s. You's light as a fedder, anyhow,
and de good Lord gibs you a wonderful sight of strength to go 'bout dis
yere muddy town, to see de poor culled folks, and gib medicines to the
sick, and feed the hungry, and clothe de naked, and I bress de good Lord
dat he put it into your heart to come to Helena."
In the autumn of 1863 Miss Mann felt that her work in Helena was
accomplished, and she returned to St. Louis, the colored people greatly
lamenting her departure. In her work there she not only had the
co-operation and assistance of the Western Sanitary Commission, but of
many benevolent ladies in New England, personal friends of Miss Mann and
others, who, through Rev. Dr. Eliot of St. Louis, supplied a large
portion of the funds that were necessary to defray the expenses of our
mission.
A new call to a theatre of usefulness in Washington City, in the
District of Columbia, now came to Miss Mann, to become the teacher of a
colored orphan asylum, which she accepted, where she devoted her
energies to the welfare of the children of those who in the army, or in
some other service to their country and race have laid down their lives,
and left their helpless offspring to be cared for by Him, who hears even
the young ravens when they cry, and moves human hearts to fulfil the
ministry of his love; and who by his Spirit is moving the American
people to do justly to the freed people of this land, and to make
reparation for the oppression and wrong they have endured for so many
generations.
After rendering a useful and excellent service as a teacher in the
Colored Orphan Asylum at Washington, she was induced by the colored
people, who greatly appreciated her work for their children, to
establish an independent school in Georgetown. Friends at the North
purchased a portable building for a school-house; the Freedmen's Bureau
offered her a lot of ground to put it on, but not being in the right
locality she rented one, and the building was sent to her, and has been
beautifully fitted up for the purpose. The school has been successfully
established, and under her excellent management, teaching, and
discipline, it has become a model school. Intelligent persons visiting
it are impressed by the perfect order maintained, and the advancement of
the scholars in knowledge and good behaviour.
Miss Mann has made many personal sacrifices in establishing and carrying
forward this school without government patronage or support, and the
only fea
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