These are only a few of his sentences. He was greatly excited and each sentence came out like the puff report from a Gatling gun. His remarks had a great effect and it was some minutes before the audience became quiet, for he was cheered again and again. Then some one arose and very deliberately said: “I heartily agree with every word Mr. Evans has said. It is time we cease to be patronized. We have been made slaves, menials, and been done to death by patronage, as if we existed only through the mercy and favor of these haughty over-bearing Europeans who are the sources of our being and the causes of our degradation. Without any further remarks I would suggest that we have no occasion to go outside to solicit any one to honor us with his presence. We have one among us, of our own class, who is our best friend as we all know, and but for whom we would not be assembled here to-night. Need I mention his name—Mr. Japhet—” At this I sprang to my feet, for I had been silently enjoying, listening to the various speakers, thinking that from the independence in their remarks they had already mounted several rounds of the ladder towards liberty and manhood. “My friends,” said I, “kindly allow me a few words. We have one among us, though not of us, and as he is not present I can speak freely of him. He is our truest and best friend, and has done more for us than all the rest put together. Therefore I move that this our sincere friend, Mr. Jasper, be invited to preside at our opening and give us an address.” As I spoke his name, there was such a cheering that the rest of my sentence, was completely drowned. It showed such a unanimity that it was not necessary to put the motion to a vote. I had never told any one except my wife, of our friend’s most generous aid, as he had requested me not to do so, but all knew him well and esteemed him as their friend and one of the noblest of men. Thus this long mooted question was settled and the other part of the programme was soon arranged. We were to have music by some in our own circle and by some other musicians, the best we could get, besides we had our grand piano, and paid for by my wife, though she did not do it at the expense of the Commissioner Sahib’s discomfiture. Some one asked if it would not be proper to have the Chaplain make a prayer? For a few moments no reply was given, then one with the fervor of little Evans burst out, “Who is the chaplain? Where is he? What is he? What have we got to do with him? What has he done for us? We do not even know him. We were born without him, have lived without him and shall have to die and be buried without him, unless he can find it convenient to leave his croquet or billiards and rattle a prayer over our graves.”