19230000 Dear Morr Are you sick, or sad, or sore, or sulky, or severely tired out after exams that you haven’t been able to write? I hope you will recover soon and that it will not be a chronic disease whatever it is. From the rest of the folks we heard that at last writing you were still in Oshawa. By this time I suppose you ought to be considering going to Toronto and maybe will be there by the time this reaches you. I sincerely hope that you will enjoy work there in the new surroundings and that you will be able to tackle the job with right good earnest. We got a hint that you were not yet quite decided on your course. I hope you have been able to make up your mind on it. I do not want to put undue pressure on you in the matter of life work for it is your life you have to live, not mine., and the work should be one that is most suited to your tastes and abilities. Yet I must say that I should be glad if it would be such that your early idea of returning to give yourself to work in this land for the Master will continue as a guiding principle. You will find the whole life in college a considerable change from the high school. Write and tell us all about it. We have heard a good deal from Will, but you are going to touch a new circle. When you go to Toronto join up with some church and get into the activities of that church. Do not be satisfied with being a “church tramp”. Will has kept up his connection with North Toronto. But it is a doubtful thing whether it would be advisable for you just coming back from another place to link up with a church so far away from where you are living. We are just getting our packing done for return to Weihwei. We are going by a special car on Thursday, getting home Friday. Then will begin the real work for the winter. We have had a pretty good summer. Weather has been not too bad and we have generally been in good health. Mother joins in much love, Your Father, Robert A Mitchell --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei January 1, 1923 Dear Jess & Morr Happy New Year!! My wish for you all is that you may grow gooder, more clever, more bright & capable as the days go by. I hope you all ge the exams you are writing on this year and so be able to go on with the next stage of your life. You will of course get all the fun you can out of sports and parties by the way. But I know you will play the game fair at all times. The last letters told of Christmas & this will tell of New Years. Today of course it is church and Sunday Schoo. This morning the seventy boys from the Primary came over in a body, lined up before the door. Dad had just gone to the High School and when I went out they were quite military in their salute.. They were at zttention then orders were given to remove hats, bow and in English they said their “Good Morning”. When Dad returned they did the same; then formed again and marched off. We invited the teachers in for candy and Christmas cake. There was no water so we could not serve tea. Last Friday 30th we were all at Struthers for the evening when games were played. Cake and ice cream finished off a happy evening. Last night we had Auld, Grants and three of Single ladies, nine in all. We had a pleasant evening and everything went off very well. I have entertained very little since my return partly because of having new servants & also I did not have energy enough. I would like to have the other half of the station in this week if I can manage it. Then I shall not likely do any more till next May after my Bible School is closed. If the Armstrongs come here I must have some entertainment for them; probably a tea & a few in at a time to a meal. The Chinese pastor, Dr. Auld & Dad are arranging the meetings for the week of prayer in the study as I write. It is almost time for church. You people are not off to bed and it is still 1921 (should be 1922) with you. Miss Hodge is in Shanghai & will arrive this week we expect. I want to have the party I spoke of above for her. Jan 2 The English service was here last night; Dad had it. I moved the organ across the corner where the door used to be. Dad stood at the south end & people were seated partly in the dining room, as well as sitting room. Dad is in bed today. For some time he has had a cough & the last two days it has been hurting him. He offered to stay in bed today & I put on mustard back & front & hope that may make the cough less troublesome. An invitation came to us to go to the High School to drink t4eas but neither of us as up. We had breakfast in bed & I did not move till 10. They came in for us about 9 a.m. There are three services in the church for prayer this week and the english srevices the alternate days so it will be a busy week. I hope you will both settle down to the Matriculation after your return and plan to get up most of the work by Easter. Then, take a good rest and then you will be ready for the long last pull till you get the chance in June to have your grand opportunity to let the Department see how muchyou know. Heaps and heaps of LOVE Mother Jennie H Mitchell ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jan 2, 1923 Yesterday the church was crowded and it was a great time for theatre lovers. Before the real play began they put on a short one. A ‘Drug Store’ for the poor, the sign read, but opium was sold. After a time the man was caught. He had a servant who could hear but not speak. He thought this fine for then none of the doings in the shiop would get out. This dumb man was fine. He acted his part well when his master was around but hwen he was not present talked with others. They had the telephone from the physics lab and it was used several times by the owner of the shops and later by the police. Before this Mr Grant played the Cornet, a group of boys sang a two part song, Mr King (lately arrived) sang after the first little play; Mr Grant and King sang again. The play was a Mother-in-law who disliked the son’s wife. She was clever and played the organ well but was no use as a houskeepere or cook. The crises came when a friend called and praised the daughter-in-law. The son returned as his wife was going to her mother’s home, did all he could to prevent her going but failed. She put her arms on his shoulder, told him how she loved him and finally put her head on his chest. He cried and with much sorrow they parted. This scene was reported in the yard the other day as foreign courting. Ibelieve it was enjoyed by the audience as such. The the girls mother and brother discuss what to do with this buren on their hands and were arranging to marry her to the 5th son of the new Daotai (This official was sitting in front of them but has onlyt wo sons). Her former husband meets the cook fo the mother’s family and learns she is about to be married. He has a scene with the mother; she will not yield ‘Lun Tsi’ (the daughter in law) must not return. While they are talking word comes “Lau Tsi’ is dead has taken poisen rather than become the wife of another man. Her late husband falls in a soon, the mother bends over him and keeps saying ‘your mother is here’. The little sister suns for a cup of cold water and the curtain falls. The little sister plays the part of the bashful, self conscious giggling girl in here teens fine and the old mother-in-law was just grand. She looked the part as well as spoke the attitude of the fierce ugly mother-in-law. There was a ventriloquist trick after which was real good and brought the house down when the official roared. Ther were tickets – one special with tea and cakes and candies (with chairs before tables) around (first class) and there followed second and third class tickets. It was really the social event of the season. When we came out of the church the yard was full of carts and rickshas. Now I must close and start this letter off on its long journey. How I wish I could go along. Now all three of you please do not go out so much at night this term. Settle down to work. I feel Bill you do too much, are in too many committees etc. Be sure you get your sleep or you will suffer later for it. We are of a nervous line and sleep is very essential. Do you eer use your Violin now. Jess, keep up your Piano and Morr your Violin. I wish Jess would use her Ukalelee. I am ecnlsoing a list of Victrola Rrecords to date. Bill you keep them in Toronto. Now this is the real adieu. I wish you buy to record books for us at Eatons and charge to my Acct: 4882. Warn them to have corners well fixed up and there is no reason why they should not come all right. There has been so much objection to raising stamps and telegraph rates the governors have had to go back to the old rates and we use the old stamp again. With much love, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei January 8, 1923 My Dear Bill, Jess, Morr: The type has not come yet and the typewriter will not write an 'r' big or little and some sides of a number of letters will not work and I think you will find it easier to read what my pen will give you. Father has just left for Changte where he will be till Saturday 13th. The subject of salaries for teachers in all the schools of the mission is up to a committee of 17 Chinese and ten Canadians. There were to be 10 Chinese but by some mistake more were appointed. There has been some very strong feeling in certain directions for months and now the subject is up for debate. The high school graduates are demanding a rise to 12 mex a month. It's not too much with prices as they are but we have no money with the deficit at home. They naturally say well other missions give bigger salaries and we will go there and they have been doing so for four or five years. We have the trouble and expense of educating them and other missions give them a salary we cannot give for we hve no money. it is a critical time and it is owing to be difficult to answer the questions and meet the attitude of the employees of the mission with no money in our bank. The word of small amount of gifts to deficit is disheartening. The foreigners who were in the hands of bandits were all home for Christmas but I fear some will suffer from the treatment while with the robbers. When the robbers were being pressed they kept on the move and Chinese and foreign captives had to move with them, sometimes with very little sleep and poor food. These foreigners were told time and again they were kidnapped for political purposes. The idea being to force the hands of one of the Militarists and take the robber bands into the National Army. If the foreign powers got after him he was helpless was their idea. I think the powers should make it impossible for such kidnapping to happen. They should force China to set her house in order. Well, this letter will not be interesting to Morr and Jess I fear. It is above their interests. I cannot write of sports for there is nothing but tennis and not much of that these cold days. Last week we had Dr. Netterfield and his wife here with Hatties for an evening. We played 'Rook'. We did not get started till after 9p.m. for they were late for supper. I enclose some of the cards sent us by the boys from our school in Leinan. The whole eleven sent the same card. This library was built by money from Augustine Church in Winnipeg. Wholly Canadian and the upkeep is their gift. One card is for Oshawa and one for Bill. Bill had better keep the administration-building picture. Dr. Struthers is out of quarantine and he says he will not take scarlet fever again if he can help it. Grants and Struthers are getting ready for furlough and sail early in June. I shall miss both families very much, especially Struthers. They hope to be in Toronto part of the time so you will see them and Grants will be living there all the time. I must off to school and teach my class. Goodbye for the present. 3:30pm Well the classes have been taught and dinner over. It is lovely and warm today - such a difference from the last two weeks. Sorry but I just cannot write today. It is one of my bad days. All alone does not go well with me. I am going to try and write Aunt Mabel some day this week. We got over 50 Xmas cards, several calendars and Saturday, a fine box from Cornwall. I think I must say goodbye for this week. Mother sends her heartful of love to all three. Be good, study well; do not forget your Bible daily reading. If I know you are careful about this it will make my loneliness easier to bear. Lovingly, Mother (Mrs) Jennie H Mitchell --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei January 21, 1923 Dear Bill, Jess & Morr. Here goes the pen again. Why the type has not come I know not. It's Sunday and about 5p.m. I was at church this morning and father remained in bed. Mr. Grant preached. It is a very cold day with a North wind blowing. I was very cold when I returned from Church and did not go to S.S. till time to teach. Mrs. Struthers was getting nervous lest I would not turn up and she was not ready to reach any class. The wind is blowing dust and clouds. If it falls we might get snow. The last and only fall this year was not much help to wheat and unless more comes soon the wheat will all die. We dread to think of famine again. We will help at first without calling it famine help. Tomorrow the first guests come for Presbytery. The room S.E. which we have been occupying is fitted up for the Menzies but I believe Mrs. Menzies has decided to leave the children at home with Mrs. Shea, the aunt she had in Canada. We are in the north wing even as Mr. & Mrs. MacRae and Dr. MacKenzie will be in the room we used when you were with us. I made the beds yesterday and have very little but the finishing touches tomorrow. We had our station meeting for estimates last week. It seems dreadful to have to cut down as we must according to instructions from the M.B. The Chinese and some Canadians are feeling it would be better not to send any more missionaries than further cut the established work. This is my birthday, 54. I am getting old. I am having the nurses from the next house in for supper and as it is such a bad night we will not go to the other yard to service. Father gave me a centerpiece of fine long cloth embroidered. It was done at H,K. Miss Stewart is in charge while Mrs. Mowatt is home. It is a very pretty piece and if I am spared to go home I shall likely take it with me. Now I want you all to tell me how your underclothes are summer and winter for I can send you some. We were delighted with the snaps from Jess and Morr and enjoy them more and more each day. I am so glad you sent them. And Bill's photo is just lovely. When I am lonely I come and look at it and think of what a good boy he is. January 23 Sunday was my birthday; work went on as usual. It was a dreadful day - a regular hurricane blew all night Saturday and Sunday and yesterday as well. In the evening of Sunday I had Misses Mitchell and Brydon from the house to the North of us in for supper. I used the little tables Father gave me last year and we had a pass supper. Father gave me a beautiful centerpiece for the dining table. Yesterday's morning mail brought me the pictures from Oshawa. No letters for a long time now from those two thoughtless ones in Oshawa but it wzs good to have thier pictures. Jess looks very sober and old in one. Morr. wearing his hair so different from what he did when I was with him makes him look different. Everyone seeing the pictures thinks they are good. Now I cannot write any more for it is all rush making things ready for guests and meetings tomorrow. So adieu my precious ones. Write often we are hungry for letters. Lovingly, Mother Mrs. Jennie H. Mitchell ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei, Honan February 5, 1923 Dear Jess and Morr We have just received a new shuttle for the typewriter and I shall try it on you. My own impression is that it is not very good even though it is perfectly new, so that I think there must be something wrong with the machine beside the type. However I think that the stuff can be read, which is an improvement on what hs been put out lately. Perhaps I shold have had a better carbon for copying. We have had a very busy two weeks at presbytery. Various things have been up which took us a great deal of time and thought. The whole situation as to the manning of the field was a problem. Clarks have gone leaving the Prices the only family at Wian. Ghante is very undermanned. It was decided to cable for Eadie to come even if it iwas only for a short time. Pompas is going to Wien during Brice’s furlough. Dr. Wetterfield is going to Changte and Dr. Baird is coming here after Dr. Reeds returns. Among the ladies, Miss Leslie returns to Wien instead of being sent to Changte. Miss Ross returns to D’waikin where Miss Brown has not been able to carry on alone because of ill health. The matters of the educational committees took up a good while. We are starting out on a union educational board to control the educable work. It is a problem which will give us a good deal of anxious thought. Then the financial situation is not an easy one. The Board are asking us to cut down on expenditures a good deal, for this year. It is not easy when practically all of our workers are on strike for higher salaries. Then the Forward movement money’s caused some anxiety. We should have had a committee divide up the whole amount in an equitable way. As it is we did not really know how such was coming to us and allowed things piecemeal. We see now that practically the whole amount is gone into houses at Tienstsin and Tsinen; the library at Tsihan; the hospital at Weihwei and the prospective one at Iwaiking. We are in crying need of extension at once in our educational plant at Changte and at Weihwei but there is no money. We did not look at things all round as we should have done. Examinations were on in the high school during the presbytery meeting. Now I have to get to work and examine the papers. Our guests all got away last week. We who stayed over Sunday have not bee able to get away yet as the trains are not running on the Penan line. I think that there is a strike some place on the line. Dr. Rudd of the English Baptist mission in Shiensi came here with it’s boys for the school. He was due in Tsihan for a meeting this morning but is still here. He is going to Sishsihang to see if he can get the express there today. I do not think that we have written since we got the pictures from Jess and Morr. They are adorning the mantle along with Will’s and very glad indeed are we to have them. Everybody comments on how Morrisson has grown. They do not see any difference in the others. We are awfully pleased to have them We haven’t anything new to say so I shall close and get to examination papers which have to be got off. With love from mother and myself. Add on: Mother is grousing that thse has to to go to a wedding today. The son of the elder Jim is to be married to the bride who has been brought up in their home. She went home to here parents the other day and the wedding chairls will go there for her. Railroads are still not running. I have got to take a prosecutorship again with Mr Hattie going away. The station treasureship also falls to my lot. Mr Lochead is Chairman of this station. Your loving father, Robert A Mitchell ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei Feb 11, 1923 Dear folks at home: I’ve been thinking of you for a much longer time than you have been waiting for a letter. And I have been and am thinking of you one by one and you are all just beside me as I write and so will you believe it and take this letter for your very own? It is Sunday afternoon and I have had a nap and dreamed about you and the old days and wake to be glad as I am every day that I have Sue at least with me here. I will not have her as close for very long because I will have to move over to the nurses’ home when Miss Brydon leaves in a few weeks. She was lent to Weihwei till I got back and now goes to her own station. Well, as I said it is Sunday afternoon and the sun is shining. Already we are into spring and Friday of this week is Chinese New Year. The sun rises about a quarter to seven and has lots of power and warmth by noon. It is a good thing the winters are short in this land for with so many thin garments and stretchy meals a little winter goes a long way. Just now everybody is wanting to put his best foot foremost and get a new garment for New Years and there will be some queer looking costumes I fear. People knock at this and other doors unceasingly not what you would call beggars but friends from the country side all about and after a little chat gradually comes out the facts of some story of hard times and you know for the most part they are not overdrawn. Yesterday one of my old Chjisien friends came bringing her small son of three yeas and the fact was disclosed that there was no income and no money to buy clothes for this infant. He was a cute kiddie with a winning grin so Susie and I both went upstairs to see what we could find. Sue produced an old coat of John’s very much out at the heels but I could find nothing but a new remnant of gay large patterned chintz in yellow and green. As I was hesitating at the top of the stair with this in my hand I heard a sound and here was my lady coming up on her hands and knees (she would not risk the danger of walking upright on anything so dangerous as stairs) to see how things were progressing. She had sighted the chintz and her face was shining. I timidly asked if it was too bright to make the child a pair of trousers and she said no indeed and took it eagerly and nearly kow towed to me. Susie’s offering was received with equal gratitude so you can imagine that kiddie wearing a festive costume of shabby grey worsted coat and chintz pants! Yesterday George and John and I took rickshaws and rode into the city. The streets are gay with all sorts of holiday wares and the boys wanted to see it and so did I. Paper flowers were everywhere pink and red and yellow and I soon found myself riding along with a huge bunch fastened to my rick; while I was in at the post office the rickshaw coolie had bought them and fastened them to my chair for easy carrying. Tinsel paper in gold and silver for use in worshipping ancestors was much in evidence and with the flowers made the city look like a big Christmas tree. The fresh new gods were neatly folded in piles and looked exactly like a pile of one hundred tissue paper napkins, the same size and thickness and the red and brown coloring of the pictured gods would easily pass for some oriental design for these very goods. There were lovely fresh vegetables and fruits kept for this occasion in the pits that make such good cold storage plants out here. Cabbage, carrots, celery, water chestnuts, turnips, onions, oranges and pears seemed to be selling rapidly. The market is just along the open street a farmer squats among his wares which lie on the ground or are in little round flat baskets. Strings of dried persimmons looking like dried figs were carried unwrapped over the arm or round the neck. They are mighty good to eat and occasionally we forget their associations and indulge but only when the weather is safely cold. Annual Presbytery meeting is over and nearly everyone gone home. It was a large meeting and I enjoyed meeting all the friends again. It was held in the lower south ward of the new hospital and a fine assembly room it made. We had the electric light for the first time on the second day of the meeting and now it is in most of the houses. George spends nearly all his time out of school in the power house and says he things he could nearly run the engine himself. At such speeches you can imagine his mother’s joy! We are planning the formal opening of the hospital early in April; a Chinese holiday called “perfect brightness” comes along then and will be a suitable time as we will ask officials and gentry from the province and the Chinese like to take a little holiday about that time of year. We will not be able to move in then however as it is taking carpenters and plumbers a long time to do the necessary work but we can get enough together to make a respectable showing. A railway strike of some proportions affecting five lines has kept things tied upor a week. The shopemn fomred a union and the owners appealed to the government to prevent their meeting. This they tried to do with the result that there was a general strike. Yesterday’s paper said the matter had been settled by allowing the meeting to take place. Have just heard that my sewing machine will reach me this week. Mr. Eadie is bringing it in with him – on his hsoulder, he writes. There are sixty speads waiting to be made twice, as many sheets and other things in proportion, so you can see it was a real need. The spreads are to have a deep blue border and a narrower strip just at the edge of the bed and an oval space outlined in blue just on the patient’s chest with the hospital monogram. The sheets are unbleached and pretty coarse but I insisted on white spreads. I expect I’ll have to teach a woman to run it but they learn quickly. I’m certainly greatful for it. The hospital is emptying out fast these days as people get home for the new year and we have only a few bedridden and homeless left. One ten-year-old girl with both her feet off sits and helps make dressings for us. She froze the feet during a cold spell and will likely stay and go to school as scuh a child at home would be in a pitiful case. Now it is bed time and I must leave you tho I don’t want to. My love to you all by name. I wish I could know to-night how you all are and see you if only for a few minutes. We are all fine here and do trust all are well at home. Very lovingly, Aunt Jennie Dear Alec: Will you share this letter with May and anyone at the Hall whom you care to? My love to you all; to Mr Jamieson whom I have treated badly in the way of letters. Please tell him Warren her sister – was looking well and very nice indeed when she was here for Presbytery. You won’t know George and John except that Georges Chin is the same. They are a lawless pair! Hope you are well.. Much love, Aunt Jennie ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei February 11, 1923 Dear Bill, Jess and Morr: One letter for all this week. The typewriter is on its way to Shanghai. We hope when it returns it will be more satisfactory. Dr Auld left last night for a medical conference in shanghai and he took it with him. Just as presbytery was closing a strike on the R.R. took place. Some of the guests did not get away and the Bruce’s who had gone to Qiunwu for the weekend were stuck there for five days. Our last guest got off by the last train. Dr. E.B. Struthers from Laiuau and family are still here. They heard the express was to go through on Friday and went over . So did we to see them off. There was no train and they had to return. The Amah had taken the bedding off their beds, folded the blankets and threw the linen in the dirty clothes hamper. The board had been taken out of the dining room table. Gilcrist seeing all this, said “there is no place for us!”. I had them all in last night to help things along. Mr Mackenzie of Lietaire remained at the station; lunch and cot bed was sent over to him. He got a train about 2 a.m. in the morning. He could do that but not the Struthers with his wife and two children. A C.I.M. family, well with Mrs Stevensen were at Liu Siding for three days in a Chinese rain. They got here yesterday and were a thankful pair. They will go on to LaoThou today as there is to be a train. We had planned a little trip to Lauo Tso and SiuWu for the weekend and had to give it up. We may to tomorrow and return Saturday Chinese service is over. There were a number of foreigners at Church. They have decided to go tomorrow. Elsie Ross is here yet. The train taking the children to Chefoo has not yet arrived and she has been waiting a week. Bill will remember a two weeks wait he had in Lientsin one year. School is already opened eleven days and the Honan Crowd still in Honan. Upon the mantle are the photos of you three looking down upon me as I write. We enjoy them very much and have not a little pride in letting our friends see what fine children we have. Your conduct since we left you has made us feel very happy and we hope you will continue to study carefully and faithfully, be helpful to others. Do not forget the daily reading of your Bibles and prayer. This is a milepost year for Jess and Morr for they must decide ont heir life work. Morr has possibly decided but Jess seems uncertain as to what she will do. If you decide on Nursing, Jess, let me know. I have something to say about the hospital and some advice to give re: caring for yourself. Father has just gone out to Sunday School; our afternoon rest is over. I am not going today as Miss Hodge is teaching my class. We have young Chever. Do you remember it.. a pretty yellow flower. Some branches were brought in the house a couple of weeks ago and have opened out beautifully. There are two vases of white and red geraniums and one of Chinese lilies in the room where I am writing. Our bulbs are not yet out but a daffodil will be out in a day or so. Others will follow in the next two weeks and also a few Hyacinths. We should have flowers right on from now till we go away in the summer. Now Precious ones adieu… God Bless you and keep you is the prayrer offered very often by your Father and Mother who long very often to see and talk with you. Love from both of us… Lovingly, Mother.. Jennie H Mitchell ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hweihwei February 16, 1923 Dear Bill, Jess & Morr This is new Year’s day and eveerything is very quiet here. We left on the 12th and expect to return tomorrow but the way to Chinotzo there was no fire on the train but I had my hot water bottle, but yesterday coming up here it was very cold and the ride over from the station was cold and it took me some time getting warm after I got here. When in Chinotzo we went down one of the new mines. They have really shut down at Chiatzo and opened a new place there Le’ from Chiaotzo. Here they are away from that underground river and are getting out fine coal. We went down 420 ft. and there walked three thousand feet and more east. As well we were led around seveeral corridors and were over an hour underground. The sides and overhead are propped up with stout timbers. A long corridor is dug out and the coal taken out, removed as the miners work. Mother has asked me to say something more about the coal mine.. The formation is somewhat as above (diagram of three levels with box rooms between). There is a main level on which they have a line of cars; a higher level and as they work toware that all the coal would come toward the main level by gravity. Baskets of iron shoes are used some. Each of the lines marked is a tunnel about eight feet high and six or eight wide. They run off from the main one every fifty feet on alternate sides. When the coal is taken out props are put in about 6 inches in diameter.. (diagram of bar and two props holding same). These almost touch one another so that it becomes a wooden tunnel whitewashed. In some places where the coal was good and firm there were no props We took a turn off down to E which is a lower level, but as there is water in part of that we did not go far. There is a comparatively little water in this mine and it is run along to pits and then “undecipherable” up. There are a couple of places where water tight doors are placed which could be closed in case of an inrush of water and not destroy the whole thing. Then every short distance there are tunnels to lower levels which would take the water. On the other hand up in the region of CD they were into bad lands. The coal had been worked formerly so that it is not solid above head. It is dangerous walking that region and we were too large a company to take with only one guide lest something fall on us. We noticed one place among the rubbish a piece of wood which had been one of the props of a mine 75 years ago. The general theory of working the coal is to take out a layer at the bottom; the continued pressure all around presses up the bottom until the tunnel is closed. They would take another layer above the old one. We saw places where the bottom was heaving up quite perceptibly. I think they said it was rising about two inches a month. Then again there were other places where the bottom was quite solid and not moving. It was just before New Year and there were very few men getting out coal so that we did not see the actual digging. But we were able to get around more easily. One place a lot of boys were running thin baskets of coal down to the main level. One of them did not get stopped as we were crossing and he knocked Colborne Luttrell off his feet. Mother just stepped back in time. FROM MOTHER: I knew father could write this up better than I and so he did. Feb 19 Bompas came in wet and muddy about 5 o’clock. After supper we attended English service at Struthers. Mr Bompas has just left for C.J. It is bitterly cold and it looks as though we are in for our winter for thus far we have had no real cold weather. I am sorry too for this is the week we want to go out preaching and where cold one cannot do much in the open air. Now adieu my precious children. Try and keep your work up to date and that will take away the fear of exams. You have all been given a fair amount of brains. Use them to advantage and do not hinder its work by tiring out your bodies. Work faithfully each day and sleep good and sound. Lovingly, Mother Jennie H Mitchell --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei Feb 18, 1923 My Darling Jessie Yesterday when we returned from Chiatzo where we had been for a few days we found Mrs Jamieson’s and your letter telling us about your neck. We were not altogether surprised for we had noticed it in the photo and discussed it with Dr. Struthers. I have just finished a letter to Mrs. Jamieson in which I told her we felt we could not give much advice at this distance. It may be a decision has been made now for the month of treatment would be up about this time. We have been wondering whether you would have to stop study and have tonsils removed or whether it would be best to go until exams are over, have a rest and then get whatever is to be done, don. You know what is best. If your health is not effected you might prefer to finish this term. Whatever is done you should have a good summer’s rest. It seems to us you could get that best with the Alquires at their Cottage on the beautiful St. Lawrence. If you to to Point Au Baril you would be expected to do a good share of the work and could not rest as you could down the St. Lawrence. You will find nice company there without too much temptation to overdo. If you feared being too much alone Morr might go and try a drive a car or some other job for part of the time. We think it would be well if you could get your Honor Matric off for there is a satisfaction in finishing what one begins to do. That must be left for Dr Cameron to decide. Then we do not know what is the best time for you to enter the hospital for Nursing, nor how long you should rest before going into Nursing. So you see while we have several ideas in our minds, not knowing the facts as you and your friends do, we cannot give definite advice. Mrs. Jamieson and Uncle Lou are near and you can soon get Bill if you want to talk things over. Any of the Aunts will help you whichever one, you yourself feel you wish. But while you can use Llewellyn Hall as a home Mrs. Jamieson as a mother you are well surrounded with helpers and while mother longs to be with you to help and talk affairs over with you we are thankful you are situated as you are. Throw yourself into the Arms of your Heavenly Father and He will comfort and help you as he does your Father and Mother while we are separated from our precious children. No more of this at this time. Dr. Bompas arrived a few minutes ago. We had expected him on the noon train but he was delayed twice now it has been snowing and blowing. The roads are muddy this and his coat and hat were dripping water when he reached the door. Six of the children of M.C.S. are sick also the teacher Miss Summerville. Two have influenza and the others chicken pox. Service will be at Dr. Struthers for that I am glad for it is nearer us. Ruth and Dorothy Lochead are also sick. This is Chinese New Year and today those little pies usually sent at this time came in today and we must try to get rid of some of them. I hope you and Morr will settle down to steady work. You can get off in quiet places for study. Do not go out often. On Sunday night remain home and keep quiet. It is very necessary one lets down once a week. Get a quiet time to yourself for a read or just lie still and rest. I must say adieu for another week. Don’t forget to write to your father and mother who long for word from you. Heaps of love from both of us Lovingly, Mother Jennie H Mitchell PS: Bob McClure’s engagement we heard some time ago is off. Has Russell given up medicine? Is there any way of you having goiter? It seems to me that is the name of what is the trouble.. the same as Aunt Mabel. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei Feb 26, 1923 Dear Jess and Morr Dr Auld returned with the typewriter today but a little holder on the rollers had been broken on the way up and that has to be returned to Shanghai. I fear w will not have it for next week’s letters. Feng yu siang, the Christian general sent two men to Changte and here to conduct meetings. There has been good attendance. One day a military official took the chair and today the ‘dud Yui’ the highest official presided. The addresses were not as evangelical as I would have liked but both men seem deeply spiritual and their coming will be a help to our work I am sure. All around I hear theatres going on. As well, firecrackers are being put off those this is still New Years week. That is why these men came at this time. A number of babies were brought by the mothers and some women came with two or three children. I get after them when I am not playing the organ. I chase the kids out if they are noisy and make the mothers with crying withdraw. Yesterday I went down to one fat mother with a fat crying babe in her arms. I said, “You had better remove yourself and baby outside”. She said, “he will stop crying soon.” I said, “but he is preventing people from hearing”. So I took her by the arm with the idea of politely helping her out. She would not move and I had to lay hands on her, lift her up off the seat and then push her out. This is the kind of mission work I find forced upon me sometimes. I do not like it but there are times when it must be done for the benefit of others. I wish the Chinese could see and understand the woman next her has some rights. Ruth Lochead has had influenza and is still not up. Dorothy has also been sick and several children in the school have influenza and school has been closed. Jessie I want you to give up dancing for a time till your neck is better. One of the great things is to avoid excitement of any kind. It may be hard but nothing is so precious as a good strong body. What would you think of going to the Alquire’s Cottage this summer? You may think that quiet but again that is what you need and I wish you would write them and ask if they can give you accommodation. You could go boating and every little while have a ride in the car. Mabel will be there for most of the summer. We hope for letters in a day or so and there may be more about how you are. I hope Dr. Cameron will give the treatment a good trial before thinking of an operation. Have a good rest and sleep. There is a pot of daffodils (three) near me and we have two hyacinths out. Our vegetables are all gone and we must live off what we can buy up street. Presbytery being here was hard on vegetables. We have a cable informing us of a cut in our salaries. It means there is less money for all of us. You must do without some things you had last year; movies especially, and other pleasures. I am sorry but it must be done. We are doing without a fire except in the conservatory. We are giving up coffee and eating less butter, drinking weak tea and doing without a number of things we really like and need. It is an awful blow to us all. Some I fear will never get over this reduction just at a time when we carry heavy responsibilities educating our children. Be good, work faithfully and live as economically as you can. We pray often for you and love you both very much. Love from father and Mother JennieH Mitchell --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feb 27, 1923 Dear Jess The letters from you and Morr Jan 21 and 28th just in with letters from Bill. Now Jess. I want you to ask Dr Cameron about your exercise and do just what he tells you about that. I think you should not exercise much till your neck is better and rest is the all-important thing. Father is out and he has not seen your account. They look good and I think will be a great relief to him. He will write next week. I shall try and get you some silk for a dress. I have a piece of silk for blouse for you. Shall send this summer with whoever goes home. Today we have a station meeting to discuss finances. We are all terrified what’s up over this cut and when Presbytery meets. It will be decided who can do without furlough. We are doing without many things and want to help you children. Be as careful as you can in spending money and we will do the same. It will only be a few years till your education will be finished. Bill can take care of himself and it is you and Morr the next few years. If your neck does not interfere with your work and you can finish your Metric. I want you to take a complete rest this summer. Be very quiet and then you may be able to go on with nursing. I hope you can go in with Irene. I am making you nightdresses and Teddies so do not get any. These are things you need whether nursing or not. Let me know how your undershirts are, white or colored. Would you like more white for you must wear them so much in hospital. Then let me know about Morr’s cotton pyjamas. I can send him some this summer. Do not forget to let us know these things. And now adieu for another time. We are so happy this morning to have letters from all of you. Heaps of love .. Mother Jennie H Mitchell --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei, Honan March 11, 1923 Dear Jessie and Morrison I have been hoping for a good while that we would get back to the use of the typewriter but it seems to be not much better than it was. When I got it back from Shanghai it was broken. I sent for that piece. It arrived yesterday but when I went to put it on I found that there was another piece out of shape. It makes me mad. This is written with a part off Miss Dinwoody’s machine. I find that it fits. I was offered the load of the machine but thought that I would try the part and see how it would work. In this way I can continue my letter by machine instead of having to go back to my pen. Last week we were expecting a meeting of presbytery to consider what would be done with regard to the cable to reduce our estimates or expenditures to $82,000. It is all over now and we have to go ahead and do the best we can. The large par tof the cut is made by saying that all furloughs are to be cut out unless the person concerned is prepared to put up the necessary traveling and other expenses until such time as the board are able to repay. I do not know how it will work out. In the first place we said all furloughs were shifted down a year. Then those are allowed to go who pay their own way. We then went again over our estimates and cut out what we could, reducing especially on the medical work, which they will try to make up on fees. Then the rest of the reduction had to come on salaries. We did not feel that we had authority to make the cut on the salaries if any person made an objection. One notion was to ask the Foreign Mission Boar to make the reduction on our salaries, as we could not cut the work any more. But eventually we decided to make the salary cut in the form of a voluntary subscription. So far as we ourselves are concerned we had already begun our cut by dismissing the cook and the sewing woman. We shall have to do more of the housework ourselves and do a fair amount of the gardening ourselves., taking the time off our Chinese work for it. We have all along been paying personally for servants so that we could do the mission work. We shall have to take the opposite way now. Perhaps it may not be a loss to the Chinese church fi they see that we are really in financial difficulties, which they often do not believe. Whether these things are good or not depends on how one looks at them. I am afraid that we all fail somewhat when we have to acknowledge by force that “a man’s life consist not in the abundance of the things he has.” This might be an opportunity for a spiritual growth for ourselves and the Chinese but I am afraid I am not in the spirit to make it so. At the presbytery meeting Dr. Deslie Auld and Mr MacKenzie were our guests. The weather is getting warmer now and we have had a few quite warm days. The poplars are beginning to send out their catkins. The Jasmine is in bloom at the school. Our bulbs are just now flowering, hyacinths and daffodils. The tulips are sticking their way through in the garden. I have been doing a little digging and a good deal of pruning. I do not know how the servants will take their new order of things. The boy is learning to cook. I think perhaps the gardener would like to come inside and get some one else to do outside work but not much. I have been quite suspicious lately that he was making more efforts than formerly to get away with coal and some other things. Yesterday I saw the coalscuttle beside the west steps with ashes in it as if he had just been taking the ashes out of the stove. I investigated and found that the first inch was ashes but the rest nice fine coal, which he had broken up. I called him. Of course he was not intending to take our coal, such a thing would never enter his head, etc. This was only fine coal which we did not use in the conservatory and which he always carried to the kitchen and put inn the box of coal dust for the kitchen stove. He acknowledged that he was not accustomed to dumping ashes into the kitchen coal and he had not a very satisfactory explanation for why the inch of washes was covering the coal. Poor chap! He has not attained to the ideal of living on his salary even though it is small. The sewing woman was his wife so things are harder in their home just now. Miss Brydon left for Hwaiking yesterday; we went to the station to see her off. She has been here for two years and although very quiet about everything has left a good record after her. The Chinese women of the hospital staff had quite a cry at the station as she went off. We saw the Taotai at the station seeing someone off. As we came away we saw that his wife was there too. He called her and introduced her to both mother and me. It is rather a change in things when a Chinese Lady goes to the station to see folks off and gets introduced to a man while there. The Grants who were due to furlough this year are going to Peitaiho instead. I do not know what the Bruces are going to do. Struthers are intending to go home financing it themselves as they have special reasons calling for them this year. Today there was a congregational meeting of the Chinese church here. The three years engagement of the pastor is up and they have decided that for the time being they will not call a pastor. I understand that they are wanting to get a place in the city and they cannot do that and support their pastor at the same time. I do not know whether or not they will be calling an evangelist. Mail came in this afternoon, a large foreign mail. It was sorted at our place but there was not a letter for us except statements from Eaton. Mother is feeling very much down these days. I hope that you will let her hear as frequently as you can. We were hoping that abut this time we might hear what was the result of the treatment that Dr Cameron is giving Jessie. Let us have what word you have because at a distance perhaps we are apt to magnify things which we dread. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei, Honan April 8, 1923 Dear Jess and Morr Another week has slipped away with its quote of work – and other things. I shall get this letter started before having to go to Sunday school. We had just lain down after dinner today when a knock came at the door and of course we felt a bit like cussing whoever it was. I went down to find the gatekeeper with a telegram. I noticed it was from Toronto. Of course cables are sometimes disquieting till they are decoded. I saw this had the name Henderson in it and was not alarmed that anything was wrong this time. Jumping on my wheel I went to Grant’s for the codebook and found that it meant “$3,000 Gold available for the purpose”. Henderson. Mother had been in correspondence with Mrs. Henderson about a sum of $2,000 that he wanted to give for some special object in Honan. The church gallery or extension had been discussed but about six weeks ago we sent home a letter to show that the extension to the school was a first call in consideration of the new system which is to be introduced making the high school course six years. $3,000 are estimated for in our estimates for next year. So I judge that the Henderson’s have agreed that their money will go to that purpose and that they will give not two but three thousand. You may be sure we are jolly well glad; but we shall have to face the subject of its relation to the budget. I really do not know what our actions still have to be. You know all the givings go into the lump and are divided proportionately. So an extra contribution like this is inclined to come off of some other thing. Well school has been going on as usual. The first meeting of the Chinese presbytery of Weihwei was held this week. I was at a number of the meetings but not continuously. The foreigners from the other stations along the Taoching line were here in fair force though not all the time. Mr. Luttrell was our guest for a day. In the presbytery, which formerly contained the whole mission field, there were very few representatives from this end which is not so advanced as the north. Se we have not many Chinese in this presbytery who are used to doing business. Dr. Carr-Harris left Tuesday night for home. I did not see him. He came home that morning and left at night and I forgot about his going off. There is a Russian woman sick here and I understand she is to occupy the house Carr-Harris was in. Though our school opened so late we are going to have the hike to Hew Hsien from April 18-21. it is good it was not this cold week. We have had fires. April 9 I held this over till today in the hope that there would be some word from you. The empress steamers come in on Fridays now, so that we get the mail earlier in the week. A big pile of letters came in for other people but never a scrap of paper from our folks. I was not so surprised at Will because he gave us an extra letter last week. But it is now quite a number of weeks since we had a line from Oshawa. Each week Will’s letter comes in with the refrain, “still no word from Oshawa”. I wish you could understand what it means for us out here. Mother lives a good deal on the letters she gets from the children and when they do not come it takes the life out of her. Not only so, but lately we have had at least two complaints that you are not writing the letters you should in the ordinary acknowledgements of favors. These two were entirely independent of one another. One has to be careful about these things for people notice them. The other day mother was speaking to a person about a certain family in the mission. The reply made was “Oh, they do not know enough to write their bread-and-butter letter”. It is beginning to feel like real spring again. There is a big display of lilacs at the school and the whole yard is fragrant. Peach blossoms are all out. The big tree near the school is just covered and near it is a Judas tree all aglow with the darker color. They look very pretty. How are studies going at the school with your new principal? I hope that you will both be able to clear off all of your work this June. Throw your hearts into it and get it well off. Today mother told me that word had just come in that Djang Yin Lunch had been carried off by bandits. He is the brick maker who lives out at Gicheng. Mother’s girls’ school was in their home. He is one of those men who bought the piece of land just to the south of us, hoping that if they were living near the mission the bandits would keep away. Apparently his scheme has not accomplished the purpose. We have not yet had particulars except that it was in the daytime. His wives were away. Mrs. Ratcliffe is going to move over with Miss Mitchell in the house to the north. She wanted Miss M to go into the Struthers house but she preferred the smaller house. Miss Anderson who has been here since she took typhoid at presbytery time has gone back to Huan. She wants to get in the rest of the spring in touring before she goes home this summer. Mrs. MacLachlin is up at Huan just now I think. She is trying to see the stions of the mission before she returns to Canada this summer. Good by for the present, with much love from us both. Good success in all your school work and keep your aims high. Looking unto Jesus. Your loving father Robert A Mitchell --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei, Honan April 15, 1923 Dear Jess and Morr Another cold week has gone. We have so much cloudy weather this year and very little sun. there has been plenty of rain and I fear we shall so soon hear the farmers complaining that the wheat needs more sun. As in Canada there is a saying that the farmers are always complaining and never satisfied. I suppose most of us are guilty of that same fault. The week has passed much as usual – full of work and there seems to be nothing else for us. ‘No rest for the wicked’. I suppose that is why there is so much for us to do. In addition to work there has been added worry for trouble arose in the High School over the Japanese troubles and when Father tried to get the boys to see their work for the present was their lessons they stirred up trouble and eight boys left; six of them from the graduating class. They sent in a note saying they felt so badly about their country’s troubles they could not study. There are movements all over China among the students as before leaving school for meetings, parades, etc. and of course our boys feel they should be in it. Especially when word has come from students up north asking them to join in these public demonstrations. As usual there were other reasons for some of the boys wished to get out of exams and when a few get a notion they can soon make trouble. We are sorry for as usual some of the fine boys left with the less desirable pupils. Mr Hu, a Y.M.C.A. man is here today in the interests of the recruiting fo the ministry – rather a bad time as the boys are still feeling sore. Some illustrations in his sermon hit the boys this morning and I think they did not like it. I do not know whether he changed his illustrations or not after arriving. He came in about 2am and had very little time for talk but as he was teacher here a few years ago he may have heard and decided to strike hard. One especially was a young man he saw on the train and he was a student. I am used to seeing students in Kaifang and I could see he was a student. I and several others were standing and he had baggage piled up on the seat. Some on asked about the seat and he said he was keeping it for a man who would be along directly. After the train started some time and no one came to take possession of the seat Mrs Hu said “if you need so much room when you are a student where will you find room when you are an Official?” The boys could not but laugh even though they were afraid he meant to hit them. The text was: “Arise! Let us go hence. Jesus knew there was ahead of Him scourging, mockery, desertion of disciples, whipping and the cross, yet He did as he said; he arose and went forward to the cross. Jesus looked beyond his cross to what would come from the suffering. He thought what He was doing for man. Young men may not want to become preachers today because the work is difficult but they are needed more than ever. If the world is to be won for God we (undecipherable) …. In the footsteps of Jesus and by the way of the Cross. (undecipherable) We have wallflower and candytuft in bloom in the yard. ( Undecipherable paragraph) He made several mistakes and I had to do quite a bit of the preparation myself. However we got through it. Next Saturday Mr Eadie comes to talk to the highschool boys and he will be with us. There is supposed to be a mail from Shanghai today. We are wondering whether there will be letters from you two or not. The last letters from you were just after Jess had been to see the doctor the first time about her back, so you know how long we have been without any word. I do wish each of you would spend a half hour once in every two weeks and get a letter off to your parents. Give us a little time every other week and it will give much pleasure to us and I think not be taking too much time from fun and young time spent. Monday, 16 Just as we were about to come down to breakfast a piano tuner arrived and I have been flying around to get breakfast. Father has gone to see Auld to see if they can put him up as I cannot do so. Now adieu for this week. Hope you are both keeping well and that you are giving due attention to your work. We hear from outsiders that Morr has decided to study medicine and that Jess goes in for nursing in another year. Let us hear from you as to what you are thinking about your future. Mother and father send you heaps of love and are very sorry that we must be so far away from you. Father thought when at home and still thinks this is the only way he can work. He is too old to make a change in his place or line fo work and while duty calls him here and you there let us do what we can to keep in touch with each other. Lovingly, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei May 10, 1923 Dear Jess and Morr Here it is Wednesday and no letter of the Dear ones in Canada. But there was no use writing for no mail could go out and I thought it best to wait till I had definite word for you. For over a week all the Northern route was closed; for about four days the Southern lines. They tell us at the Post office mail will go all right now. No papers have come for five days and we only know a few things. Mr Mackenzie sent a telegram Sunday night. Wu’s troops victorious, Fentien soldiers running home. However there are things to clear up in Honan. The Head Military turned traitor when Wu was tied up north and now Wu will have to settle Chao ti and hi brother Cho Ogie. They are said to be bad men & oppressors of the people and Wu will be merciless if half we hear is true. Troop trains are moving south today. We were quiet here except not know what is doing. We had no anxiety. I remained alone in the house all the time and slept very well though I did get up a few times to see what was the cause of a certain noise. We hope when Wu settles the Honan affairs that people can return to their homes and follow their everyday work. A telegram was sent to Shanghai so that Armstrong would know all was quiet but we do not know what this new move in Honan may mean. If the communication is interrupted they cannot come in. I have been out in the evenings several times more frequently than where Dad at home. We are having a great time cleaning up the house. All the windows are being cleaned; the walls brushed down, etc. in preparation for Armstrong’s visit. This time of the year I usually take down the curtains and put up the dark blinds but am waiting after they have been here to dismantle the windows. The new curtains Aunt Lottie and Mabel sent are up and they look very pretty. I had the floors waxed downstairs but not on the second floor. It is so near going away time I do not like to do much in May for the two months when we are away means a general cleaning when we return. However with such illustrious guests as Armstrongs coming something had to be done. Dr. MacVicar is out in the district where the soldiers of the traitor to Wu tried to get north to his friend. One of them confiscated Dr. MacVicar’s rickshaw. Dr. took after him and made him return it. He says it was fun to see the soldier – the might brave on his knees to him after putting the rickshaw in the place from where he had taken it. The soldiers tried to cross the Yellow river near Kaifeng and rushed north. At the same time another lot tore up the R.R. line between here and Changte and also beyond change. But Wu was on the watch for he did not trust Chao and soon put a stop to the Northward rush. He quickly repaired the R.R. and now is sending his troops south to punish the offenders. I do hope the further south will keep quiet and all try and unite to have some for of stable government. We are expecting a telegram from shanghai saying whether Armstrongs are coming or not. I hope they can get up now that they are so near. If Morr gets work this summer then Jess had better go with Aunt Mabel and help care for Grandma. Talk to Aunt Mabel about it and expenses etc. I am very tired and have not been well all week so think I had better go and lie down before supper. In addition to my classes I had prayer meeting today and that always tires me. Hope the next letters tell us of your decision re the course for next year. Now both of you work well till the exams are over. Mother has been lonely for her children these days when alone. Hope you are both happy and well. If Jess has neuritis she must rest more. I think you both have too many affairs on and do not get enough rest. Glad you all had such a good time when Bill and others were down. Jess will find the other places she lives are not so much like home as the Hall. But girls and boys must move out as they develop. Goodbye for this week. Mother sends lots of love Lovingly, Jennie H. Mitchell -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei May 14, 1923 Yesterday being hot and a full day I decided to wait till today to get off the letters to you. Yesterday I took my full work for the first day for over a week. Mr Forges had the English service. He is down here with Malcolm who is under the doctor’s care. I attended the English service as well and it was held on the lawn at the west of W.M.S. house. I was not prepared for an outdoor meeting but had a wrap for coming home so was all right. Some went home for wraps. However it is better outside these evenings and I think all enjoyed the outside meeting. The school is in quarantine – whooping cough. Five or six were on the south verandah and the others inside. There are three or four who can attend school and they and Miss Summerville will have classes the others have the verandah and the south wing of the school. There is some talk of the disinfected ones moving downstairs. I fear some will not be out of quarantine when it is time to close school. Then too Bobby Bruce is one of the sick ones and they will not be able to sail June 6th. Since the second cable came Bruces and Grants were going home but this will interfere with the latter’s plans. I am so glad the Grants can go at this time for both of them are very tired and need a change. Then too they wish to be with the children. Father goes away to Changte next week for a day – it will take two days and then the next week goes up again for a three days meeting and then on to Tsinan. So you see I am going to be alone again and about the time Father settles down I may start for K.K.S. You will see about the express being held upon the other line. I do hope this will mean a more active suppression of bandits. The government have never taken seriously the task of ridding the country of them. I often wish some foreign troops would get at this job and show them how short a time it takes to do a work if in earnest. I doubt if the Chinese ever do suppress them without foreign aid for they are so afraid of any one who is punished retaliating a few years hence. Revenge and the fear of it hinders progress for public and private good in this country. Mrs. Locheed starts with her mother tomorrow for K.K.S. where they remain a day and then on to Hankow. The visit has been a disappointing one in more ways. Mrs. Locheads illness has prevented Mrs. L from making the visits she had hoped to do with her mother. There is to be a feast for the official this week at Mrs. Sturthers. The gentlemen were all in there one day last week. The women also had a day but I was in bed. I will have to help with provisions when this feast is on but it will not be in my hands and I shall just send the food over. Jessie: Bill’s last letter was written just after you were in Toronto on your return trip from Guelph. He said you were staying with Mary. How do you manage when you stay with girls like that. Do you go out for meals or pay them for what they will have to pay when they have a guest? Now be sure you look after things like that. You seem to have a good time . Thus far you have had very little to interfere with pleasure and fun. You are no longer a child and must after June begin life in earnest. When can you start nursing? I think I did know the age but have forgotten. If you go into business where are you thinking of? Will you have a year or two to remain at it before you go to the hospital? I hope you will (undecipherable). Why not remain with Uncle Van if he will take you. He will see that you do not overwork and take you for rides which you would not get with other employers. However you must not be familiar with him in the store. Get something that will bring in more than berry picking. As I said in the past you are no longer a child and you must take life in earnest. (Paragraph undecipherable) I have a fierce headache so will stop for this week. (Paragraph undecipherable) Jennie H. Mitchell ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei June 28, 1923 Dear Morr How delighted I was Sat 21 to have letters from all three of you but it was a special delight to hear from you for it had been such a long, long, long, long time since there had been a letter from you. I always took comfort in the thought he is at his exams and needs the rest when he is at that work. Shall be glad when you have results and more glad when we hear that you have your year. I hope you get on with the paving gang. It is good pay and outdoor work. I think it would be nice if you and Bill could anchor something together next year; on a steamer starting from Owen Sound and around Lake Superior. Try early and get an outdoor job, or something like Jess has in a boarding house near water. Wait a few years yet before getting Medical jobs will be best. You all had some trip the night you took Norm Irwin up to Toronto. Cars travel fast but are a dead thing when things go wrong. It means full stop and often a stop for some time. Be sure and let us know if you have any reliable word about Gordon. He told his mother in Cheefoo the summer he went home he was so tired he feared he would never get rested. I wish they had brought him in for a few months rest. However they did not. It never pays to let real weariness hold on. It is a symptom of disease and should be attended to. You remember how I used to watch you when we first went to Canada. How badly you used to feel because you could not play as long nor as strenuously as your chums. I always feel had I not been there to watch you would not have grown to be the fine strong big fellow you are. Take care of your health. Get sleep and rest. Do your work and do not take in too many late parties and shows. The time of study only covers a short period of life and if done well will ensure a good position and a place where you can have enjoyment. I must close for today. Father is at the school giving an exam in scripture. This is his big subject for it coves all years. Two sets of papers and it takes a lot of time reading. Poor dad will not have much of a rest from now till he lets the boys off on the 27th. Then from that n it will not be so hard he remains to preside at the entrance exams which are held on 7-10. Goodbye. If grandma is still in Oshawa share this with her. Be sure and write all about Uncle Van. We shall be glad to hear the minutest word of him and his bride. Heaps of love, Mother A Christian helps the cause of God not so much by what he says as by what he is. Remember this as you work among others. Lovingly Jennie H. Mitchell ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kikungshan July 15, 1923 Dear Jess and Morr A week ago today we left Weihwei and had a very ordinary trip. It was very warm and we were glad to feel the cool breezes of the Mountain Tuesday about 4pm. The cook had been here for a few days and had some of the dirt off but not all. We went into Mrs Flemmings for tea and had supper at home and went early to bed. There are a few new houses. Right in front of the Mowatt’s Boyds have built a lovely and very expensive house. Behind Daelin’s Nelson has built a large and expensive house. No more cheap houses seem to be built. Thus one of Nelson’s is for Daniel. Do you remember him. He returns to China after another year. Two or three of the Lutherans have returned and more are preparing to do so. Mary Nelson returns this autumn to teach in the Missionary School. Nora takes a nurses course and will not be back for a few years. Several girls have been inquiring about Jessie. Most of the girls she used to go with down here are going into nursing. Gertrude Sovic also but she has another year in high school. There is an immense building with eight classrooms nearing completion for the American Lutherans. The Swedish Missions are also building. The schools are costing about twenty thousand dollars. I hope the next few years are not going to be so unsettled that the buildings will suffer. Last year they moved the students to Hankow for a time because of bandits. We are wondering how this winter will be. One of the Chinese generals has a home up here. He has promised to police the Hill. All the approaches are guarded by soldiers and the guards up here are increased. Telephone connection with the outposts of soldiers has been put up so he can keep in touch with conditions all around. He has a lot of property here and his family is up so we hope he can keep us quiet. However I shall be glad when the summer is over and it is cool enough for us to return to Weihwei. I heard an unusual noise one night and got up at once. The east veranda, which we had enlarged and enclosed, is very nice. I am sure we shall enjoy it in the afternoons when the hot sun prevents our sitting on the west side. I have not had any ‘teas’ but must begin soon or I shall not get around the friends I wish to invite. The Armstrongs from South China are with the Flemmings next door and I want to see more of them than I have thus far. Father has the Bible class this year and had the first class last Sunday morning in the old church. However we\shall likely be in the new school next Sunday. When we arrived we found the screens needed a few slates and Father found one of the boards you used to use as a toboggan for sliding down the sand banks. Do you remember how you used to use up your clothes? Jessie, I am wondering how the fruit picking is going and whether you will be on Roehampton Ave with Aunt Mabel & Grandma when this reaches you. If you have a star can you return to Oshawa as you did last year and get it off or will you have to go to Guelph before time to write. Hope you can make arrangements to take off any stars or star you have. When you wrote you were afraid of Algebra and Latin Comp. Hope you made the grade but if not try and finish it up whether this Autumn or next Spring. You might return to Oshawa and write there next June. Now my dears girlie try and stay at our work. This is the time for preparation for your whole life and if it is delayed or only half done you will always regret it. Go into Guelph with the determination to stay on the job and do the work well each day. I have been unable to make a purchase from the Indian silk man. Everything is frightfully dear here and I could not think of paying the prices he asks. Going to a new place I think you can possibly manage without any new party dress. However if you musts have something buy a pretty voile and then it will do you next Spring and Summer. That is wha I usually did when I was your age. Father had his old overcoat done over and tuned for $4 and he will wear that till we go home I expect. I also turned the grey silk suit I wore going home in. You remember it. I altered it of course and gave it a dip in Sunset dyes and it looks fresh and will do me for a couple of years. Now this is so we can help you children and I hope you will economize where you can. Mostly where looks are concerned and pleasure. Things that effect health should not be curtailed but the two mentioned ‘Looks & pleasure’ could be reduced these few years when school expenses are so high. Now, Morr, what advice for you. Well, first I want you to do carefully your work this Autumn. The Faculty of Medicine has decided to cut severely in the first two years. Especially the first year. The younger men if they drop down they throw them out and it is the best time to pluck a man. If he has no ability and is young why, let him go to something else. Some going into this six-year course after Honor Matric think the first year easy and do not buckle down. I hope you will not get fooled this way. Make up your mind to get so high up in your percent that you will not be thrown out because you are young. I know these things are facts so please remember them when you are tempted to leave your work for pleasure. I could mention boys I know who went under because of the reasons I have mentioned. God Bless you both as you take up new lines of work this Autumn and I hope you both make a success of it and that you will both be helpful to those with whom you associate and ever lead them nearer Christ and increase in them as well as yourselves a greater desire for God’s Word and work. Heaps of Love from Mother, Jennie H. Mitchell ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------​​​​​​​ Kikungshan, China July 23, 1923 Dear Jessie Last week we got Bill’s letter of June 13 from Port Arthur with Jessie’s of June 6th. We are hoping that today or tomorrow we may get more mail from the Canada, which was due in Shanghai on the 18th. Lat Monday and Tuesday we had some mist and rain but it cleared up by evening so that Misses McIntosh and Hodge got up dry though Flemming got wet in going to meet them. They are living in the Bruce’s house in the meantime though Miss Hodge was supposed to be going to the Bomras for August when she had intended to come down. One day we were invited to Napier Smith’s to have tea and tennis. The tea came off all right but not the tennis on account of wet. They are living in the Williams house just diagonally opposite to us. Mrs. Smith’s parents and brother are visiting them this summer. They are from Toronto. Presbyterians. I think the young man has to get back ahead of his parents to get into college. I do not know what college he is in. On Saturday we had a tennis tea of our mission and had quite a good time a the tennis. Of course some of the tennis was not of the best but the recreation was there. Mother was in two sets. The Locheads, Bondas, Misses Hodge and McIntosh, Mrs. Boyd, the Armstrongs and Miss Eade from South China all took part. Wednesday evening there was the first of the musical evenings. It was very good. On this Wednesday I am expected to give a reading. I am not well supplied with selections but shall give something. I was asked to preach yesterday but I felt that when I am taking the Bible class for the summer I am doing my share of the work. Mr. Napier Smith preached and I was glad that I did not for he gave us a very helpful sermon choicely worded.’ The bible class was in the new American school yesterday. It is just across the road from the Assembly hall so that there was not time wasted getting from one to the other. The song service in the evening seems precarious as thunderclouds were coming up from both sides. However it was not interrupted. There was a Canadian quartet, Misses Leslie and Jenkins and Messrs Bowen and Smith. After we got to bed the rain came down in torrents for quite a while. In the morning it had cleared up but now is misty. A group of men had made arrangements to take a hike down the north valley today. I did not feel like going as I have a GPC meeting and did not feel like being too tired. They went notwithstanding the wet. Mr. Flemming is going back to Weihwei this week and Dr. Auld will be coming down next. Mr. Boyd will be up tomorrow. So the changes go. We were glad to get your letter of the 6th of June. It sometimes seems so long between letters. Mother so often says, “I want my Jessie”. It is so nice to get the home letters and yet it almost always means some homesickness. Was glad to hear of the hard study. I suppose about June we may expect it. But it is rather better to keep up the steady pace throughout with reserve for a spurt. Your names not being in at Easter surely means that some thing else was taking up a good deal of time. You are able to do the work if you stick to it. But it needs a determination to put the first things first. I was glad to hear from Mr. Grant that Mary has got her year. I hope to hear soon that you both have it too. Last week I got word from Tsinan about four of our boys who were trying the matriculation examination. Only one got clear through. One had a star in Chinese and one in English, while one came down in mathematics, Chinese and History, and so cannot go on. The disappointing thing aobut this year’s class is that all the best boys are from outside our own mission. The three who passed this examination are all from the Nazarene mission. There were two others trying free at Weihwei from the government normal school. They both failed. We see some of the girls you used to know here. Amanda Netland is here with her husband and Celia Herring with her husband and baby. How young folks do grow up. They are all talking about me as an old man. I do not feel that I am old. But I am very lazy about doing things. I hope that your application at Guelph turns out all right. I am a little worried about your expenses. You ought to have plenty in your D.A. to not cause any worry but you have not told me and I am not at rest in the matter. However I wrote enough about that last time and do not want to say any more. I hope that your next letter will deal with the subject and reassure me. I hope that you throw yourself thoroughly into the work at Guelph. It can be done without cutting off altogether outside things. The work is the most important not only for the knowledge but because it means that you are thus making a character, which puts the main thing where it out to be. Guelph ought to be a fine place for healthy work. Get as much of the practical as you can. I suppose that Mrs. McLachlan is now back in Guelph. I wonder if you will run across any of our newly returned Honan people this summer. If you get in at Guelph you may be able to be to Galt. But I forgot that probably the Struthers will not be at Galt much as their people are away from there now. In Mackenzie’s house is a lady Mrs. Lewis who was a Guelphite. She had relatives in Elora. Perhaps if you are in Guelph you may sometime have a trip to Elora and see my old haunts. By this time you will have become quite an experienced handler of hardware, eh? If you were at hand I would give you an order for some paints, for we have to do something with the house. This damp climate goes for woodwork. We had a letter from Jessie saying you were studying hard. No doubt you would have to wait some time for results but I hope that you made it ok. We just got our results from the university at Shantung. Of four or our boys, only one made the work clear and one failed. The other two each has a subject to make up. You have not been writing us much lately so that we begin to wonder where our Morrison is. In my last letter to you I spoke quite pointedly on the need of your letting me know your financial and other conditions. I hope that you will attend to it so that things may be on a satisfactory basis. When we left Canada we did not put you in the charge of any guardian but rather trusted that you would keep in close enough touch with us for us to be of some help to you. We aer criticized in some quarters for having done so with you and Jessie at so young an age. I trust that you will show that your trust in you has not been misplaced. A little while ago I saw Armstrong and Flemming back from the valley. The formers trousers were off by the knee. They say they had a fine time but there were all soaked with rain and falling into the river, etc. I suppose it was a good escapade for the young fellows. I hope Lochead’s stomach does not play up after it. Boyds had a landslide of their newly built up bank during the night; Not very bad but blocking up the road. Most people are talking of the one big peal of thunder we had last night and recalling the day that Appleton’s house was struck. Dr. Grinnell of the Methodist mission had a stroke the other day and is quite sick. He seems a young man for such. Some of the young boys have had a lemonade stand down at the tennis courts. I heard today that they have a row on with some of the older fellows saying that they broke into a cashbox. I do not know how they are going to settle it. They were trying to settle it apart from their teachers but the thing is all over the hill. So there are fusses in the foreign schools as well as in the Chinese. Now I hope that you are storing up lots of health and muscle for the Autumn’s work and that from day to day you can feel the satisfaction of having given good value for your wage. Give my best regards to Uncle Van with thanks for all the thrashings he gives you when you are bad. Don’t forge the morning watch when you get your store of grace for the day. Now I must close and say goodbye for the present, with much love Your affectionate father Robert A. Mitchell ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------​​​​​​​ Kikungshan, China August 5, 1923 Dear Jess & Morr Another week of the vacation gone and we shall soon be making our plans for returning to the station on the plain! Just at the present we are having some of the hottest weather we have experienced on the hill. Yesterday was a very hot day. The week was a fairly busy one for me on General Butoses Council work as the annual meeting comes on Tuesday of this week. Part of the week too I was tinting some of our ceilings. I just got one room done and shall try to get the rest done during the coming week. Wednesday seemed to be a day for a chapter of accidents. I stepped off the dining room table and scraped my shin and ankle on a chair. In the afternoon the boy carrying a tray of dishes down to the tennis court slipped and fell breaking almost all the cups and saucers, sugar bowl, etc.. We looked for the third accident but it did not come that day. It came on when mother’s bunion got swollen and inflamed so that she has only been able to wear my shoe. She did that down to the Assembly hall last night and today. We expected a Mr. Hunter of Bible Institute of Los Angeles along for meetings on Friday but the boat was so late he missed the train and the meetings did not commence till yesterday morning. He is about as tall as Jimmie Menzies and a bit broader with a broad Irish accent. Yesterday he took up the book of Joel and this morning he preached on the river in Ezek. 47. Of course he is a teacher of the type of theology, which is prevalent in Los Angeles with which we do not agree in all respects. But he seems to have quite a different outlook on life and the world form what we have been accustomed to think of in connection with that school. As a bible teacher he is very clear and direct and I have enjoyed him. This morning I was in charge of the meeting. He knows Andrew and his wife in Los Angeles; they had both been in his classes. Dr. Auld came down this week. We have seen him once or twice passing but have not had much time for talk. There has been plenty of rain up there for the present though the river has not been very high. I hope that it continues propitious so that there may be a crop. We have been having no rain here for some time but had over a week of high wind then this heat. We shall want a rain presently or we shall have no water in the bathroom tank. The Armstrongs are starting back to South China tomorrow. It is pretty hot weather to have to go but they feel that they cannot wait longer. That will leave Mrs. Flemming alone in the next house. August 7, 2011 Father did not get these letters finished so Mother will say a few words. The annual meeting is on this morning and he is off to that. I said are you not going to finish the letters and he said, “well there is no more news and I have nothing to discuss but accounts and money and I have said so much on that line I hate to begin. If Jess and Morr have no money to being the Autumn they have no one ot blame but themselves”. I do hope Jess gets her fee into Guelph in time and that Morr does not run up against difficulties when he has to pay his fees. Morr never rendered any kind of an account Jess did but said nothing about what money she had spent from her D.A. in addition to the regular amount sent her monthly. Sometimes I feel sorry we put the money from Aunt Frances account into the accounts of Jess and Morr in Eatons. Had we not done so we would know where we are at better in money matters. Then too until we get word of how much you still have in Eatons we fear you have been spending it. Every one who expects to succeed in the world must do without things they want and keep money for the most important affairs. I hope you have done this. We are asked ‘letters by this steamer’ and so many times we have to say a letter from bill but none from the two at Oshawa. Several think we should have put you under the care of an Aunt or uncle to whom you had to go for money and who would control you somewhat. Now we discussed it before leaving Canada and decided to put you on your honor and hope you will not disappoint us. Let us know if you have anything banked from your monthly account in Oshawa or Eatons and especially let us know your monthly account from Eatons. I have not yet had on my boot on the left foot but am going to try a shoe when I go out this afternoon to tea with friends. I hope we get word this week from you two for it is a long time since we had any word. The last was from Jessie written June 3 Now adieu much love from both of us.. Mother. The Bostwicks were here to tea this week. You remember Wade how he used to get around on his crutches. He is home now and like you seldom writes his parents and his uncle into whose care he was placed cannot get any accounts from him. Wade is very well and has no trouble with his foot and is not even lame. He is going to college and later study theology and plans to return to China. Lovingly. Jennie H. Mitchell ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------​​​​​​​ Weihwei, Honan Sept. 23, 1923 Dear Morrison A few minutes before Sunday school to get a letter started. The C.P.R. mail is supposed to be somewhere between here and Shanghai, but I do not know that we shall wait to send this off as there is no certainty when it will arrive. There is no word yet of the party who were arriving on it. Probably they will not telegraph till they get to Hankow.. We returned form Changte a week ago yesterday. I preached on the Sunday morning, taking as my subject the desolations which are being predicted by many people after the eight month festival, when earthquakes, storms, floods, hail, snow, fires, etc. are to come on many pars of the earth and warning people to move away from the seaside or from near cliffs to prepare boats supplies of food, condensed mile, etc. for the fire days when the sun and the moon will not appear. Today Mr. Ma preached. He said he had chosen the same subject to preach on but had taken it up. Yet he said I had taken it form the theological side and from Christ’s teaching and he thought he would still take it from the side of science. He gave quite a good address on earthquakes, their causes, etc and God’s ways of punishing. There is a very widespread propaganda on the subject, handbills being distributed, asking people not only to read but to have others printed and circulated. In this country things can be circulated quickly if they are of the kind that people like to propagate; would thaw the truth of the gospel was as easy to circulate. If we could get people to spread it as heartily it would be good. Yet in our own Christian countries most people live their whole life without ever trying to bring one person to the Saviour. This week school of course has had its busy times trying to get settled down to work. I suppose our numbers are now about fixed for the term unless someone gets sick or finds the work too hard. There are 107 on the roll, 53 old ones, 43 in the first year and 11 in the one-term normal class. We have not got our manual training going nor our physical training but all of the rest is in full swing. It has been quite a rush since school began and I shall have some more of it yet with my quarter’s accounts but we have been able to take a couple of games of tennis by just quitting work and running away. Mother has had what looks like malaria so that she has not had a very good week. She still has another half month before her Woman’s bible school begins. Then it will be another grand rush for her. Yesterday we got a letter from your uncle Fred written on the boat on the way back to his home. You know his way of “everything is lovely” and one has to take that into account in reading his letters. But he did not seem at all displeased with his nephew and niece. He spoke as if he had enjoyed all the time he had with you. I am glad that his report was so good. Of course he felt like some others I have heard talk that there might have been more study. I do not know how far he got that from other people and how far it came from you. Up to the present we have no idea as to how you got on on your examinations. The thought of them seems to have dropped as soon as they were written. I suppose it is natural but we would like to have some idea as to how you feel on them even before the results are out. This week Dr. Mackenzie was here for a day at a committee meeting. He sent his regards to all of you, particularly the “funny boy”. When you all get settled into your new places for the winter tell us in detail all about them so that we may be able to imagine you in your surroundings. From the first get settled down to work so that there may be no tag ends to pull up at the end. Get into your church connections as soon as you can and be regular in them if possible getting some Christian work to do. The best way to keep advancing yourself is by helping someone else to get on. I was pleased to get your account of expenditures. It told us something of what you have been doing. We also got your D.A. by writing to Eaton’s and find that you have been dealing properly in letting it accumulate rather than dipping into it to add to your ordinary spending. It is nice to feel that is starting your college course you have a little to go on. It grieved us more that we can well say to see how Jessie’s account was depleted. You are perhaps going to have more temptations to spend when you are in the city. Remember that the men who have made anything of themselves in the world are not those who were afraid to say ‘no’ to temptation to spend but those who were ready to deny themselves in order that they might accomplish their good purpose. As to your course I think I spoke before. I am rather sorry you had not mentioned it earlier so that we could have an exchange of letters on the subject. Hope it does not mean you are going back on your aim to spend your life for the advance of Christ’s cause. You will have to settle your own life of course. All I ask is that you make your choice on the highest motives you can. Mother and I both send abundance of love. Your loving father Robert A Mitchell --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei October 3, 1923 Dear Morr. I am late starting this letter this week first – busy –Second – as Empress leaves Saturday I do not need to get it off till today. The new arrivals are with us. Came last night. Mrs Menzies is with us and Jean next door. Mrs. Menzies slipped in the bathtub in Shanghai and hurt herself. I think she broke a rib though the Drs. did not say so. However she is strapped like I have been several times with broken ribs. Of course we were talking lat night of our children and others at home and she says all she calked with think our children need not have had so many stars. She herself does not know but she wrote Georgia she would have none of it and that she must study whether others at Llewellyn were doing so or not. She says some are feeling unwilling to send their children there for there is too much play. In speaking about Georgia she said we have no money for stars and she is much better fixed financially than your father and mother are. I do hope that this disgrace of so many stars may be an impetus to you to settle down to work in earnest and do all you can to prevent stars in the future. Thus far we have admonished a little but I fear the advice has not been taken and fun has been the order of the day. Now you must both settle down to life in earnest or we shall have to leave you to work out your own plans financially. We cannot get statements nor were given any idea of accounts. The only way we could do was to write to Eaton's and tried not to gie the situation away too badly. In that way we saw where you both stood. Morr has been less extravagant of his money and has no fault in that way but Morr you must get down to work and prepare yourself for life. When that is done then you can take a better time. That was what your father did and I never felt I could fool around go to theaters, etc on my father’s money. I tell you I worked hard when I went to school and when my work was done I went to bed and rested to keep well. I do not mean I had no fun. I had heaps of it. I planned my work so much a month and then divided into weeks and if I did not overtake it in the month I was careful that I got the quarter’s work done on time. Of there was something special one week and I was out more than one night then I bucked up the next week. Never let your quarter’s work not be done. Bill has had a good time. He also has done a lot of outside work but he had sense enough not to take too much time away from work and he made the grade every time. Now that is what you too must do. I feel the mistake Jess made was too much movie ice cream, etc. and all the other expenses which go with it. That and overdress has been her main hindrance. It is far from pleasant in nearly every letter we get to hear the same story from everyone and also from those who come out here. Your children are having a good time. I refer here to Jess and Morr. I never heard that either of Bill either by letter nor orally. Fun has taken too much of your life. You have no time to write us and again you have neglected us for fun or a game or a movie. All the others had letters from Llewellyn Hall and we none. This has happened frequently. We have said a little about it as you know but I am beginning to feel we have been too considerate of making you feel badly and have borne the disappointment quietly. Had we been more firm and insistent or not written you or sent money it might have been better for you both and made you think. However it was not done. I am sorry to write this kind of a letter but feel it is absolutely necessary and it is done with an aching heart and tears rolling down my eyes but because I love you I feel it is time you were written to in this way. Now think over the past three years and try and see where your mistakes were. Pray over it , ask for guidance and help in the new life to which you have gone this Autumn and then get out and do your duty. You will be happier and so will your parents. Goodbye my dear boy. Live near your Heavenly Father and He will help you. Heaps of Love Jennie H Mitchell This came in late last night, Mor. And after my letter to you had gone, but I thought it ought to go off quickly. Try and do some stunt like I did. Take Sunday evening to write letters or Sunday morning like Chesh. Did. I never went to evening service and when there were very few round I got the letter off regularly. Again would you get that parcel off to me as soon as you can, tools, dictionary, the few books I mentioned, the old breeches, overshoes, the one picture. You will find enclosed a ten-dollar money order to settle for the other parcel you sent me and leave a bit over. Please pay Fred Winnett for the Hebrew grammar of his I have. Tell him to get another. See if Bruce Gray got the Missionary Society books all right and Ian the Volunteers ones. Here is something to do all winter. Watch the Murray-Kay add in the Globe. Every month or two they have a sale of their library books, some of the best new $2.00 books that have the covers just a bit worn. They go at 25cents I believe but you have to be down there to get them; no phone or mail orders. Would you nip down and get half a dozen R.M Dell, Conrad, Mccutcheon or some of the best of modern writers and shoot them up to me. In that way we will get our Library filled up sooner and a lot cheaper. If you can remember to do it all we would be much obliged. We had our movie show tonight and made about $2.00 over expenses. We are $1.57 up on the month after paying for several things like curtains and subscriptions to a couple of dailies. Much love Bill ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- October 21, 1923 Dear Morr Sunday school is over and I am dressed for supper so here goes for a chat before we go to Mrs. Ratcliffe’s where we are to have a pasta supper before we go to church. Mr Eadies is with us this week and Mrs Menzies has not gone so we are four. Mr. Eadie came down for a little rest and change. We have not had a visit with him for a long time and are enjoying his stay. Yesterday we had tennis for an hour or two and he has been out to several places. He returns tomorrow. Mrs Menzies has a broken rib and Dr. Auld thought she should not take the trip to Hwaiching for a few days. I do not know when he will let her away. She is getting anxious to have something definite. I think she wants to get settled. Jean and the others are in Peking and are liking the study. My Women came in this week to the Bible School and I am busy. I do not know just exactly how many are here yet but about forty and more are to come in this week. Mrs. Menzies has been taking prayers with me this week and will take them this week and also some of Matthew. She is getting anxious for letters from Canada. We are hoping for letters tomorrow for one of the President boats are due in Shanghai. Two women of the C.I.M. who were taken two weeks ago are still in the hands of the bandits and no sign thus far of their release being near at hand. Good promises are given but nothing done. So far we are quiet here except an occasional visit to some of the Chinese who are robbed but no bands rove the country here as in South Honan. We have a big line of cosmos in bloom and it looks fine along the fence to the south of us. There are some beautiful Dahlias in bloom just now. I do not think we ever had prettier ones. Cypress grows on the east fence but it is nearly past. I have most of the plants in the conservatory and a few flowering peas above the ground. Also candytuft. This week the bulbs were put in the pots and we are looking forward to having some flowers during the winter. We are on the last of the corn today and there are a few beets in the garden and parsnips. The cauliflower is beginning to head and I hope we have some eating out of them later. October 15. This morning there was a letter from Bill Sept. 16. we were glad to hear from him but sorry there was nothing from the other two. However through Georgina we learned of the doing of Jess and when she was to start for Guelph. She will now be well settled and I hope she likes her work. That she keeps at it in earnest. Morr we know nothing about and often wonder what course he has decided to take. Father brought my racquet over to the school and I had a set with two of the ladies, while father and Mr. Flemming played together. I only played a set for I was very tired tonight. Now adieu this week and I hipe my little boy gets settled into Knox and into a course he likes. Best wishes, Jennie H Mitchell ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------​​​​​​​ Weihwei, Honan, China Nov 10, 1923 Dear Morr & Jess It has been a busy week for us here. Lat Sunday I spent at Changte. I went up on Friday; spoke Saturday morning at the rally, Saturday afternoon to the teachers and others and Sunday afternoon at the rally again. There were probably some eight or nine hundred in the pen, which was erected in the east yard of the girls' school. I stayed with the Hatties. Monday morning I returned by the early train. Had to get up at three in the morning but was here for breakfast and for my day's work. Tuesday evening I was at the six o'clock train to meet Dr. Balme who was coming from Changte to be our guest. Then a crowd of us were again over to meet Dr. MacVicar and miss Macdougall who arrived from Shanghai near midnight. Thursday was the opening ceremony of the hospital. In the forenoon there was a gathering in the church of our own people after which they were allowed to see through the hospital. The schools had been taken through the day before. In the afternoon there was a big ceremony so the hospital congratulatory addresses from a large roster of different organizations and tea for men and tea for women, showing through the hospital, etc. Mother was head of the refreshment committee. On Monday they served tea to shout to others who were again instructed on Tuesday about the same number who were sending banners. Thursday morning about 800 and in the afternoon about 200, so they were busy. Wednesday and Thursday Mr. Lattrell had his lantern in the church with a combination of still and moving pictures. There was a fearful jam. Friday was the first of the rally. There were morning, afternoon and evening meetings. In the afternoon the one in the church was a conference of the Christians on various topics. At the same time there were meetings in the high school, primary school and girls school for various bodies. The last meeting of the rally is to be this evening after which we shall settle down to normal work again. At the hospital opening the speakers were Dr. Sturgeon, General Chwan from Peking and Dr. Balme from Tsinan. At the rally the visiting speakers have been Dr. Balme, Mr. MacRae and Mr. Kang Shih Ying. As we were up about four o'clock again yesterday to get Dr. Balme off we shall be glad to get a good night's sleep. we could not sleep in during the meetings for I was responsible for the morning prayer teachings in the church and mother at the women's school before breakfast. We got letters from all of you a week ago. It was nice to get them though they are a little out of date, yours running back to Sept 2nd. The daily papers are advertising the arrival of mail from San Francisco of Oct. 19. Your latest is Sept 23, I think. We have heard from other folks that you have entered Medicine. Mrs. Menzies says that Isobel sent her a clipping saying that you had got first in mile run, half mile, and high jump. I do not know in what contest it was… that is a fine record. Keep it up boy! and let us know directly what you are doing. There is not a day but what we are thinking, talking and praying about our young folks at home and we long to hear about all their doings. We are like you, asking Bill the nature of his work. He has been giving hints and apparently taking it for granted that we know the Frontier College work. In our ignorance we do not know much about it. In some ways we wish he was in with you this first winter at the college; but perhaps you might think he was taking too much of your 'training' on him. Chesh will do it for him, eh? Is it true that Gordon Ross and you are rooming together? We heard so. Did Gordon get his examinations clear off last summer? I hope that you will not have any more sups to write off. The best way to avoid it is to keep the work up regularly throughout. I know that there are times when one is set to let sports have right of way. But to allow them to interfere with the real work one is in college for is a sign of moral weak backbone. Dr. MacVicar says that you had quite grown out of his recollection. There must have been a good deal of stretching up since we left. it is now more than three years since we saw you last. It has been a long time for us from the standpoint of wanting to see you all. I hope that the next three will go by more quickly. Let us hear more regularly than in the past. The mails leave Toronto fairly frequently. You can find a way of sending. I hope that you are finding yourself comfortable in the college and that your work fits in well. Get as much enjoyment out of work well done as you can. The sense of always being behind with one's work is a kind of nightmare. Avoid it by keeping up as you go along. Now, I don't want to get off on a preaching stgrain but I shall just trust that you will live up to the best that is in you. That is what people here always thought you tried to do. We all look for it to continue. Heaps of love from us both Your loving father, Robert A Mitchell I am asking Eatons to transfer $500 to your account for Xmas. You know best what you need, either something for personal use or to remain on deposit for future. Merry Xmas.. RAM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei, Honan November 19, 1923 Dear Morr We are hoping for letters today or tomorrow and I did not begin the weekly letter yesterday so if letters come I can write a reply. Father wrote you about the opening of the hospital and I shall write about entertainment the medical staff gave us Friday night. 5:30pm. The day’s work so far as teaching is over and now as soon as supper is over I shall make preparation for tomorrow. There were letters from Toronto this a.m. but none from our children. However we hear that Morr did not pass on his supplemental exam and I tell you we are a pair of sad parents this afternoon. I do hope that this happening will teach Jess and Morr a good lesson that the first and most important thing now is to fit themselves for their life’s work. One’s friends who are ready to lead into sport and fun do not think much of the one who fails and behind their back makes fun of them. If you wish to have a good time in the future and a fair amount of money with which to have a good time you must get a good education. If not you will have to quit your fun and for a lifetime have a hard time. Where if now for a few yeas you deny yourselves it will ensure many years of comfort. I have said this when with you and written it several times and if you two will not do different then you must take the consequence in after life. My heart just aches for what it will mean if there are stars year after year. Now about the way the medical staff entertained us. They had furniture rugs and curtains form three houses moved over to fix up the large rooms and halls. Everything looked lovely; so many plants, which had been used at the hospital opening, were there. The tables were set for twenty-four. Some visitors were here. Then some of the new arrivals are very musical and we had lovely music. Ever since our return from Kikung I have been working among the Chinese and oh it was nice to sit down in such pretty rooms and have no responsibility – nothing to do but enjoy myself and I did. I felt so rested and refreshed after. We are glad to have Dr. Macvicar back. He takes his meals all but breakfast with us as before. He leaves tomorrow for the country where he expects to be for a month. This typewriter is abominable. It seems impossible to keep it in order. Never buy a Hammond. Miss MacDougal who has been here over a year, leaves tomorrow for Siuwu where she has been temporarily allocated. We are to go over for goodbye tonight. This machine is terrible. I do not know what we are to do with it. Now we saw the account of your runs in Varsity, a friend sent it. I hope this year you will do all year running for the exam and see that you do not miss it. The day has been colder than usual but we are feeling comfortable with the coal oil stove. So far no fires in the house except in the kitchen and a little paper is burned in the mornings while we dress. I heard you took Mrs. Lochead’s sister home from the home at college St. Church. We get most of what you do from outside sources and not from our children. I feel very badly that it is so but we must make the best of it and be glad that we hear at all about what you do. Poor bill will be lonely. I hope you remember him for he is doing a bfrave thing to help himself through and free us. Now I must say adieu. With much love. I do hope you will get some church Homne and that you will not forge the daily reading of your Bible and prayers.. Try and find time for these things for they are necessary to your growth spiritually. Father and mother send much love Lovingly, Jennie H. Mitchell Handwritten: Please at once forward the enclosed letter to Jess. I do not wish with such expensive postage to send separate letters. Bill seems so far away from you now. I wonder if you two could send letters to each other. If not I may ask Grandma to manage this for me and I could give her some money for stamps. JHM Father thinks it will not work so we shall send letters to each one. Buck up, lad and knock out that Latin. Don’t let such a thing such as that stick you. You can make the grade if you try. Dad --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei, Honan November 25, 1923 Dear Morrison This is the last chance we will have to write to reach you by Christmas. There is an Empress going on the 3rd of Dec which ought to bring mail to you just about holiday time. This week we got letters from Will and Morr. It was later than the rest of the mail in getting here. I think that Morr’s had been held up at Will’s for a couple of weeks, as he was too busy to get it off. Lately I have been going on the principle that it will be simpler to send each person’s letter direct, as you are all separate. Perhaps you had all better send direct. But keep in touch with one another. This Christmas I suppose that you will all be separate. It is a pity that we have not a central point but we shall have to do the best we can. I hope that wherever it is the Christmas season may bring you much of the real joy of Christ and that also you will have companions who are congenial for the ordinary festivities of the season. This week has been the ordinary round of lessons. The weather has been somewhat colder and we have a fire in the grate in the upstairs sitting room. We have not fires in the schools or church yet. This morning I had to preach. I took a sermon I prepared some years ago. It was along the lines that I heard a classmate of Dr MackKenzie and Dr MacVicar preach the year they came to China first. It was Miss Warren’s uncle Dr. Robert Johnson who was then just settled at Lindsay while I was teaching in Bethany. It had quite an influence on me then, just when I was starting out on the line of Christian services. The text is John 20:21.22. Mother has been busy as usual with here women. They have another ten days here and some of them are taking examinations just now. Of course oral exams take up time. On Friday night we went over to the school to try the Balopticon, which Dr. MacVicar brought out for use in the school. We had had a special wire laid on that day for it but when we came to attach it there was no juice. As there was no switch to cut off I was for leaving it till daylight but Dr. Baird went to work and got the thing up without getting a shock. I ran the pictures of Pilgrims Progress through while mother talked to them. Unfortunately one of the mirrors seems to have got some kind of a salt sprinkled over it and I think it has eaten through the silvers surface. This kind of a machine is very good for a small company as one can put in any kind of picture. It is not so distinct as the lantern slides. Mother has gone over to have a little visit with Miss Hodge and I am to follow after. I have just read over your newsy letter re the beginning of this calling. I hope you have been careful about choosing the lecturers and demonstrators. It is probable you will find the first year in medicine requires that a student get his work done thoroughly --- or drop out. I think that it is the year for culling, as it should be. So look to it that you are not caught napping. I have heard that you were able to make a strike in the freshman’s meet. I wondered if you would beat Alex. Good that you were able to put it over him. Robert A Mitchell ​​​​​​​--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei December 2, 1923 Dear Morrison Friday and came in from the Bible school to get my books and go to the High School for English and lo and behold you!… there was foreign mail. I was glad when I saw a letter form Uncle Fred on the top but more glad to see there was one from Nipegon too and most glad to when I opened them and saw what a dose. Three from Morr. One from Jess and a short note from bill. My but it cheered us up. Morr is the best letter writer of the family now. He has jumped from a small page to three and four pages and all interesting and well-written pages. When I heard he had done editorial work at Oshawa I was surprised for in his letters to us I had never noticed any editorial ability; but now I do and I am glad. We read the letters about the initiations to Aulds yesterday when they were here for tea. It seems dreadful that in a land like Canada – a land of civilization and normally Christian such barbarous things such engage the minds and time of men. Then too it is not the freshies that are so barbarous but the further up in the educational ladder. However I can do nothing to prevent it - I suppose it is useless for me to waste time or energy on the subject. The first two patients in the new hospital were received this week; old men from the country. They were sent up street to take off their clothes and then had baths and were put to bed in white sheets. White being the mourning color most people are afraid of it. Being tea I have not seen them but Mrs. Ratcliffe tells me they look awfully cute their dark heads and black eyes looking out at your from above the white. All the hospital staff seem tickled to death. No one that has mentioned the disease for which the men entered the hospital but that is a minor matter. Schoolwork goes on as usual. My women leave on Wednesday and then I have a freer time. Dr. MacVicar brought out a (pallopytican) balopticon for the school and I have showed the pictures twice. They are fine. I am inviting the M.C.S. children over for an evening this week and shall show them and give them a cup of tea. Friday evening we had some of the friend’s in. we have been the rounds now since the return from K.K.S. Monday. Drs. Macvicar and MacKenzie returned form the country and had dinner with us. Dr. MacVicar wnt back to the country where the tent was. Dr. MacKenzie remained overnight and went on to Changte the next morning. Mr. & Mrs. Jimmie Menzies have been in Peking hospital for three months. First Mrs. M – then when she was about ready to leave the meeting. They are home now and glad to be there. Well Morr. You certainly gave us some letters this week. Do it some more. We have always thought Bill was the writer of the family but he will have to take a back seat soon if you keep on like you are doing. My but you made the two lonely people out here happy. I hope you enjoy your week. The practical part will be very enjoyable I am sure. Three people from Honan in the same year. We have lovely cauliflower every night now. Altogether there were thirty-four heads. The celery is also good. We have our last bouquets from the garden in the house. The glardia are ready to through. There is also a bouquet of dark red roses and carnations both still quite fresh but the last few days finished the roots in the garden till next spring. We have a few geraniums in bloom and all the bulbs have come up out of the ground so we shall be looking forward to some flowers in the next month. The flowers are our pets now that there are no children to brighten us up. Do you ever use your violin now? I wish you would keep up a little practice. Try and go to see grandma sometimes. It is very lonely for her in the winter and a visit from you would be a change. I wonder what you will all do this Christmas. It will be a long time before we hear what has been done. Bill will be alone I suppose. Poor boy. Hope he gets an invitation out somewhere. Do not know yet what we shall do; are drifting and waiting to see what others do. It matters little to me for the day is not a happy one. It is a long and lonely one. Now adieu for this week. I hope you grow more fond of your course as you go along with it. Heaps of love from both of us. Lovingly Mother, Jennie H Mitchell We are sending letters to each one now so that we may have direct communication with less delay. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wuan December 11, 1923 Dear Morrison You see by the heading that we are away from home. I was too busy on Sunday to get a letter written and we left home yesterday morning too early to do it and I decided to leave it till we got here. Sunday I had the services morning and evening besides the Sunday school and did not find time for writing. Yesterday morning we started from home. It was a fine bright day with little wind and one could hardly look for a finer day for traveling. We could get no seats in the second class but got one in the dining car, which was comfortably warm. On the way we passed Thomsons just going back from a week's work in the country. He told me that the compradore from here would seat me at the station. On arriving at the station I found no one there, but after getting out of the station yard I received a letter from Miss Sykes who said the motor man would look after us. We bought our tickets for the motor bus and waited for about an hour and a half till the bus came in. One of the two on the line had had a breakage and was off the run. There are supposed to be three trips each way a day. The buses are Fords and carry six passengers a trip. We were fortunate in getting places for several men were left till this morning. We left at five and got to Wuan at bout 6.50, that is to the south suburb. It was formerly a trip of six or seven hours by mule litter. Of course the going is not fast yet for sixteen miles, but it is as fast as is comfortable, as the road is pretty rough in places. At the end of the bus line were two of my old school boys who are now teaching here. On the way the Bompases met us. They had just got in from the country in the afternoon. We are their guests. As they had just got in we were all at the ladies for supper. Of the three houses here, Bompases occupy the Clark's house, the Bruce's is vacant, while Misses Sykes and Leslie are in the other. Do you remember when we were here last time. It is a long time ago now. None of the persons here then are here just at present. Clarks are I suppose permanently off the field. I understand that he is in a rather bad way and may not last long. The Menzies are at Changte. Menzies, too, is not in good shape. The people at the P.U.M.C. wanted him to have an operation, but I understand that our doctors are not of the same opinion on the subject. This afternoon we begin work in the tent here. It is being put on this morning. I expect we shall have work afternoon and evening during the week and then I am to take the morning prayers of the station. Mrs. Bompas seems to like the way the work is organized here, though there is not much at the compound. I have not been in the boys school yet. There are not many pupils this year. There seems no girls boarding school at the compound but they have a day school in the city. Of course there is no medical work going on as they have no doctor here. I have just been reading over your last bunch of letters. Sure it was a great one. I have been letting Mr. Bompas have the benefit of the initiations. I am glad to hear that some of the Oshawa folks got scholarships for Ontario. Godden seems to do pretty well. Kay McLaughlin also did well. How are you and Gordon finding rooming together. What part of the building are you in? We do not know much of any part but East House in the neighborhood of Will's old quarters. Are you going to take to flowers like he did? I think that he must have had a pretty looking room with all the bloom. If you took to that style of thing you might get a good deal of enjoyment out of it. Perhaps you will be taking to decorating with dead things instead of living. - Crossbones, etc. By this time I suppose that you will be having skating in Toronto. I notice this morning that about the well the water has frozen. Just here some men came in and they are curious as to what this machine is, so this is an exhibition line. Sunday afternoon - It is a long time since the above exhibition line and our work is almost over here. Mother is out at a Sunday school class. I have just come back from an attempt at substituting for Mr. Pompas at his training for SS teachers. I have never run one of these though our SS is going to seed from lack of one. They are having a little special at the SS this afternoon, so that I did not have time to complete the class. We have had a week of pretty good weather, though one or two days were a bit cold. I have had morning prayers and speaking once in the afternoon and once in the evening. They have been having a way of taking the several texts in succession about a part of the savior's life. Yesterday we were on the post-resurrection appearances, while the day before that we were on the closing scenes of the savior's life. It worked very nicely so far as giving a good deal of information about the life of Christ. In the evening each man chose his own subject. I tried to make mine as inspirational as possible in the evening. It was difficult sometimes to make the afternoon ones lead up to a point for decision, though most of my subjects were suitable. We were preaching in a tent just next door to the yamen. It was in a temple yard a little back from the street. Today we had service and communion in their church. It is a Chinese building - the biggest I have seen in the mission. It makes a fine place. We had a nice crowd out and seventy-two partook of communion. Mr. Bompas has been out at another place part of the week but came in yesterday. he has to travel by donkey here. The roads are no good for anything - wheeled over quite a bit of the field. The fields seem pretty clear of stones but the make the edges of terraced fields. I counted the stones bigger than half an egg on a square the size of my walking stick on the main road -- 40. I see I am getting to the end of this sheet, so I shall say goodbye with much love. I hear that a batch of mail is waiting us. Much love, Father. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- December 18, 1923 Thus far father, now mother takes to the thread We had a good trip to the station from Wuan but the train was late and we had an hour to wait. That meant a late arrival at the station here. We were very tired but were invited to Miss Mitchell’s and Mrs. Ratcliffe’s for supper. We did not retain long after supper but hurried over to our letters. There was a letter from bill but none from the rest. Today Jean Menzies and two other girls from the Language school came in. They were at the North house for tea and had about an hour to remain here. We were in to tea and then I walked over to the station with them. They will have a couple of weeks in Hwaiching. I am sure Jean and her mother will be glad to be together once more. Jean will return after the vacation I think and remain at the Language school till June. She seems so happy at her work and looks so well. She is longing to get the study over and begin her nursing. I found a letter waiting me from Jean when I returned last evening and enclosed was a picture of Bill on his snow shoes. He is having a good laugh and is glad to have it. Christmas is drawing near. It will not be a very happy one here. How we long to have it with the friends at home. We shall have to wait some time before we know where you all are. After Christmas you must settle down and go out very very little till after exams are over. Be sure and get your exam my dear boy for there is no money to take your year over . Now for a few years will be hard for you but the time will soon pass and if you are well prepared for it you will have life easier. Do study carefully and regularly. Now adieu for this time. Its late and I am not over my trip yet so shall say adieu. Heaps and heaps of love to our baby boy. Keep near the Lord and do not forget to read your Bible every day. Lovingly Mother Jennie H. Mitchell -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei, December 23, 1923 Dear Morr Today is Christmas Sunday and we are wondering where our dear children will waken to the light of this day when it begins in Canada. Bill we can probably place in Hydro among his mom trying to bring some of the Christmas cheer to them. He will be happy in that work and I hope will not be over lonely. Father is preaching this morning on Luke 2 ‘good news for all the people’. Then we shall have S.S. (Sunday school) and this evening Dr. MacVicar has the English service. Tomorrow we teach school as usual. Tuesday the two boy’s schools give a Christmas play in the church in the afternoon. There will be likely be Chinese service Tuesday morning but we are not sure for it is put up to the Chinese to look after it this year. Tuesday – Christmas evening we have supper with Mrs Ratcliffe in our house. Then will end the day for another and Wednesday we begin work again. Our holiday will come at Chinese New Year. All week cards have been coming and Christmas there will be cards or small remembrances from those of the Mission come in. Cards from a number of Schoolboys who have left us came in already and from friends at a distance in China and some from Canada. Already thirty-eight cards and two calendars and a little painted sheet are standing on the mantel. When these come in I usually open them, tell Father about them and then we have a good look at them on Christmas. I have had a time sending off cards to the Chinese boys and the Chinese; also the friends at a distance this week. It is getting to be a two or three days job. Especially where I have to get a Chinese to write for me. Then too I have ready all the calendars for Father’s teachers and the women I should give to all ready to had out tomorrow. For the Canadian friends who have not gone away I am sending celery and cauliflower Christmas morning with our good wishes and shall wrap them up in red Chinese paper tomorrow. Father has spent the week at accounts when not busy at the school. A number have gone away from us this year to other stations and we shall be a small party. Thursday I was at Miss Maclennan’s school to a tree. The girls put on a little entertainment. Friday I went to the Hospital to a tree there and saw the kiddies have their presents. In the evening the tree was moved to the ward for the men. There are only three women and they were able to get up for the afternoon. At six o’clock tables were carried into each ward and special food was given them. There was a white tablecloth trimmed with red and it looked very pretty. They all enjoyed the newness of this Christmas and especially the good food. Heaps of love, Mother Jennie H.Mitchell ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Weihwei, Honan December 25, 1923 Dear Jess and Morr We have been thinking of our precious ones in Canada and wondering where they are. Sometimes we think and talk of you as at Cornwall; then again in Toronto. While you will know no more of how we celebrate Christmas than we do of you yet you know the place where we are. And now for some of the celebrations. We began yesterday morning. I sent over Cherries and pears off the foreign trees; also celery to each house. No one else has celery. Then we got off the presents to Rob's teachers in High School (pears in tins). At the same time as i sent the trays to the other yard we sent a Mexican dollar to seven children (2 Hatties, 2 Struthers, 2Grants and one Auld) After breakfast I went over to Miss MacLennan's school where she was having a tree and a little entertainment that I enjoyed very much. A short time at home, which I found somewhat dismanteled for, our green rug had gone to the church; then off to the church for the service. Six schools sang; three under Chinese control and all the training done by Chinese. The boy's gaodeng undertook to sing a part song but they murdered it. The boy's school in the city had six boys sing. One boy beat the time and did it correctly. He led the boys without any organ accompaniment. I forget to tell you about a funny thing with the boys from Gao deng. There is a lot of bowing when they come on the platform. They bow to the chairman then the audience. One chap bowed at the wrong time and the high school boys laughed. He got mad and when leaving the platform gave no bows either to the audience or the Chinese pastor in the chair. He stood straight while the others bowed and of course there was a bigger laugh than ever and he looked madder than before. I guess his classmates jollied him when he got back to the school. Thus far mother, from this on for a time, father. Mother has a guest; the sister of Fan Yun Wen --Hao Ran. She is married and living in the city. Today she came out to the Christmas service and stayed for dinner. She has with her her stepdaughter, a girl of nine. She attends the model school in connection with the normal school. I think there are half a dozen girls in the school; the rest boys. You see that China is not what it used to be. The girl's father is one of the teachers in the normal school. They have just left. A minute or two before they left Mrs. Dou came in and said that she was afraid that her child is dying. She was out in the country for a week and when she came back the child was sick; probably having eaten wrong. Dr. Auld said he could see nothing but that, but still fever kept up. We shall be awfully sorry if this child dies. They have lost several children before and they have only this boy and a girl. Last evening we were at the Hatties' for a Christmas tree. Dr. MacVicar was Santa Claus. he did very well but did not realizing how much there was to be given out, he was a little long with his pranks at first, so that he got nearly roasted. Miss Christie and Miss Dunn had gone to Hwaiking and the Arthurs to Peking. In that way our company was not so large as at times . Muriel Struthers was frightened at Santa. As her father was busy elsewhere I took her and let her into the secret. She was better before he got through. Sunday evening Dr. MacVicar had the service and spoke somewhat about angels and then recited Dr. Van Dyke's vision of the angels. We have been wondering where you all are at this time and trying to picture you. It may be we are all off in our facts but we like to make mental pictures of you all. Wherever it is I hope the real joy of Christmas time may be yours. I got off the tree a set of blocks to put together. I have lost the various patterns but the original is like the enclosed. Dec. 27 Christmas is over for another year and I am not sorry. Last night we had dinner at the W.M.S. house; the usual meal. Then we went over to the Hattie house for the evening. The men were to do the entertaining. They put on a charade, which was very good; we all had good laughs. The word was miscellaneous. The first act was a tea table. Dr. MacVicar was entertaining. He did the English talk fine. After several guests had arrived Mr. Grant and George came in dressed as a girl who was introduced as MISS Manners. Several times her name was spoken but not too much. SELL They had the tiao dzi if you remember what that is. The baskets or boxes 2ith stuff for sale on them. Dr. Struthers came in carrying this on his shoulder and grunting like the Chinese do when carrying a load. Then he tried to sell his stuff and lots of funny things were said. A was a hospital scene and a number of patients were treated and funny diseases cured. Dad did the 'A'; when asked questions he answered in the Chinese way and had us all roaring. I forgot to tell you just after Dr. Struthers came in with his Tiao dxi Dad came along behind dressed as a blind beggar or rather blind traveler with his long stick and two pieces of wood which he chopped together to make a noise like Chinese peddlers and he called out in Chinese 'who wants to buy calling cards?' It was awfully funny. Not calling cards but playing, gambling cards. NI - there was a game of football on Mr. Grant got knocked down and four or five were on top of him. The doctor had to be called and after finding several bones broken he called out the KNee (hi). The last scene was not done so well. It was a letter from Dad to the executive asking for impossible things for the High school. Then to display the whole word they came in dressed in every imaginable way singing different tunes and remarked this was a conglomerate etc & miscellaneous crowd. It was very good & we enjoyed it. When Dr. Auld was doing the Hospital scene Lily Auld called out 'Daddy are you playing hospital?'. We were home about 10 P.M. You don't often get home that early in Canada. I went to sleep at once but Dad read for a long time. I had, had nothing to excite me, he had. The day is dull 'n dark. Every Chinese would like snow & it is needed for the wheat. we have not had much real cold weather till the last week & yesterday was fine. There was enough cold to get ice cream last night. It was banana flavoring & I do not care for that so did not eat mine. There were candles on the table - ten in all; also little red paper baskets with candies. I ate very few; I have to be so careful or I get dizzy headaches. Helen Goforth is engaged to one of the doctors in the Rockefeller HPT. where she is nursing. He is the orthopedic surgeon so she will have to walk straight. He is an American I believe so when his term of office is over he may be going to U.S.A. However he might wish to remain on in China. Any rate they are engaged & in future she would go where he goes. There is no more news this week so adieu for another few days. We are due a mail per Steamer, Emp. Asia & Monteagle. No word from Miss Hodge yet & she was to sail by the latter. Hope in a couple of days to have Canada letters among them some from our precious children. Now settle down to work this term & make sure of getting the exams ahead of you. I wish Jess & Morr would ask Mrs. Jamieson whether she has ever received any letters from us or not. Not because I want her to write us but I do not want her to think we would forget her. Heaps & heaps of love, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weihwei, Honan, China ​​​​​​​December 30, 1923 Dear Morrison The year is pretty near an end and this will be the last letter I shall write you in 1923.it will be your vacation time. We have frequently been wondering where you were and what doing. Christmas morning the girls from the girl’s school gave us a morning carol about five. We had got off all of our presents the night before and so did not need to hurry up, and we find a little time longer in bed is quite an acceptable thing. I sometimes think that when our vacation comes I shall take two or three days off in bed. There was a service in the church conducted by the Chinese. Several of the schools sang. They did very nicely. The little fellows from the congregation’s school were especially well trained. When they took their places on the platform with their backs to the audience a snicker went over some of the high school boys but they changed when they saw the hats come off and the bow in perfect order to the chairman, then a military ‘about turn’ and a bow to the audience. There were eight or nine of and they were in perfect time not only in their singing but in all their movements. Dr. MacVicar was with us at the noon meal but was out to the Locheads for the real Christmas dinner. Dr. Mackenzie was there too. Dr. MacKenzie preached in the morning. He did not get proper notice before hand and gave us a rather strange sermon for Christmas. It was full of reminiscences of death. It is jus the anniversary of his wife’s death. In the afternoon the Primary boys school gave a little Christmas play. There was one scene in it I did not like very well, though it may be true to life. An old Christian was leading his family in prayer and while he had his eyes closed the children slipped off and had a game of ball. In the evening we were along with Mrs Ratcliffe here. We had a nice quiet time, compare Christmas presents, reading and chatting. School began again the next morning but I had to take some time off for accounts. I hope I shall get those off my hands in a couple of days. Then come reports and preparations for examinations and for presbytery. Tomorrow and the next day the high school boys are to have entertainments. They gave a very good one last year. I do not know how it will be this year. School goes on for another three weeks. By that time we shall be at Presbytery in Changte. Mis Maclennan, Miss Mitchell and Mr. Eadie had quite a trip from Wu Your loving Father Robert A. Mitchell