standing without, you see
no glory, nor can possibly imagine
any; standing within, every ray ol
light reveals a harmony of un-
speakable splendor.—Bishop Por-
teous.
i
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Our Brother in Red. (Muskogee, Indian Terr.), Vol. 2, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 1, 1883, newspaper, November 1, 1883; Muskogee, Indian Territory. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc233470/m1/4/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.