“Jimmy Button and his family soon became quite at home upon the mission
farm. One of Jimmy’s boys, a bright, sharp, little lad of about eight
years, whom his father called ‘Threeboys,’ very quickly picked up
many English words; but they were all so shy about speaking their own
language before foreigners that they talked to each other in whispers,
which of course made it very difficult for the missionaries to learn
anything about the Fuegian language. When the six months were up Mr
Despard took all the Button family back to Woollya on the _Allen
Gardiner_.”
Little by little grew the work amongst the Fuegian Indians, and
especially amongst the children, many of whom are orphans, now under
the missionaries’ care.
There was one dear little Fuegian girl whom the missionaries named
Jessica--bright, loveable, quick, and good both at lessons and work.
She, with others, was taught many things, chief of which was the Bible.
One day Jessica was nowhere to be seen. Morning passed away, afternoon
came, and then followed the evening, but still Jessica had not come
back. Weeks went by, and feeling sure she had been stolen, they ceased
to look out for her.
In the middle of lessons one morning, a pair of arms was flung suddenly
round the missionary’s neck, and someone was showering her with kisses.
It was Jessica.
“Where have you been? Why did you run away from school?” asked the lady
looking displeased at Jessica.
Her eyes brimmed over with tears as she answered: “I went to fetch you
a present.”
“A present!” echoed the teacher.
“Come,” said Jessica, taking her hand, and leading her to a wood close
by. “There is the present I have brought you,” said Jessica; and
looking she saw eleven little naked, half-starved children, all bunched
together, and looking terrified at the white person.
Having heard the Good News for herself, she loved the Lord Jesus so
much that she just longed for other children to hear of Him too. She
had journeyed for miles over rough woods with her bare feet, over
dangerous paths, and through streams of water, in order to bring others
to the Saviour. What a dear little brown missionary she was! For she is
now in the presence of the Lord.
Another little Indian orphan, named Elsie, was being cared for by
the Rev. J. and Mrs Williams. Her father had died about seven years
previously, and her mother also passed away soon afterwards. Mrs
Williams took special charge of this bright little girl, but one day
several of Elsie’s Indian friends went off on a hunting tour, and took
her with them.
Some time afterwards they returned, but without Elsie. What had become
of her? Was she lost or dead? Alas, no. Perhaps it would have been far
better if she were. “What have you done with Elsie?” And the reply was
that the Indians had sold her to a Spaniard!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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