Letter-1850, May 6

Miss A. Archbold, a teacher at the school, wrote the following interesting letter to Julia Anne McBride, Paris, MO:

My Dear Mrs. McBride:

   You requested me to write from this point, which requisition should have been complied with, but that my health and many pressing engagements have hitherto prevented me. I caught cold coming over the bleak prairies that lie between Glasgow to this place and my cough and pain in my side have been severe. I passed through a course of blue pills and was bled. I am now much better though I but seldom sit up a whole day. I got here the first day of April and commenced school the third. I am much pleased with the school. The girls are perfectly quiet and easily managed. They were never known to sauce a teacher and are quite affectionate and kind, harmless and playful. The male school is taught by two young gentlemen, one a Methodist preacher. I never had better accommodations—my washing is done in the best of style, by a black girl hired on purpose to wash for the teachers and preachers of the institution.

   I live in a stately brick house that has thirteen rooms, all very conveniently arranged (the “north building”). I have a very neat room with window blinds and nicely carpeted floor and as nice a stand and as good a bed as I ever wished to have. The presiding elder and his wife live in one end of this house and the lady keeps the boarding house.

   We have some thirty odd Indian girls when we have school, but it is vacation now. My school will commence again week after next. I shall be pleased as I like to teach them.

   Just across the road is another very large brick house with thirteen spacious rooms (the “West building”). In this Preacher Johnson and family reside. He is the superintendent and has a most interesting wife and some beautiful children. There our· merchant and his family reside, they keep the male boarding house here and the store is handy. In the same lot stands another large brick building (the “East building”)—in this the preacher in charge Rev. [Tyson] Dines and family live in one end, in the other Elder Hurlburt and his noble wife and most amiable sister live. Brother and Sister Adams, another very amiable pair, live there too, so you see we have the best and most pleasing society imaginable. This house contains thirteen rooms also. One of these rooms is appropriated to divine Worship. It has a pulpit and has a very spacious room in which the male school is taught. We have fine trees growing in our lot and yard. We have fine gardens and flowers of all descriptions, and one of the largest and most beautiful farms I ever saw with several springs and gurgling rills. Oh, I wish, my dear friend you could visit us; you would be amply paid for the visit, I assure you. We could give you plenty of strawberries and cream. We have seventy cows belonging to the mission. A steam mill too where we get as beautiful flour as I ever saw so you see I am still in the land of plenty—yes, to profusion. Here I am willing to labor, to spend my days if I can but do any real or lasting good. My life will soon be past as a dream or tale that is told. I fain would improve the moments as time floes. Eternity will soon open upon my astonished vision and Oh, that I may be prepared.

   Could you see the difference it makes in these children of nature to have the benefit of Christian education I think you would with me be ready to bless the first missionaries that erected the first rude hut, and then the lofty Temple, in these plains to instruct the poor, debased Savage. For many miles around you may see neat farms and good dwellings; these occupied by the red men, but you would still be better pleased, dear friend, to see them wearing good apparel and hear them pray, and see them in the Stand proclaiming the Gospel of Peace and then, could you but call around, the Wild Savage just as I have seen scores of them in their own Costume which consists of a blanket thrown around the perfectly naked body, save a cloth much below the shoulders and their leggins with their shoes of skins and their ornaments, of which they are extremely fond; indeed, our fashionable young ladies would be quite in the shade as it respects necklaces and shells—feathers, and beads—wampum, and many other articles, too tedious to mention. A whole nation in this wild state came and camped here at the mill. The poor women carried the babies, while their lordly husbands rode on horses, and made them carry all the bags of flour, and load the ponies, while their lords of earth walked near with erect forms and highly painted cheeks. I wish you dear girls could have seen them. We made up a party and went down to their camp, The women were cooking supper. They had cakes made up and laid on the ground or what was worse, on their old polluted blankets. The men and boys were laying round painted to the life with red paint over their faces—eyes and hair then, striped with yellow paint most fancifully. Oh, I think Bina [Albina McBride, now Mrs. Woods] would have wanted one of their babies. One little almost naked thing got hold of my hand and played so fondly that I felt like taking it from its heathen mother and educating it.

   My dear niece returned from this place after staying near three weeks. She was much pleased and thinks of returning in the fall. She was disappointed that we could not visit you but we had to give it up. I hope to visit you some time, however.

   I would like Judge McBride to read some of the speeches my good Democratic Brother made at the State Senate this winter. I have two papers. My brother, the preacher, is nearly well.

   My love to your dear children. I would so love to teach them again but could not say.

Your sincere friend,
A. Archbold.

[Copy in MSS. Dept., K.S.H.S.]