days of mourning have nearly expired, the friends seat themselves around the grave to cry the last cry." It is a melancholy sight to see these people sitting in this posture with their blankets pulled up over their heads, and very painful to hear them moan and cry, loud enough to be heard at a great distance. They continue to lament till the friends, acquaintance, and a multitude of others, gather together to close the mourning, by pulling up the poles out of the grave, which is the signal for such scenes of drunkenness and shameful excess as I cannot describe. These customs are seldom practised now. As they become enlightened and civilized, these barbarous rites go into disuse, and Christian customs are adopted. The people are more willing to labor, and manifest a wish to conform to the habits and manners of the missionaries, whom they respect and love more and more, the longer they witness their disinterested labors to promote the temporal and eternal welfare of the Choctaw people.

Delia. Has their external appearance changed much since Mr. Kingsbury lived with them? Katharine. Yes. When he first went to Elliot, it was new to see a man dressed decently,

or even in such a manner as to cover his person. They were also excessively dirty.

Delia. How did he find the women?

Katharine. He did not know more than three or four women within several miles of Elliot, who dressed after the English fashion. But at the present time native women may be seen in neat dresses; and the men are improving fast in their personal appearance and in their style of building and furniture. Since the nation awoke and united hand and heart to expel the monster intemperance, it is astonishing what a change has been effected in their plantations, houses, dress, and furniture. I must defer relating other stories till another opportunity. Delia Claiborne read the first Psalm and Cornelia closed with prayer.

CHAPTER IX.

Cornelia came to the next meeting and told the society she had just heard a very interesting account of a Choctaw convert, whose name was Ta-ho-ka.

Delia. Where did he live, cousin?

Cornelia. At Ai-ik-hun-na. He was a man of strong intellect, and very fluent in conversation he had great influence and deep penetration, which enabled him to read the characters of men, even strangers, with wonderful facility. But unhappily all his talents and influence were exerted in favor of wickedness. For years he was one of the most popular leaders; indeed, he was the ringleader in all kinds of vicious pleasures; and could at any time put the whole nation in motion by appointing a ball-play. Mr. Williams had a very solemn conversation with him one day, and gave him much sharp and cutting reproof, yet with so much Christian affection and humility, that the hardened heart of this wicked man began to relent, and such great

searchings of heart followed, that his mental distress was extreme for several weeks. But it pleased God to bless the unwearied labors of his faithful servants, who constantly pointed him to the Lamb of God for the pardon of his sins, and acceptance with his Maker. He broke away at last from the bondage of sin and Satan, and when he found that liberty wherewith Christ makes free, he labored with the same untiring zeal to save and comfort souls, that he had done to harass and destroy them. His haughty, arrogant spirit was subdued to the docility and gentleness of a child. In whatever way the cause of religion was endangered, he manifested the undaunted firmness and zeal of the first Reformers.

One day he approached Mr. Williams in a very tender frame and said, "I do not say that I am a Christian. If I am one, I am the least; a very little child. But my Jesus has bought me; and let him come, however soon, and take his own child home. My heart cries to him daily, at home and abroad; for his salvation I hunger, I thirst for more and more of his good spirit. But as I cannot get a full supply here, I long to go and be with him, that I may be

satisfied." Mr. Williams wrote concerning him, "It may be said of him, if of any man, that he has no will of his own, but to do the will of his Heavenly Father." He was very useful to his awakened friends, and seemed to enter into all their feelings at once, and to carry them with almost irresistible power to the feet of his Saviour, exercising strong faith in his promises to keep all that were intrusted to him.

A few months after his conversion he attended a large meeting, in the Chickasaw nation, where he had long been known, and took a part in the religious services. He introduced his address by saying, "I come not to you as a learned man, or a good man, or as an angry man, nor in pride, or for money; no, not for a penny; but I come to hunt for poor lost souls." A missionary who was present said, "He felt, and made others feel, too, that Christ, and heav en, and hell, were not terms without signification." He was appointed on a committee to examine candidates; when he was informed of his appointment, he said, Did they think I had any. learning which qualified me for that office? As to learning, I know nothing only to spell Chihow a, Chi-ho-wa, (Jehovah.) In conversation