LIFE AND LETTERS OF JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA

86/372

70 SCHOOL AND COLLEGE DAYS. language and his facility in writing it. He is in­clined to take too little rather than too much exercise. Although I have taught for years, I. have never been so interested in any other pupil. I rejoice that you are to direct his education for a season. I shall hope to hear from him occasionally. It is not strange that those interested in educational and missionary work should feel drawn towards this young Japanese, whose hunger for light and truth was so intense, and whose flight from country and home was so dramatic in its incidents. But it is remarkable that this interest should everywhere and always de­velop into warm personal friendship. Wherever he went he fotmd a home, -at Amherst, in the house of Professor Seelye, where he passed much of his vaca­tion time, and where in illness he was received and cared for as a son. He often refers with pride in his journal to the fact that during Professor Seelye's ab­sence he sat at the head of the table and led the fam­ily devotions, and, when ill in March, 1870, writes: "Professor and Mrs. Seelye are just kind and tender to me :u; my own parent-s." His health in Amherst was generally good, although he was at times troubled with rheumatism and weak eyes; but he was unfail­ingly cheerful, and bent upon improving to the utmost every opportunity. In 1868-69, Japan was passing through the stormy period of change, and N eesima was at this time very anxioa'l concerning his friends, from whom he had not heard for nearly a year. Apprehensive for their safety and moved by that love of family which is so striking a trait of Japanese char­acter, it was with the greatest joy that he heard at last of their welfare and that his aged grandfather was

※このページを正しく表示するにはFlashPlayer10.2以上が必要です