Perhaps it is but right here to state, that we never inflicted these
visits upon our Indians except when we had abundance of supplies of some
kind or other in the mission house, and were thus able to carry over
sufficient, with the fish the family supplied, for a hearty meal. So,
in her cariole Mrs Young had, not only this liberal supply of food,
with plenty of tea and sugar, but a large tablecloth, dishes, knives,
forks, spoons, and other essentials. About nine o'clock she was driven
over to the home, where, with a certain amount of trepidation, the
expectant family were awaiting her coming. They had been at work very
early and never did a floor made of well-planed spruce boards shine
whiter. For hours it had been scrubbed; an unlimited amount of
elbow-grease aided by some soft soap made out of strong lye and the
grease of a fat dog, had done the work most completely. The faces of
the children showed that they had been most thoroughly polished, while
all the family were arrayed in their Sunday apparel. Every kettle and
pot bore evidence of the early hour at which the family had arisen and
begun operations.
The instructions given to me, were, that I was not to put in an
appearance until about half-past twelve, and I was so interested that I
was generally on time.
It was a very gratifying sight that met me, and a very cordial welcome
that I received. Every member of the family was simply radiant with
happiness and my good wife had most thoroughly caught the contagion of
the hour. I, of course, shook hands all round and kissed the fat little
baby in its quaint, moss-bag cradle. Then, we were speedily informed of
what was very evident, that dinner was ready. There was not a chair or
table in the house. The snow white tablecloth was spread out on the
almost equally snow white floor, and upon it were placed in order
plates, cups, and saucers, knives and forks. Then the dinner which had
been cooked in various pots, and pans, at the capacious fireplace, was
served up, or rather, down, and in our assigned places we seated
ourselves Indian-like, upon the floor. After heaven's blessing was
asked, the feast began. The menu was not very elaborate. Spoiled
children of luxury, with lost appetites, might have sneered at it, but
to us in that land, and especially to this happy Indian family, it was
one of the great events of their lives. The missionary and his wife
were happy because they saw these poor people so happy.
For perhaps three hours, Mrs Young, had been the instructor of that
Indian motherland her daughters, as under her direction they prepared
that dinner, and they were very proud of their teacher.
The dinner was pronounced a great success, and after it was over, and
all had had an abundance, the Bible in the syllabic characters, was
brought out and read, when all devoutly kneeling, the missionary with a
glad heart offered up an earnest prayer for heaven's blessing ever to
abide upon that home.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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