72 DAVID LIVINGSTONE. [chap. iv. 



evidence of it, you are as dear to me as ever, and will be as long as 

 our lives are spared. — I am still your most affectionate 



" D. Livingston." 



A few weeks later he writes : — 



"As I am favoured with another opportunity to Kuruman, I 

 gladly embrace it, and wish I could embrace you at the same time ; 

 but as I cannot, I must do the next best to it, and while I give you 

 the good news that our work is making progress, and of course the 

 time of our separation becoming beautifully less, I am happy in the 

 hope that, by the messenger who now goes, I shall receive the good 

 news that you are well and happy, and remembering me with some of 

 that affection which we bear to each other. . . . All goes on pretty well 

 here ; the school is sometimes well, sometimes ill attended. I begin 

 to like it, and I once believed I could never have any pleasure in such 

 employment. I had a great objection to school-keeping, but I find in 

 that, as in almost everything else I set myself to as a matter of duty, 

 I soon became enamoured of it. A boy came three times last week, 

 and on the third time could act as monitor to the rest through a great 

 portion of the alphabet. He is a real Mokhatla, but I have lost sight 

 of him again. If I get them on a little I shall translate some of your 

 infant-school hymns into Sichuana rhyme, and you may yet, if you 

 have time, teach them the tunes to them. \, poor mortal, am as mute 

 as a fish in regard to singing, and Mr. Inglis says I have not a bit of 

 imagination. Mebalwe teaches them the alphabet in the ' auld lang 

 syne ' tune sometimes, and I heard it sung by some youths in the 

 gardens yesterday — a great improvement over their old see-saw tunes 

 indeed. Sometimes we have twenty, sometimes two, sometimes none 

 at all. 



"Give my love to A., and tell her to be sure to keep my lecture 

 warm. She must not be vexed with herself that she was not more 

 frank to me. If she is now pleased all is right. I have sisters, and 

 know all of you have your failings, but I won't love you less for these. 

 And to mother, too, give my kindest salutation. I suppose I shall get 

 a lecture from her too about the largeness of the house. If there are 

 too many windows she can just let me know. I could build them all 

 up in two days, and let the light come down the chimney, if that 

 would please. I '11 do anything for peace, except fighting for it. And 

 now I must again, my dear, dear Mary, bid you good-bye. Accept 

 my expressions as literally true when I say, I am your most affectionate 

 and still confiding lover, D. Livingston." 



In due time the marriage was solemnised, and Living- 

 stone brought his wife to Mabotsa. Here they went 

 vigorously to work, Mrs. Livingstone with her infant-school, 

 and her husband with all the varied agencies, medical, 



