n again, bearing his
sheaves with him."

* * * * *

REINFORCEMENTS FROM AVERY INSTITUTE.

From Avery Normal Institute, Charleston, S. C., twenty-three young
men and women have entered upon the active responsibilities of life,
having been graduated from that institution. This constitutes a
valuable body of reinforcements to the work which the American
Missionary Association is doing in that State for the educational and
moral uplifting of the people. The heroism involved in securing their
education, both on the part of the pupils and their parents, is
emphasized in the record of the facts.

Nearly all of this interesting class are residents in the city, but
from one of the islands we had one young lady, and two came from the
country. In this band of twenty-three is represented every phase of
city life, also the life on the islands and on the plantations.

A few came from homes of comparative comfort and represent the better
phase of social life in the city; their parents know nothing
personally of the old system of ante bellum days. Others are children
of freedmen, who knew in younger years all the bitterness of bondage.
Representatives of such families are diminishing in numbers year by
year as the events of the war are being removed farther into history.
One of these graduates is the daughter of a government official, the
lighthouse keeper on Morris Island, where he has proved his fidelity
by long years of continuous service.

To nearly every one commencement day has been the goal of their
ambition for many years, while to the parents the keeping of the
daughter or the son to the end of the course has been a severe
struggle, demanding many sacrifices, which have been endured in the
hope or resolve to see their children have a better chance in the
start in life than was ever offered the parent.

Twenty of the class are faithful members of some evangelical church,
and have proved the sincerity of their profession by consistent,
Christian lives while in school.

Two of the men and as many of the young women planned to continue
their studies. These have taken the preparatory course along with the
normal in the hope that some way might be offered for a continuance
of study in one of the American Missionary Association colleges, but
stern necessity compels nearly all to enter at once the ranks of
wage-earners, and they must-seek positions as teachers or in some
other line of employ