, January 1, 1891.

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A PRIZE POEM.

A publishing house in North Carolina offered "a handsome prize for the
best poem, not less than sixteen nor more than twenty-four lines, on any
North Carolina subject." Twenty or more poems were received, and
submitted to a committee who did not know the names of the writers; on
comparison with the numbers it was found that the poem to which the
prize was awarded was written by Mrs. A.W. Curtis, of Raleigh, N.C., a
missionary of this Association. We print the poem not only for its
merit, but as an honor conferred upon one of our valued workers among
the colored people of the South.

NORTH CAROLINA.

BY MRS. A.W. CURTIS.

Thou sittest like a queen with coronal
Of dazzling beauty on thy sunny brow;
The glorious mountains for thy lofty throne,
The grand old Ocean lying at thy feet;
Thy jewels are the healing springs, that lie
Like gleaming pearls upon thy bounteous breast.
From far and near, earth's weary pilgrims come,--
A long procession, sad, and heavy-eyed,--
To win anew the priceless boon of health,
From thy Bethesda, angel-stirred and blest.
Deep in the bosom of thy mighty hills,
Dame Nature brews the elixir of life,
And pours it lavishly through riven rocks,
In basins carved by no weak, human hand;
And here and there, deep down the woodland glens
She sets her moss-rimmed chalices, where those
Who quaff with fevered lips the cooling draught,
Find health and vigor stealing through their veins.
O, queenly State! lift up thy fair, proud head,
The while thy sons and daughters honor thee,
And shine a pure white star, whose light shall be
Undimmed, through all the ages yet to come!

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We are very happy to acknowledge the gift of one hundred copies of the
"People's Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Luke," by Edwin W.
Rice, D.D., from the American Sunday-school Union, at Philadelphia,
Penn. These books will be sent to our schools in the South, where they
will be of great benefit to the teachers in the Sunday-schools, and to
the graduates as they go forth to fresh experiences in the country
summer schools.

A man told one of our Indian pupils, that he was not like other men,
that he helped others and went to church, etc., and as she told the
story she said, "Yet he is a Republican and sinner, I think."

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