"Bend low thy pitying face and mild, And help us sing and pray; The hand that blest the little child Upon our foreheads lay. "We hear no more the driver's horn, No more the whip we fear; This holy day that saw thee born Was never half so dear. "The very oaks are greener clad, The waters brighter smile; O, never shone a day so glad On sweet St. Helen's Isle. "We praise Thee in our songs to-day, To Thee in prayer we call; Make swift the feet and straight the way Of freedom unto all. "Come once again, O blessed Lord! Come walking on the sea! And let the mainlands hear the word That sets the islands free!" Then they sang John Brown's Hallelujah Song, and several of their own hymns. Christmas night, the children came in and had several grand shouts. They were too happy to keep still. One of them, a cunning, kittenish little creature, named Amaretta, only six years old, has a remarkably sweet voice. "O Miss," said she, "all I want to do is to sing and shout!" And sing and shout she did, to her heart's content. She reads nicely, and is very fond of books. Many of the children already know their letters. The parents are eager to have them learn. They sometimes say to me: "Do, Miss, let de children learn eberyting dey can. We neber hab no chance to learn nuttin'; but we wants de chillen to learn." They are willing to make many sacrifices that their children may attend school. One old woman, who had a large family of children and grandchildren, came regularly to school in the winter, and took her seat among the little ones. Another woman, who had one of the best faces I ever saw, came daily, and brought her baby in her arms. It happened to be one of the best babies in the world, and allowed its mother to pursue her studies without interruption.