This charmingly told story has but one fault, and that, probably, is without intention. It may give the impression that King David is a fair sample of the Northern teachers in the South, and that his ill-success is the record or the prophecy of their general disaster and defeat. The true lesson of the story, and that which may have been, if any, in the writer’s mind, is only this: That this David was no Solomon. That goodness, unsupported by wisdom, is not sufficient capital for educational work. That a man who is a failure at home, amid favorable surroundings, will not be likely to succeed abroad, alone, with everything against him. That the lame, the halt and the blind do not make good recruits for the war against ignorance and sin.
Just to offset this story, which has doubtless had its counterpart in Southern as in Northern schools and villages, we give the story of one of our teachers in the State of South Carolina, as written to us by himself only a few months ago. Its simple, straight-forward truthfulness will, we think, make amends for its lack of the spiciness and crispness of expression, which give so delicate a literary flavor to the story of King David:
“I was born in Western New York, and, as all my friends continue to reside there, I still call it my home. I have been a member of the Household of Faith since 1859; I have been engaged in teaching the freedmen since the fall of 1866, and, for the greater part of the time, my salary has been quite small; but I love the work, and expect my reward hereafter.
“I came to this place in 1872, and organized a Normal school, and am still at its head. I met with much opposition, but I put my trust in God, and went on doing what I thought was right, and soon saw a change coming over the people. Students began to come in from neighboring counties, and those who had talked most against me now came to visit me. I organized the first temperance society for the colored people in this part of the State, and thus got quite a hold on the people. The organization is still continued, and is doing much good. Several of our students, who are out teaching, have organized similar societies, and I hear good reports from them.
“Early last fall, a couple of young men from another county, asked me if they could not stay in a vacant room in the building and do their own cooking. I, of course, gave them permission, and did what I could to assist them in preparing the room. I had some old lumber in the wood-shed, and from it we made a bedstead and table; had boxes for chairs and newspapers for window shades. It was soon reported that we had good accommodations for boarders, and, before winter had fairly set in, there were nineteen men living in the room, which measured 30 x 22. We had only enough lumber for four bedsteads, and on these the nineteen men slept for four months. A part of them would retire at 8 o’clock, and sleep till after midnight; then arise and let the others take their places. They all did their own cooking, and, as we had but one cooking vessel, they were all night doing their cooking for the next day. Those who sat up the fore-part of the night spent the time in cooking, and while they were asleep the others were cooking in the same room.