1925 Weihwei Feb 7, 1925 Dear Bill & Morr Another Sunday has arrived & Presby is not finished. A few went away yesterday & the meetings were carried on with a depleted committee. I did not attend last evening, as I was very tired & moreover not especially interested in the affairs left over. Just after supper the Eadies started for the station. We got hot water bottle & two hot bricks ready for them as well as lots of wraps. They sat over there till after 10pm & as there was no more of a train they came home & rang the bell about midnight. Tomorrow the Changte crowd will all be going & if they have to wait it will not be so lonely. We may have to send over a hot meal if they are detained long. This has been a long drawn out Presby. The attempt to pass over more responsibility to the Chinese & the mode of doing so has been the cause of much discussion. There is a committee of twenty Canadians & as many Chinese are to meet in a month or so to discuss together plans but before doing so they wanted to get the ideas of this committee before meeting with the Chinese & discussing in a foreign tongue such important affairs. Miss Brydon was with us & left yesterday. Miss MacDougal will go up to Siuwu tomorrow. She will get off without much trouble but it may be a long wait for the people going north. I do now know how father will do after Chinese New Year which is next Saturday.. He has two weeks before the Educat. Board meet. Then a little work & this Board of forty will get together. Hope you get the cable & that you will have no trouble arranging about a house. I wonder if Jess would be willing to take care of Mother the first two weeks in July till we get there & then take excursions on the lake or if not too late go to Bon Echo. She should have a rest & think after teaching all year. Hope you boys can get something near or in Toronto. I hear Morr. is thinking of the lakes. Where? Ontario or Superior? If the latter let us know & we shall go that way. Your letters the first two weeks of April send to Mss Baty, 53 Race Course Rd., Tientsin. Later we shall tell you about Japan if we stay there. Any letters addressed to C.P.R. Offices go by Japan or Yokohama will get us. Also address the same way to Vancouver. Father went to the country this morning & I am going out to meet him in a few minutes. He went six miles on his wheel & I shall meet him on mine. Goodbye.. More tomorrow. Feb 8. Sitting in Presbytery room. Ladies did not get off last night & we hear the Express went up about 11pm but they were not there. When they get off is uncertain. There has been fighting down near Kikungshan & we hear Wu Pei Fu is in Honan. If he comes he will put down the sovietizing that has been going on. We hear the labour Union is breaking up over at the factory & if so ours will soon go. Miss C. H. MacDougal did not go today. I urged her to remain till tomorrow, as her vote may be needed. Feb 9. Some things were put through Saturday night when people were tired & after Sunday to think them out a number were re-considered this a.m. & changed. A number had left but that was one reason for doing so as it was known some who had left were strongly opposed to what was done. Late yesterday at noon word came that there was a train at ChengChow. The Changte Contingent left as soon as they could get dinner. At 3pm a friend went over with tea. At 5pm having heard they were still at the station I sent over lunch & in a thermos hot oatmeal; others sent supper to their guests later. Then about 8.30 a cart with cot beds & bedding went over. This morning father went over on his wheel to see if they were still there, & with a tin of Condensed milk & Postum. They were just on a car - open trucks. I hope they reached C.U. before 3pm for it is raining. A band of two bandits robbed some shops on Mashieu Dju & carried off nine men for ransom & we of course heard the disturbance and were awakened till things quieted down. We went with Miss MacDougal to the East Station & after for a ride on our wheels - about seven miles. Now adieu for this week. Heaps of love. Hope the cable reached you ere this. Do not spend too much money on house. Lovingly, Mother, Jennie H. Mitchell ----------------------------------------- Weihwei, Honan Feb. 15, 1925 Dear Will & Morr Foreign mail has been dribbling in for some people the last few days and we have been hoping that some would come our way. This afternoon, when mother went to her class I went to the post office to see if there was any. There is a foreign mail, some from T. Eaton Co., and one from Aunt Mabel, but there does not seem to be any from any of you, unless it has shifted to the other compound. It is an age since I wrote to any of you. I seem to have got quite out of the way of writing. Mother has probably kept you more or less familiar with my movements. Presbytery took a good slice of January; then Educational Board at CP took up the better half of the next week. I tried to go to the Educational Association of the province at Chengchow the next week. Missed the passenger train in the early morning hours, tried a coal train at 8 o'clock. Could get no word of anything else which would get me there in time to speak that evening as I was expected to so I came home. We got to sleep when we were awakened to get a telegram to meet Miss Brydon. I got a rickshaw and got there in time to get Miss Brydon, though the train was in before I got there. She got off a freight car away down near the road. Lochead was on the train but on the way through to Chighsien. Miss Brydon stayed the day with us and then went on the Kwaiking. Mr. Luttrell came on Sunday to see Mrs. Luttrell who was to be operated on the next day. He has arrived again today to see her. She is doing nicely, I understand, though I have not yet seen her. She had to have a breast removed. The report form the PUMC is that it is not malignant. Dr. MacKenzie arrived on Friday and went to Taokow yesterday. So you see that our house has been a place for transients since presbytery meeting. There have been nine persons. Mother's women came in this week and she is beginning classes regularly. She will be busy as usual the next two months. There is a smaller class than usual. Probably the unsettled state of the country has something to do with it and the heavy taxes also, as people cannot finance it. We have been having our last term's examinations in the middle school this week. I think that there are 99 of the old boys in. There will also be probably six new ones. The attendance is rather better than I feared it would be. I have not got many of my papers examined yet. My junior class in pedagogy did not do well; the senior was not bad. I have not examined scripture yet. We have been in suspense about teachers again. Getting no word from one man who we had called, we took on another. Then the first man arrived so that we had a man too many. We decided to keep them both til the summer and I would do less teaching and more supervising. It is a wise thing for a man in my position. Unfortunately I would rather teach than do any kind of administrative work. We begin regular classes tomorrow morning. I understand that the express train went through from Peking on Friday. That is the first time for months. I did not think that they have enough rolling stock to put on both the trains both ways yet; they may soon. It sounds as if we were getting back to civilized life again. There has been one passenger train a day for a long time but it is anywhere from 12 to 21 hours late with no means of getting any word beforehand. When Mr. Wooland came from Peking he was only three hours late in reaching Changte, but they stayed there three hours and took six hours to come from there here. We still do not know how things are going to go in Honan and ther are two rival military governors, one in Lovang and one in Kaifang. Both of them are rascals and their troops are an undisciplined lot. The region west of the railroad below Chengchow is in the hands of bandits. The Aigistana mission stations have been looted. Possibly things may settle down, but one hardly sees where to look for any settling. We have been very anxious to hear about the church union vote at home. By the Presbyterian Witness just in I see the results from some of the western provinces but then the results were not in from Ontario when they went to press. Dr. Leslie got a cable of the result of Erskine church, Montreal. Dr. F. Scott will be badly disappointed at that. It was decided at presbytery meeting that we should send in a signed statement re: entering. There was talk as to whether there would be one, two or three lists. At last it was decided that there should e only one for all, saying that "We missionaries of the Honan Mission, etc." So we do not say whether ministers, elders, wives, W.M.S. appointees etc, but say that we are all missionaries. Mother has just returned from school and we shall see what Aunt Mabel has to say. By the time this reaches you it will be getting toward the end of the Knox term. I hope that Bill does well. It is good to have your work for the summer settled. I hope that wherever it is it goes well and you can bring men into touch with Jesus Christ. Glad that Morr got the medal. It is goodbye to BOYS SPORTS I suppose. From this on you are in the men's class. From all accounts I hear you are pretty much of one so far as size is concerned. Now I shall close off with much love to you both. Keep looking upward and working upward. Your loving father, Robert A. Mitchell ----------------------------------------- Weihwei Feb 22, 1925 Dear Bill & Morr: Just home from morning service. Mr. Flemming preached on God's tools. He said he would mention two. Pupils, teachers, carpenters, etc. all needed tools & so did God. He used men but used tools to test them first in Amos 7 the plumb line. He had a string there & showed how it is used to see if the wall is 'Djeng' & so God measured us at times to see how our hearts, how our work was. The other tool mentioned was the scales & took the Feast of Heltshazzer. He was weighted & found wanting. It was very good. He is a fine fellow such a nice spirit & earnest. He will be a great blessing to China. This is the first year he has been free from exams. Well he has had one year of work & starting on the second. His wife also is a good worker. We go to Canada in 26, they in 27, and after that he will be in charge of the school & Father free from the management will take classes. That is if we are all spared till that time. Father finds the management of the school very wearing & he has not the ambition to keep up with the thought of young men. When some women from Hwaiching were coming to the Bible School another woman who was traveling with them & remaining over here a day & on to Changte, met with a very sad accident. She fell off one of the big Chinese carts heavily loaded. A tram ran over her foot, well part of ankle & both bones were crushed badly & she lost much blood before we got her to the hospital. The women with her lost their heads & all climbed off the cart. Had one or two remained on they would have reached us in shorter time & she reached the hospital earlier than she did. She will likely loose her foot if she recovers the shock. She is not a young woman & it will go hard with her. Monday 23 The woman mentioned above is doing as well as could be expected. Last evening we were at the Struthers for supper but had to hurry off to church as Dr. Struthers had the service & we could not be late. We came home & off to bed right after service. Your letter of Jan 18 we were glad to receive, as it had been a long time since we received any word from you. There has been no letter from Jess since before Christmas. Glad Morr had his teeth attended to & still more glad there was not much the matter. It does not pay to neglect one's teeth. Morr we want a couple of snaps of you. We have some of the other two & have them in a little frame but there are none of you. Was interested in your demonstrations in Anatomy. Try and keep your work up to date. It is easier to get ready for exams when one does that. Hope you will keep up attendance at the good concerts in Hart House. Both of you should do that. Glad Morr enjoyed the Christmas work he had at holidays. We were interested in the voting in North Toronto. We have had the two Presbyterians with list of churches, which have voted get out the Blue Book to look up city churches. There must be sadness at the breaking of ties in so many churches. Hope in a few years most of those going out now will return. It will matter little to the young people of the next few years & they will all be ready to work together. Glad Bill had such a good rest & visit with his friend Archie Gillies at Christmas. He has been working hard & needed a rest. What about the movie machine? Did you sell it? Bill where is warren Knight? Has he given up medicine? Is Dryer coming out under the C.T.M.? Interested in your Hebrew exam. Hope you get all off without any trouble but a little work. Are you taking elocution? Are you taking Singing? Mr. Forbes has talked too much or not talked right the Doctors say & now has what is called Preachers sore throat. This is caused by the wrong use of one's throat. Out here where one must do much outdoor work it is very necessary that one knows how to use & how o take care of the throat. Several times I have spoken about the music & net year you must have elocution. We would be glad to give you these as our part of your education. Father has a touch of lumbago tonight & is going off early so he can put a hot water bottle on his back. I want to go along & so shall not write anymore this time. Heaps and heaps of love to our two boys. Write regularly. We need your letters. Father has such a tendency to be depressed & blue. He never was like that. He was always looking on the bright side & I was the one for the dark side. When he gets that way it upsets me for I have not been used to his not looking for the silver lining. The finances being in the condition they are & the extra work it means for him I think has much to do with it. Shall be glad when our furlough comes & we can see you young people to brighten us up. Father must rest then & not take too many meetings for the year after we return will be hard for him as Mr. Flemming goes to Canada. Much much love Lovingly, Mother, Jennie H. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Weihwei, Honan March 1, 1925 Dear Will & Morr It is Sunday afternoon; mother is over at her Bible School; the house is quiet, though I am not alone in the house, for Mrs. Luttrell is living in the sitting room. She came over for dinner today and is staying till supper and then returning to the hospital. It is her first outing. Her recovery has been delayed somewhat by her needing a lot of skin grafting. It is coming on all right I think but still she gets tired lying. She will probably be another week before being able to go home. I hear that Mr. Luttrell is coming up on Tuesday. Probably he will bring his moving picture outfit up with him and let the schools and hospital staff have some entertainment. It has been a week of the ordinary ups and downs. Dr. MacKenzie came back from Hsun Hsien and stayed overnight with us. He had had some unfortunate experiences. Going out forty to preach the rickshaw gave out and he had to walk; the people who were going to get a cart failed him and he had to walk back. Next day the carter also delayed them on another trip; they were after dark and got lost. His associates were Mr. Forges who has got preacher's sore throat and cannot talk; and Mr. Thomson who got a bad attack of hic-coughs, which used him up. Had a messenger in from Dr. MacVicar in the country. He seemed to have an exceptionally encouraging time in their tent meetings but he is more and more convinced that he is unable to carry on the work in that field at this time of life. We sent him out a big bunch of mail, which had piled up since he went out. Miss Hodge has been in for a few days and is out again, hoping to stay till about June. Locheads are out at Hweihsien. The magistrate is not willing that they should go out into the country places there as the robbers are bad and he does not want to take the responsibility. Grants are out in their field. Things are not improving yet south of the river. There has been some fighting during the past week west of Hsuchow. These two rival governors, Hu Ging I at Kaifeng, and Han Yu Kwen at Loyang are neither ready to give way to the other or to take orders from Peking if it means giving up anything. Meantime the people suffer. Dr Struthers has just been in and taken my blood pressure. He tells me I am below rather than above normal. I tell them that the only thing that is wrong with me is mental and moral inertia. If I would only be man enough to do a better day's work there would be nothing wrong. You know the kind of man Jerome K. Jerome speaks of who "loves work so well that he can lie down beside it without its troubling him." While Dr. S. was in we were talking of some of the churches, which had voted anti. Central, Galt, has gone that way, so has McNab, Hamilton, which supports Dr. Struthers. Gordon said he did not know how they had gone. He was just in the midst of a letter to them. In Morr's last letter he mentioned that Bill still had the movie picture outfit on hand. The thought occurred to me that we might possibly take it out here. I do not know what size it is or what it would be worth. I see advertisements of educational files for rent. We might be able to get a supply here to give occasional shows for the good of the schools and be able to make a charge for outsiders so as to cover the cost of things. Let me know what price you are putting on it - I mean not bargain price but what you are putting on it at home for other folks. This Union vote in Ontario is rather a disappointment is it not? However each one has a right to his own views and desires. We cannot claim any priority of conscience over others in the matter. It will be the breaking of a lot of old ties among old workers. I trust that the separation as fellow workers will not necessarily mean separation in fellowship and friendship. It ought to stimulate us to see that our motives are as high as we can make them and while we are drawing near to a new set of associates and fellow workers that we do not cease to love and honor those whom we are leaving. it will certainly mean a great change in the matter of the mission funds to have a third of the congregations in Ontario drop out. But I suppose that such a division of the fields may be made that some fields will be assigned to the non-concurring church and it will mean largely a re-arrangement rather than a dropping out. There is always a danger that where people have allowed unworthy elements to enter into their disagreements, it will affect their readiness to take part in the work of the Lord. Well, Bill, I suppose that by the time this reaches you your first year, theology, will be over, and the session closed. You may perhaps be off to your summer's work. Wherever it is, may God's richest blessing be with you. Keep your gaze on the Master and make your achievements as near to his model as by His Grace you can. Whenever you have the opportunity speak a good work for Him. Morr will have to stay at the college grind for a while yet. Don't let the material hide the spiritual. Keep up the spiritual connection. When coldness, and barrenness comes into our lives it can frequently be traced to negligence in that. Adieu - love to you both Your loving Father R.A.Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Weihwei, Honan March 15, 1925 Dear Morr & Will The middle of another month! How the time slips away. It seems as if there had hardly been anything done since the year began. I suppose it seems something like that to you folks in your studies also. Bill will be about to his exams now and the rest of you beginning to wonder how you are going to get over all that you need to before the time. Well, success to you all in it. If you have been tucking in at the right time you should be afraid, for all of you have enough ability to do your work properly; if you haven't been making good use of your time, well so much the worse, for none of you has got ability to spare for loafing and misusing time. A wink's as good as a nod to a blind boss. This has been a week of typical March winds; I tell you we have had some proper ones with DUST. No rain has come since away last summer end, so you know what a wind can do. Dr. MacVicar came home in one of the big ones. He said he was full of dust. There has been some moving about among the folk. Hatties was down to Hwaiking discussing affairs about the building of the hospital; Griffiths have gone down to talk about taking the work over from Boyd when he goes home on furlough; Jean Menzies and Miss Hall came back from H.K. where Jean had gone to see her mother. She has had a touch of pleurisy; Mr. Luttrell came up on Friday and took Mrs. Luttrell home yesterday. The boys had come up a couple of days before and they were staying in the school. They had a private car to go back in. It was a caboose, about 10x13, with the ordinary springs of a caboose, but it had windows in and gave enough space to spread a cot bed for Mrs. Luttrell. They would get home O.K. We had a movie show in the church when Mr. Luttrell was here. It was intended for the nurses first to remember their care of Mrs. Luttrell; but the hospital folks decided to make it wider and ask the schools etc. We decided to do it on the q.t. After supper the schools were told they were to go to the church. Mother had to tell her folks earlier as some were living outside, but no outsiders were supposed to be in. The servants were told to meet at the small chapel. Most of the folks did not know what it was for. In this way we got the church full of people of our own without having dozens clawing one another to look in at the windows. There were some educational films, and some comics, finishing up with the Katzenjammer Kids. I think the people enjoyed it and it was an orderly meeting. We are doing far too little here in the way of such public work but everyone seems to be busy as he can be with his ordinary work. This morning Dr. MacVicar got a telegram from Dr. Fraser Smith that he will reach Hankow next Friday. Dr. MacVicar will go to Hankow to meet him and bring him in. It is unfortunate that there is only one express train a week now and they will just miss it and probably have to return on the ordinary train. It would be a pity to give a traveler too good a time in traveling. However I do not suppose that Dr. Smith would think that travel was all clover as he has recollections of it as it was thirty odd years ago. He will see great changes in our plant since that time. He may not find people having any more hopeful outlook than they had then though throughout the country the evangelists tell of how good an opening there is. The problems are different than they were but take as much out of one in the way of mental and spiritual life. We got your letter posted Feb 4th and were delighted to get it as we always are. What is the matter with Jess that she never writes! We seem to have lost the girl of the family altogether. The news of the union vote has been a disappointment for us in much of Ontario. One is especially sorry that in many places where they are supporting our missionaries they have decided not to go into the union. One does not know what attitude to take in the matter of his first letter after the news. Of course the notice in the paper is unofficial so far as we are concerned and I do not know that I should mention it in writing till they mention it from that end. Yet from that end there is very little of official writing done. A missionary writes to the congregation and gets a very occasional letter in reply from the minister or some member. I am due to write to Central, Galt, but am in a bit of a quandary. Tuesday morning - Dr. MacVicar was at the station about six this morning. As the train had not yet reached Changte and it takes three hours from there he came back and had breakfast with us. He went yesterday morning to see if he could make a reservation on the express today. The agent said it had left Peking and so no reservation could be made. He did not feel that he could risk waiting at Sinsiang to see if he could get a place because if he could not he would lose a day. So he is going on the ordinary. It is a chilly morning with a little fine snow; about the first we have seen this year. I fear it will not amount to much in the way of moistening the ground, which is needing a rain very much. Now I shall close off this and get to some of my lessons. Yesterday one of our teachers was off with a kind of flu (Flemming), and another (Dwan) with a sprained ankle. I do not know whether they will be on duty today or not. Your loving father, Robert A. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Weihwei March 30, 1925 Dear Bill & Morr We are wondering if Bill has left you or is he doing so this week. No letters from any of our three when the last Canadian Mail arrived. We do miss the letters. Hope you will try & keep up writing & remember it means so much to us; more than evening out for you people who have so many pleasures come to you. One went to Laokou to visit the Forbes on 27th, returned today. We went over for a ll:45 train & it came along about 2:30pm. When we got on we sat next to a window with no glass & on the windy side. Most of the cars have no windows, the glass having been broken when in the hands of the military. Malcolm went with us & he had a fine chance to look out the window. We two & Mrs. Forbes spent part of the evening at crossword puzzles & forgot about Mrs. Forbes who is not interested. However later we played both & Mr. Forbes & I were badly beaten by the other two. Saturday we went to Thomsons for tea. There are only Forbes & Thomsons at Laokou & when Forbes leaves Thomsons are alone & sometimes Mr. Thomson will be in the country. Father says Forbes took Rickshaws six miles to Honansien where two services were held & then back. I did not even go to Chinese Church in the morning & when Father returned at 5pm I was still in bed. There was a little service in English; 5 adults & 2 children. Very different form services at Weihwei. Forbes leave next week April 7th. Mackenzies & Boyds travel with them in the same steamer. Aulds go on the same train & same boat from Hankow to Shanghai but they cross the Pacific via Honolulu & land at SanFrancisco. All are going earlier than usual as they wish to attend Assembly. It will be an historic one if Union is completed but at the same time one of sadness. So many old ties are being broken over the vote thus it cannot be an Assembly of real joy. Morr, where do you go to church? Have you joined anywhere or are your lives still in Oshawa? My it is cold today. It seems as though we are not going to get warm weather. The dreadful winds keep up. The willow trees are out & the Jasmine in bloom. If we could only have a rain then everything would just burst out at once. We have a number of pansies in bloom & all the apricots are in bloom. He rose at 6.30 this morning & caught a train a little after 8; arrived here shortly after 10am in time for the last period. I did not go to the High School but went to the Bible school. There was a tea at the hospital today for the gentry & feasts are the order of the day as farewell to the Aulds. I am to go to one tomorrow with Mrs. Auld. Then we are having a Cafeteria supper at the M.C.S. Saturday as our farewell. Shall miss the Aulds very much. Mr. & Mrs. Grant came in from the country today. Mrs. Grant will be in for ten days or so while Mr. G. attends ordination of Elders & a meeting of the executive at Changte. Locheads are in the country. Dr. Smith will take a trip to the tent with Dr. MacVicar. He wants to try talking Chinese though it is over 20 years since he was here. Now adieu for another week. Let us know how you both are getting along. Love from both of us. Lovingly Mother Jennie H. Mitchell ----------------------------------------- Weihwei April 15, 1925 Dear Morr & Bill Sunday I did not get a letter because of a number of meetings. Dr. MacVicar and Dr. Smith did not go out into the country on Saturday. Mr. Cheng came in post haste to check them. The big wind on Thursday and Friday had blown down the tent so that they could not put it up. Besides, the bandits who had come over from Chi Hsien were operating in the neighborhood and the people were fleeing. So they had decided to move the tent to another region. In the morning Pastor Djang preached. Dr. Smith was with me at church. He said that he managed to follow a good deal of the sermon. In the afternoon there was a congregational meeting, at which I was. Among the things done was the appointment of Mr. Flemming in Dr. Auld's place on the managers. Mr. Grant's name and mine were also among the nominees but the last vote went to Mr. Flemming. It is no sinecure working on these union committees. The Chinese members seem so inert when they are joining with us in discussing things. I do not know whether they are the same when alone. The lack of anything done in their parliament would go to show that they are not yet fully up in the matter of deliberative bodies. In the evening Dr. smith took the English service, with communion. During the sermon I was wondering to myself how he was going to be for interpreting. I expect that the job will fall to me next Sunday when he speaks in the church. It is so long since I did any of that that I dread it a bit. Monday morning the two of them got off to the country. Dr. Smith will be back on Friday for a few days staying with us. Farewelling has been the order of the day the last while. We were at a big Chinese feast at the hospital given in honor of the Auld. Last Friday evening there was a cafeteria tea at the school for the people going away and to welcome Dr. Smith. We had a very nice time. Yesterday morning I went to the east station to see the Forbes on their way through. They decided to go on to Sinsiang and wait for the express rather than go across from here. At noon we hurried through with dinner and went to the station with the Aulds and Boyds. The train was due at 1.10pm. Most trains are late and not all of the people went so early as that. However there was quite a crowd to see them off. Most of the leading men of the city were there to see Auld off. As time went on and no word of the train came he urged them to go back. He thanked them for their kindness. One of their number, Mr. Wang, one of the wealthiest men of the place who a year ago was an opium wreck, but who now looks fine and healthy, represented the company in good wishes to Dr. Auld on his journey home and safely back. About seven o'clock Mother and I came home with the Struthers children. I took back food for the folks, as did also Miss Christie. About half past ten, Miss Mitchell, Miss Christie, Dr. Struthers and I came home and got mattresses and quilts to take over. The most definite word we could get then was that the express had reached Changte but that there were several troop trains ahead of it for which it would have to delay. Struthers and I got back to the station sometime after twelve and got folks settled down into a kind of comfort for getting some rest. The train arrived at a quarter to four. We had been waiting there fifteen hours for it. Happily their berths were reserved for them all right. While we were waiting last night about sixty soldiers went out by train to the next station because it was reported that some bandits were there. They came back shortly, their friends the enemy having temporarily left the place. Thursday - Last evening a little foreign mail came in. It contained one letter from us dated Knox College Feb 12th and posted March 2nd. Nothing from the Y on Pembroke St. The other day I had a supplementary account from MacKenzie charging up Jan and Feb allowance to R.M.M., which he had not done before, and asking if these were to continue. I think that you had better receive the payments right through and bank them to your account. In that way, whatever interest there may be will accrue to you and you will need all of it in financing your course. It simplifies accounts also. The treasurer out here considers these tings paid monthly at home and charges them so. When the statement comes from home and they do not appear it means a re-adjustment. A new beginning means the same thing. For that reason please just continue receiving throughout the vacation as well as in the college term. I am sorry Bill got his ankle used up. It is always weak after having had a bad hurt. Probably it would be well to consider that and always play with a support on it. My last year in college I had to have mine strapped. By taking such a precaution you may prevent it getting worse. I see I am near the end of the page so I had better close off. Gordon got a whistle on his radio from Shanghai but has not yet been able to get the real thing. He is pretty busy. Now that Auld has gone the bulk of the work will fall on him. Lovingly, Robert A. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Weihwei April 19, 1925 Father has just gone out to his class for S.S. teachers & after three quarters of an hour I shall go & the morning service begin. We got up for breakfast this morning as our cook is still ill & the man taking his place does not know how to serve breakfast upstairs. The cook first had the mumps & as he was recovering took Malaria & has been very sick. It was too bad to have it at this time for I was busy with exams at Bible School & we had Dr. Smith from Canada with us. He is Dr. MacVicaf's guest ut he is in the country & so Smith came to us. He was in the country with Dr. MacVicar a week & returned to do writing & go to Siuwu. Mr. Bompas could not have him when he planned to go & we had him several days longer than expected. He had a terrific wash after traveling - stiff collars (clerical) to be washed. I got Mrs. Struthers to allow her cook to iron the collars & I did most of the other ironing myself. Some of the friends invited him out to dinner so we managed not too badly. We cannot have the cook back for another week lest Father take the mumps. I have had them. We have an old man who has cooked in the Mission for years & while he is as slow as molasses in winter he gets along with help. Just as the Bible school was closing along came over twenty women driven out of their homes because of Bandits - So I have some of the Bible School women who remained behind to do extra work in order to graduate before I go home to a crow of twenty-five beginners. Well only four are in catechism & the others can read in the Gospel. As long as the weather keeps cool I can manage but if it gets hot or they remain over long I cannot work as I have been doing the last two months. I usually rest Saturday but could not do so yesterday. The High School had four days holiday & that was an opportunity for me to get more work done with these newcomers. Father got a lot of his writing & such like caught up. I have heaps of letters to write & need some of the spring sewing to be done but all must wait now for a time. The bandits in the east have taken possession of three villages to the east & the women & some of the men have fled. The women especially the younger ones suffer terribly at the hand of such men & they are the first to get out. It is just possible they may remain till about harvest, which is the end of May. Would like to see them go after a couple of weeks but cannot say whether the bandits & I are of the same mind. We have had it cold till yesterday & then we were rushed into summer heat over 80 the last two days so this morning I have put on my thin spring underwear & a summer dress & am too hot. Such jumps are not healthy. There has been no rain & it is very dry & as winds continue the dust flies into our eyes & mouth. Of course there is a lot of sickness among the Chinese who do not know how to take of themselves. The High School pupils were away this week for the midterm vacation & returned yesterday. Last Sunday was Easter & the church was decorated with Lilacs. There was special music. The High School boys sang O Zion Haste, in four parts. The girls' school sang in two parts, 'Send out Thy Light'. It was a very nice service. Dr. Smith spoke in Chinese though he has been away from Honan about thirty years. He did fine rhythm & accent.. very natural. We got your letters of March 18 yesterday. So glad to hear from you. Morr is getting to be a fine letter writer. So the race was over when he wrote & he came in third. Be careful in all this running & do not overdo. Always rest after, lie down & take it easy till the heart gets over the effect. The way the heart acts is works & rests; when you overwork it takes a rest to put you in shape again. Let us know the next time how grandma is & if you go to see her often. Do not forget her. Bill will be away I suppose but we are not sure where so please send this letter after him. Glad you have some of your quiz over. Hope the other parts of the work is not so stiff but you can pass. We shall be wondering what you will be at this summer. Heaps of love to both of you & hope we shall be with you or on our way to you in Canada this time next year. Do not forget to write. Word of Isobel's engagement has reached her Mother now. We are wondering if they will be sent here or Szechuan. Jean Menzies is here now also Mrs. Menzies, getting familiar with the girls' school before Miss MacLennan leaves. Chunks of love, Mother, Lovingly, Jennie H. Mitchell ----------------------------------------- Weihwei April 24, 1925 Dear Bill & Morr Another Sunday & letter day. Father has gone to church & Mrs. King is playing. I am at home with my foot up on a chair writing while she takes my place at the organ. Wednesday when coming out of H.S. after my English class I turned my foot & sat down. I got up & walked home on it. It was funny to see all the boys stand & look at me or pass by. Unfortunately it was the time all were coming out of the classrooms. I thought I must get up before Mr. Flemming comes out. I do not want him to arm me home before all these Chinese. In the meantime I had straightened up & was sitting clothes well pulled down on the walk. The first thing I knew a Chinese teacher behind me said, "what has happened?" I told him. He said, "I must help you home". I got up with his assistance & limped home after thanking him. I took my afternoon class in the study & about the middle of it my foot began to pain very severely. When they were gone I staggered to the couch in the sitting room, waited till father came & he helped me upstairs & till about 10 o'clock I had a hard time. Dr. Struthers came over & bandaged it up but it tore away for hours. However I got off well & have taken good care of it & today as walking on my heel & shall go to the W.H.S. tomorrow in a rickshaw. Yesterday there was tennis in the west yard & I went over & watched. Our old man pulled me over. Father played two sets of tennis. He won in one & lost in the other. I was so amused at the kind of a time we had. There was no fun, no jokes like there used to be in the Autumn. Everybody is getting tired with the years work, the stress & strain of no finances & all the other affairs that bother have been wearing on us all & then too this station has had no new jolly people for so many years. We do not get recruits now to cheer us up. This week we have wisteria & the yellow roses. The wisteria is lovely this year - great big bunches. I often feel I could not get along out here without children & friends at home if we had no flowers. This week we had Bill's letter telling of Fred Goforth's going to Merriton. Well, I think it is a great mistake to take such a place to begin on. Why not go west or north & take a work where there are not so used to hearing the preaching of some of the best men we have. I have a class of between fifteen & twenty at the Bible School of persons who have come in because of fear of bandits. The latter have taken charge of several villages out East & the younger women & girls have fled to friends or acquaintances. The soldiers went out to drive them away but they got the worst of it. The soldiers do not care, nor do they try to keep down banditry. We were sorry to hear about Gordon Ross & also about Isobel Menzies not being well. I hope it was only a temporary rest she needed. You people never tell us about the other Honan people at home. Bill did this letter tell about Fred & in Morr's last he told about the elections & Chesh is getting in. I am glad he got the position. Do you know where Warren is & when he will finish his course? Jess Menzies wrote off her second year last week & has her oral next Tuesday. Marnie is doing her Chinese work & is now on her third year work though she never wrote on the exams. Locheads are in the country. Grants have been in for the Easter holidays & then Mr. Grant had to go to Hwaiching but they go out tomorrow & Locheads will not bein for a week yet. Drs. MacVicar & Smith are in the country in the Changte field with Dr. MacKenzie. After this trio Dr. Smith goes to Wuan & then returns here for a few weeks before going to Korea. Mr. Lochead & Dr. MacVicar will be getting ready for the summer class & as they leave her for that the end of May most of two weeks will be required for study & they will likely be at the station part of May but the Chinese will carry on with the tent. I did not think before beginning this letter but there should have been three copies. Please send this on to Bill. I hope he will get in to see the Union consummated during Assembly & also that you can be in the city at that time. Have you any work for the summer? We were wondering if you could get up with Bill. I think Merriton is the place where we went to spend a Sunday while Aunt Frances was with us. Father was preaching there for four Sundays. We stayed with a lovely family named Pue or Pew. I forget how to spell it. Then we went on to the Falls the next day & Bill joined us. Do you remember? Bill, here is a good one for you. - We are reading a book 'Princes of the Church' by Robertson Nicoll. One man - Brown says I do not object to preaching before probationers, nor ministers but God spare me preaching to a Divinity Student. Which are you? He was a Cambridge lecturer. I must say adieu & finish the letter to Jess. It is now almost 5pm. We had a nice long rest & soon supper will be called. Father is busy with some O.T. Bible study. I think we shall not go to church, as it is so much trouble getting me & my foot there & back home. Heaps of love to both of you. We are glad you are so good at writing. Do not forget us this summer. we have had no letter from Jess since she wrote about the Christmas - how you all spent it. More and more love. Mother Jennie H. Mitchell If you get work for the summer try & get it out of the city & where you will be in the fresh air. If the job is in the city live out in the parks as much as possible. J.H.M. --------------------------------------- Weihwei May 14, 1925 Dear Morr The past week has been one of excitement and change. We had letters from Bill, Morr & Jess. One later from Morr just as Bill was packing up to go east. It quite upset us for a time as we had been thinking of Bill going to Welland. I do hope it turns out better than Bill expects. We have enquired of two New Brunswick people who live at this station. They told us where the place was & something about the man who owns the sawmill where Bill will be doing Frontier College work. They speak well of him, his mill & his treatment of his men so we feel better. Of course it is disappointing in a financial way as well as other ways but we wait anxiously the first letters. Bill has never been that way & it will be a change & educative in that way. We had our twenty-fifth anniversary this week. We had been looking for the Wilfords from Szechuan on their way to Canada. The plan was we go to Peking with them. Then they reached Hankow too late to catch the express & as there is only one a week she went on to Shanghai to wait for the steamer & he came on alone. He reached us on the morning of 11 & left today for Change. We hope to get off tomorrow night & he joins us at Changte & together we go to Peking. Then he joins the family by the Tientsin Puko line & we after dentistry is finished come back along our line. Mrs. Wilford is a daughter of Florie Strangeways Gaviller. We have always corresponded & as furloughs overlapped met at home, though she has failed to get here when plans were twice made to visit us. He is dean of the medical college in Szechuan & is visiting hospitals. Dr. MacVicar one of our best friends has decided to leave the field. We are sorry. He lived next to us & for ten years we have been very intimate. He & Rob were together the two years when I was home. We are losing men rather than gaining. Hope the hard feelings over union soon cool down & that people give themselves their time & money to the preaching of the Gospel instead of quarreling over trifles. He is alone & it feels it would be unwise for him to spend his last days here in China. That being the case he thinks it best to return while he can still secure a charge. Most of us feel with him in this yet are sorry to have him go when we are so short of workers. This letter I found upon my return from Peking & sorry it did not get on its way sooner. Father will write this week (May 31) & will add to this.. Mother ---------------------------------------- Peking May 18, 1925 Dear Morr You are over your exams & we are wondering whether you will get anything to do or not. Sorry Bill went so far east for we had been thinking you two would be together for the summer. We had your letters in time for May 11 so Dr. Wilford was met by Father & they reached the house in time for breakfast. Father had been at the station all-night & slept on the cot bed. In the afternoon I had the friends in for tea & we had a lovely time. Tuesday we had a party at Struthers & there was a cake iced in white with Chinese Characters Long Life & Happiness on it. There were 12 persons. The friends gave us $25.00, which we have to spend on something for ourselves while here. Friday we went to the station with a cot bed & quilts in case the train should be late but had only about twenty minutes to wait. Mr. Menzies was on the train & we went into the diner and had dinner. Mrs. Leslie Netterfield & Don, Mrs. Warren & the Menzies family were at the station. Rob & Mr. Menzies got off first & some asked for the bride. I also got off when I saw the women were there & we had a nice little visit. Dr. Wilford had gone up to Changte the day before. Father & he were in the same compartment & I was in with a Chinese woman & her two children. They were nice Kiddies. We were at the Summer Palace yesterday. It's lovely & there has been a lot spent on fixing it up & beautifying it. We saw the room, which the old dowager occupied, also those of Gwanghou. The Theatre & opposite it a room with a pale satin Couch with blue flowers (embroidered) upon which we could sit or recline while she watched the play; Also a fine large oil painting of the Dowager with (undecipherable) & all the necessary paraphernalia for worshipping her by the clan. However now that China is a Republic there is none of that. The room is closed & we saw all this through glass doors; The lovely long corridors in the yard with beautiful bronze animals. There is a big lake of clear water & an island with a building on it also a very pretty bridge. There is a white marble patch, which the dowager used to use. She put lots of money in beauty & it is so very quiet out there though near a big city. We have been out shopping & bought some things for ourselves & also for Miss MacLennan. I bought some brown silk for a dress. I shall not make it up till September. Send me out a nice style - simple; need not send the pattern if you see a style cut it out & send along. I must close. We have been at the dentist's office today. He did not hurt me much but I cannot get all done. I may go to Hankow & again may wait till I get home to Canada to get the plate fixed. This time next year we will be busy getting ready for Canada. Hope we all keep well this year & that we can have a comfortable flat together. It is very cold up here. I brought all summer dresses & cannot wear them; have just stuck to my silks. Father brought his Serge suit & has worn it all the time. I bought a pongee sunshade today. Have looked several places before but did not like what I saw. This one is made of Honan silk. Now my dear must say adieu. Keep steady at work do the daily tasks then you will be happy in getting your exam. Heaps of love from both of us. Lovingly, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell PS. I forgot I was not writing Jess and exams are over for this year. Hope you get it OK. Wonder if you will get work & where. ---------------------------------------- Weihwei, Honan May 31, 1925 Dear Morrison Back home again after our honeymoon. The best of a journey's the getting home, says farmer John. We are glad to be back in our own house and find abundance of work waiting for us. We had a very good trip home, though all the berths in the compartment were full. Started on time at ten Monday night and were home only about an hour behind on Tuesday afternoon. That is not the ordinary train travel these days. Wilford expected to leave Peking for Tsinan on the Tuesday morning after we got there. Instead he went in to the PUMC with a temperature. We were a bit anxious as to what it would be. However he escaped from the Hospital on Friday morning against the will of the doctors. We went to the station to see him off and found that the express due the afternoon before was not in. It arrived in the afternoon and he got away for Shanghai, hoping to reach there Sunday morning. We got a note from him saying that they had reached Pukow on Sunday evening. Djang Dzo Lin's troops are playing all sorts of havoc with the traffic on that line. It is said that there are still 11,600 engines and cars in the hands of the military. In many cases there are first class sleepers and dining cars sidetracked and being used as barracks. We are hoping that Dr. Wilford got off on his boat on Tuesday. His wife would be good and anxious about him. We did not see Dr. MacVicar. He left for Changte the day we came home and our trains crossed on the way. He is teaching in the evangelist's class. Mother will perhaps not get a chance of seeing him again as he sails Aug. 10. She may go to CT with me when I go up to the teachers institute the end of June. On Friday Dr. Smith left for the north. He is going to Tsinan then on to Korea and Formosa and expects to be on the same boat with Dr. MacVicar. Mr. Flemming is going with him as far as Tsinan. He is now our representative on the University Board of Managers. At Changte they were having a farewell supper for Dr. Dow on Friday evening. Dr. Leslie would not go to it because he felt they would miss Dr. Smith. Word came at the close of their supper that the train was coming. They hurried off. The men got to the train before it left. But only Dr. McTavish of the ladies. The others missed it. We were over at the station to see him off here. The train was on time. He will probably see the boys in college this winter. His son Grant will be attending. How is it going to be this winter at our residence in Knox? Will you United Church people be admitted? When we were in Peking we had a meal with the Van Gorders (Helen Goforth). She spoke about Wallis being married but did not seem perfectly satisfied about it. She did not know that Dr. Goforth and Fred were not entering the union. We also had a meal with the Murrays (Blind Murray) who lived with us in the Family Hotel at Chefoo (now the prep school). One of their girls was born there at the time. That was just before Will was born. Miss MacLennan and Dr. Dow are leaving on Tuesday for home. There was a farewell for Miss McD. and Dr. MacV while we were in Peking. We have still no rain here except a few spits. We wake up at night thinking it is raining only to find it is the poplar trees blowing. The people are busy at their wheat harvest but it is very poor about here. In places where the land was flooded last year it is not so bad. Wednesday morning. Saw Dr. Dow and Miss MacLennan off yesterday afternoon. During the night we had a heavy thunderstorm and this morning the campus is a lake. The people will be able to begin plowing for the autumn crop. We hope that you will be able to make a great success of your business venture though one might think that the summertime in a city is a bad one to get people at home who wear silk stockings. It will give you a new experience of life and will give practice in meeting people of all kinds of temperament. This ought to be valuable for you besides the financial benefit you look for. About the time this reaches you, you will be passing another milestone in life. Nineteen years! We can hardly yet realize you are the grownup that you are. The years since we saw you have made a big difference. When I passed my nineteenth birthday I was just completing my first year teaching in Ripley and had just passed my first year university. You have the start of me. I hve no handy way of sending you a cheque here but shall have Eaton's transfer $5.00 to your D.A. to get what you see your need. I suppose you will soon know your results. I hope they were to your satisfaction. I think they will. When a man likes his work and puts in faithful work steadily he generally need not fear the testing time. My type shuttle is acting slowly and there seem many mistakes in this. I shall close with the warmest love and good wishes for a happy birthday from us both. Your loving father, Robert A. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Weihwei June 7, 1925 Dear Morr Another week has gone & it has been a busy one. Monday evening Father had a meeting with his teachers. Tuesday & Wednesday we entertained them to supper; four one evening & three the next. We had a pleasant time. One of them paints a little. He is good in watercolors & would like to learn oils. He remained behind to ask questions about oil painting. Thursday is our prayer meeting night & it was in our house & Father was the leader. He spoke of the earlier Unions in Canada & of the last one in 1875. Then prayer was for the church & friends in Canada. We have next week's meeting on Wednesday so as to hold it a few hours before the union takes place in Canada. But I was invited to a meal in a Chinese home with the Menzies & Miss Mitchell for 6.00 & we had a good time with the Siu family. Friday & Saturday I entertained having all the people of the yard but two, which I hope to hve tomorrow with the Pompas who are going to be with us on their way to C.T. I had three little tables & they were set on the West verandah. I had not done much entertaining this winter & spring & after their giving us such a nice wedding present I felt rather mean. However it has been done & done nicely & well, if I do say it myself & we enjoyed the evenings & our guests seemed to do also. It is nice to get together before we separated for the summer & we were not here for the big gathering they had as farewell to Dr. MacVicar & Miss MacLennan. Tuesday we went to the station to see Miss MacLennan off. I remained there four hours so did others. Father came home on his wheel, taught a class & went back & was there in time to see Dr. Dow who was on the train. There were a number over & we had a great visit though it was rather warm & all came home tired. I do not know that Miss MacLennan will be east but if she is she will hunt you people up. Mrs. Menzies is in charge of the girl's school now & till the return of Miss MacLennan. Jean is also here. She may be married in Sept or October & if right here, possibly in the church. We had a letter from Bill with the last mail. Morr, we supposed, was busy with exams but why does Jess not write us a line or so. I am glad Bill seems to like his place better than he hoped. Hope Morr makes the silk hose business go O.K. We shall wait anxiously for word of the exams. Be sure to let us know how the sales of silk hose go. We shall be interested. I hope you will be careful t try & get as much fresh air as possible now that you are remaining in the city for the summer. Go to the Parks in the evenings & lie & rest on the grass. Sometimes one does not notice they are overdoing till the next spring. Go to the Island, lie down & read or have a friend with whom to converse. Do not keep dancing when you have been on your feet all day. Taking care when young makes life much happier & easier after you leave school & carry the later burdens. So you like surgery. Well it gives good results when well done & there is lots of need of it in China. Any talk of Bill having a girl. Now that we are writing separate letters is a good time for me to ask. We hear of engagements of others & are often asked, "Has Bill a girl?" You would see about the trouble with students in Shanghai. Our two men who taught here for several years are in Peking& wrote us they were out on strike & what they thought of the treatment the students got. These two are not young boys but staid men with several years of experience of dealing with boys from the teachers' side. Do not worry about the Anti British & foreign aspect it may take. It may become a bigger affair than at present but the government will not likely let it go too far for they learned a lesson in 1900. The students must be brought in hand. The Militarists are China's worst enemies & the students second but they do not realize this fact. A cable will be sent if there is need of one. No cable means we are quiet. Now I must say adieu once more. Good luck to our young salesman. Do a straight & clean business. We often ask God to bless you & hope you will give Him a chance to lead & guide you. He is waiting to do so. Lovingly, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell ----------------------------------------- Weihwei June 17, 1925 Dear Morr Since Sunday I have been trying to write you but felt unwilling or unable, I am not sure which. The situation is still very strained and the boys still occupying the premises & no sign of their leaving. I had hoped by waiting I could give you a better account of conditions but so it stands. There was an immense mass meeting and parade on Monday 15. Our H.S. were out. The procession came down the road from Tiendien Djie around by our north gate & passed the church gate. They shouted all kinds of cries against foreigners & for China to awake, etc., but went right on. Things were not so happy in H.K., where thy stopped at the door of the girl's school, ordered the teachers to come out & when they did not do so reviled them. Their servants went on strike. None of ours did & neither did the workmen. All is quiet but such affairs going on around one keeps the populace excited & we cannot go ahead with our work. The boys have a meeting about 5am every morning, sing their national anthem, have speeches, then end up with several of the cries we hear all the time. Then they have breakfast & go out to preach to the country people the need of arising & waking or China will be taken over by the foreign countries, never thinking the best way to prevent that happening is to have every pupil go on with his work & prepare himself to live & work for the country when he has a well trained & mature mind. How giving up exams & going around shouting will bring salvation I cannot see. The hate stirred up in the hearts of young students as well as older ones will never be removed & will leave a stain o n the hearts of many which a lifetime can not overcome. Enough of this. Watch the papers & if no word reaches the office by cable you will know affairs are as now. Bob McClure was challenged or his rickshaw man was, also they would not allow his baggage on the train at first Monday 15 when he was returning to H.K. However, he managed & got it on even with students around. Yesterday Mrs. Lochead got off without any hindrance & we got baggage over from the station. The boycott here does not seem so stringent as some places but we might see a change any time. Our servants are all on the job & some attended the meeting in the city on Monday. Otheta did not go because not feeling well. Our servants did not leave us nor the workmen stop work for which we are thankful. We would like to see the H.S. closed & then we could leave. Keys should be handed over etc before we leave but do not know when that will be. It is an ugly business & I feel when we left our three precious children in Canada to help the Chinese it is depressing to see them not appreciate what we have tried to do for them. But young people are often unthankful & after all we are trying to do our duty for our Savior & show our love for Him by taking quietly all these affairs. You will see by these things how much they need some one to teach them to know the Savior & his love for man. You hurry & get ready to come out. Several families are off & more will go this next express. Cannot say when we go. I will not leave Father now & when he goes I go. Also where he goes I go. We may change & go to Peidaho instead of K.K.S. & if so will be with Mrs. Menzies & Jean. Now I shall say adieu for today. The letters to Bill & Jess have just gone off. As this one is late I shall not close it till the morning & shall add if there is anything new & you will have the latest. Do not forget that unless there is a cable at the office everything is as per normal. Pray for us & the students of China. Let us know how your business gets along. Heaps of love from both of us. Keep a brave heart laddie; we are in the Master's hands & hope to be all reunited next year & then we shall all have a glorious time. June 19 Conditions remain much the same. The boys are still in the school & held their meeting last evening & this morning but the time of meeting is down to twenty minutes instead of one hour. It is reported on the street that peace has been spoken & that everybody should go on with their work & mind their own business. Our boys have not yet done so. However the boycott failed here. All say you have only done kind & good things here; why should we not give you food & the banks money as usual. Of course we are glad of this but cannot easily overlook the action of the students. And what the powers will have to say to the placards & calls that have been sung on the street is another matter. All of that has incited the ignorant people who feel the educated class must know what has happened to their people in Shanghai. It might easily have stirred up much greater feeling & made the lives of those in the interior unsafe. In some places there has been loss of life. The hate stirred up will never die down. Now goodbye my dear boy. We often think of you & shall be interested in the selling of real silk hosiery. Heaps of love from both of us, Mother. Lovingly, Jennie H. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Peidaho August 2, 1925 Dear Morr. Father sent off a letter to you just before leving W.H. last Sunday. I wrote you sending it across to Japan. I do not know whether the two letters would reach you at the same time or not. It is too two weeks today since Father reached P.T.H. There have been only a few days when we had no rain. Yesterday afternoon was fine & we had a number of friends here to play tennis & that was some fine playing. Thursday of this week it was fair in the afternoon & father decided to go to Struthers for 'tea' as we heard he & Mr. grant were leaving for Honan the next day. We both rode our wheels & I got along fairly well going over, had to walk up one steep hill but coasted down. We had a nice time with them & Miss Christie also Grants. They live three miles from us, one the way back. I got off when we came to a big hill as it was the busy time of the day & there were so many people & rickshaws on the street. I was off on the left side but what happened then I do not know but I sprained my right ankle. I think I stepped on the side of a stone. Since then I have been nursing my ankle. Yesterday I was in bedroom slippers when the guests were here but today I have put on shoes. That meant taking off half of the bandage but I have been getting around very slowly on the verandah. I hope to walk properly tomorrow. Today I limp around & have kept the ankle stiff. You have probably seen about Erris Liddell who won honors at the Olympic games. It was his parents who were here. We used to be very friendly with them years ago & enjoyed meeting them again. Erris was also here. He plays tennis but nothing as well as his father. His sister who was at Cheefoo & roomed with Irene Griffen was also here. She plays a good game. After several mixed sets father & Mr. Liddell played Rob MacClure & Erris Liddell. The old men were leading when it was too dark to continue. Today it has been raining for most of the day. However it cleared up about time for church & all but Mr. Griffith & I have gone. He is troubled with sciatica & is afraid of the damp. I also feel the best place is home for me as I could not walk & the rickshaw men put up prices dreadfully when the weather is bad. The situation has not changed since I wrote you last [next] week. There is talk of civil war. If so there will be a change of sides among some & some who fought against each other will find themselves on the same side. So you see they are not fighting for any great stakes. Poor China needs her money to build bridges, dykes, railroads & to open up mines is spending it in killing off some of her best men and bringing suffering & sorrow upon her people. If we do not get into Honan this autumn by the end of the year it may be they will send us home. Time will tell. Mrs. Liddell was telling me yesterday that for eighteen years there was a strong pull of her best toward the homeland for part of her family were there. This summer all are up here. The eldest son is a doctor in Shanghai in their Mission. Erris who I wrote about before is here. I enclose a couple of clippings from Tientsin paper about him. He was here yesterday; also his sister who has graduated from Cheefoo. Then there is a little boy of twelve. We will be very happy when we can be together but it will not be eighteen years I hope before we have you & Bill out here. I have suggested Jess applies to Tsinan where the university is to come out as a teacher for the Missionaries' children. That is a university town & she would not be lonely as in the interior. I would want her to wait & come back with us. Dr. MacVicar is taking a parcel home, which he will give you & keep the parcels for Bill & Jess till they arrive. Write us soon & tell us how you are getting along with your business. Where will you & Bill live this winter? We are wondering if you will remain in the same room. Let us know. It is nearly time for the folk to get home from church & I am near the end of the sheet so will say adieu once more. Heaps of love from your dear Mother. Be a good boy. We always hear good reports of you & hope you will do good work this year again. But be good that is most important. Much love, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- 4u West C. Road Peitaiho, Honan Aug 9th, 1925 Dear Morrison Another week has slipped away. We have during the week got Morr's letter of June 28th and Will's of July 5th, which we were greatly pleased to get. We have had a much pleasanter week so far as weather is concerned, since Tuesday. The day was the opening of an educational conference at the East Cliff. I did not go that day but have ben there each morning since. It is four miles from here, so that it takes up the whole morning from breakfast till lunch, cutting out the chance for a swim before lunch. At the time of the fall moon our mission were invited to Jimmie Menzie's for moonlight bathing. It was somewhat cold that day but turned a bit warmer in the evening. Some of us went prepared to bathe and some did not. We had a bonfire on the beach when we were bathing and then went up to the house and had watermelon cake and cocoa. It was a quite enjoyable evening. Thursday evening we were all out to the movies as a treat from Bob. It was "Safety Last". There were a good many ridiculous situations in the thing and lots of laughs. I turned away sometimes because the antics of a man climbing up the corner of a skyscraper under all sorts of difficulties were too hard for my dizzy head. Last evening we were at the Conference grounds to hear "Elijah" sung by a choir of about 40-50 voices. Part of it was very good but their soloists were not at all equal to what we had at KKS last summer. Mother has had rather a quiet week so far as getting around is concerned because of her sprained foot. It is getting better though and she did some tennis playing yesterday afternoon. There is some tennis here almost every afternoon. Yesterday we had the Liddells along and had some good fun at the games. I am a bit stiff after it. On Thursday morning, Mr. Griffith, Dr. Netterfield and Mr. Thomson went back to Honan. Mr4. Hattie would wait there for a time after they arrived and is expected here next Thursday. Dr. MacVicar and Dr. MacZKenzie left last Tuesday. Dr. MacVicar is for home and Dr. MacK is going as far as Japan with him. Word has come from Honan that the Hsien magistrate had said that he would be glad to see the missionaries return and Grant and Struthers were expecting to go down day before yesterday. I suppose that the attitude of things there would decide whether it was simply a visit or whether they would stay on. If it is all right they will stay on and open up the hospital. The gatekeeper says that the students have subsided since the row with the magistrate and the accusation of the merchants against them for carrying off their Japanese and British goods. It may be that we can get back and carry on at the close of the summer vacation though I shall not be in schoolwork as the middle school is not to be open. We were very glad to get your word both as to how your business venture was coming on and as to your running and exams. With regard to your money matters I am glad that things are improving as you go on. Still it may be that you will not be able to save much during the summer. I do not know how you will be off when your fees have to be paid in and I think that I had better put some at your disposal for an emergency. The latter which I should have written to Eaton's some months ago is not written yet so that the transfer of your birthday present has not been made. I shall send it now, $10. Besides this I shall send $100 to insure your being able to get your fees paid. I would like you to be perfectly frank in writing us about your financial condition. You have always so far held our confidence in the matter of spending money. I hope that you will still be able to keep up the same economical way of using it. I think it is well for you to make your won way and feel that you have done it, yet I do not want it to be too much of a drain on your resources. I was quite interested in getting the details of your runs at the Central and Broadview meets. We had bad notices in the papers we got for Assembly news. I was quite interested in the psychology of your good time & run. It sounds as if you were not intending to it at all but only did not know what to do with the fellows ahead who were going too slow a pace for you to afford to follow. However you did it, you made great time. Yesterday I was talking with Eric Riddell about it. He suggested that you ought to be careful not to do too much running at your age. He said he did not do anything serious till he was 21. I asked him f he had any ambitions beyond the quarter. He said that if he had been at home this year he had intended to make a try at the half. It was thought that 220 was his race but he really did better at the quarter. I hope you get your run in the varsity games ok. Don't let the running get you into loose spending of money or loose company. One thing that we are so glad about Riddell is that he has kept so clean and so modest. It is great to show that a man can be a good athlete and a good Christian. Bob went to Peking yesterday morning with a patient for the PUMC. He will likely be back this evening. He has taken responsibility for the Cinema while Mr. Thomson is away. The latter is running the cinema this year to try to show that a clean show can be run. I am afraid that he is losing money on it. Try to keep up your writing to us even if it is only short letters. I know your work will tire you but if you can keep it up it is a great comfort to us. Bill has done remarkably well in that line. Your father Robert A. Mitchell ------------------------------------------ Peitaho August 16, 1925 Dear Morr. Another week gone & nothing done. We are just playing & idling the time this summer. There are so many in the house & always some company coming that it is easy to do nothing but talk. Father & I had a few rides & I am gaining confidence again after my sprained ankle. I cannot get on & off properly & have been trying to do a little learning along that line. Yesterday we had a big crowd here; twelve guests & we are a family of eight. I do not just like so much company, get tired of such continual rush & excitement. However it will soon be over & we hope to get into our quiet home before many weeks. The word from Dr. Struthers & Mr. Grant is good thus far & we hope they will be able to remain on & keep servants who can buy for us. If so we shall likely arrive at Weihwei on the 28th or Sept 1st. There was an accident near Baoding; Mr. Hattie was on the train coming out. The baggage cars on both trains were smashed & one of the mail cars. We have not heard of how many were wounded for the papers do not try to give full information about accidents. Thus far there has been no word of Hattie's baggage & they had their warm clothing for the trip to Canada; also some new materials to make up for the children to be used on the trip & in Canada. It will be a loss but also a great inconvenience. There has been lots of tennis here this week & father is always into it. He plays very well & likes it. I do not seem to get any better at it but perhaps it is because I do not play often enough. When in Honan I get too tired & when evening comes prefer to lie down rather than chase tennis balls. Last night three seats along the shore were broken. They are made of portland cement & nice comfortable good looking benches. A few other things happened which looked as though it had been done to get even with the boycott students. One destroyed bench is right in front of us & the police called this morning to see if he could get information. Dr. Leslie had heard them breaking the one opposite us about 11pm. He did not get up, as he had no light & thought it was someone breaking off branches on the trees near the house. He also heard the laughing as the destruction went on. This was all the information we could give except that our people coming home from the movies an hour later saw the damaged seats & all the way from "the Hall' about a mile no policeman was in sight. However an hour ago the policeman was here to say the seats had been broken by a few drunken Russians. Some wondered if it was done with the idea that it would be put off on the British, as so many things are these days. The most impossible things - affairs that the Chinese must know were not being done by British are said in the Chinese to be the work of British. A few days ago a mill in Tientsin - Chinese was attacked & the police in order to the course of their duty opened fire on the disturbers & what do you think the Chinese papers said - the British were the persons who fired. Now Morr, mother wrote you last week about money affairs to be frank with us and let us know about your financial affairs. We do not want you to overdo in trying to make money & then not be as strong as you should be for the autumn's work. Then too with this running be very careful. Often young boys go too fast along that line when they are undeveloped. Father wrote you Erris Liddel thinks you are young & should not be pushed. He did most of his fast work after he was twenty-one. Keep in training but be careful not to allow the coach to push you too fast. Often those training singers are so proud of their pupil they push them too fast with the result that their voice is ruined for life. To go slow is better than too fast at your age. I do not think that there is any more that we can write so will close with a wish that you will write us very soon & try & be regular. We have not heard that Jess is through nor whether she has a school or not. Be sure & let us know whether you are to be in Knox or else where now that Knox is in the hands of others than those who entered the union. Heaps of love and best wishes for a good room & a good year at College. Let me know if the Pyjamas fit you. They were made the last few days we were at Weihwei & the women & I were all excited not knowing what might happen any time & I fear one set is badly made but I could not insist on their being remade. Ask Jess or Aunt Jessie to alter them if necessary or wait till I return. Again heaps of love, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell ----------------------------------------- Aug 16, 1925 We had a letter from Dr. Struthers a few days ago & he wrote about having seen you lately. You will be in to exams about this time. Hope you get along. The best way is to do the daily & weekly tasks on time & thus not hve to cram. If the former course is followed there is less wear & no regrets. A few years & you will be over the worst. It will not be long so keep on faithfully. Be careful about your Bible Study & prayer. The student has so many things to keep him away from this very necessary study. Try & not grow careless. The business the Mowatts are doing has caused some difference of opinion here & at home. I think the best path for you to take is avoid discussion & do nto get into the affair at all if you can avoid it. Business is business & some feel should be kept as such. Then too this has gone on at home without any consultation with this end & some feel we should not have been put into it by people at home. No more now but just a little to let you know the best way is to avoid being mixed up in those controversial subjects. Keep at your own work & let others do the same. I understand the young people were invited to a home & the subject from the home side put up to them. I am sorry this was done but this is all I have to say go on with your own affairs & do not commit yourself in affairs too readily. Now my dear boy adieu. I hope you get satisfactory job for the summer. Love your own Mother Jennie H. Mitchell --------------------------------------- Peking August 26, 1925 Dear Morrison Here we are once more in Peking & at Dr. Phillips' home. We had not planned to leave P.T.H. before tomorrow but we had lunch with Helen Goforth & her husband one day last week and he thought if we spent two days in Peking probably something could be done in the way of finding out the cause of father's hay fever. This morning we called at the P.U.M.C. & made an appointment for this pm at three & father is off there now. They will likely inject serum & watch for the reaction & then treat. There are so many different weeks that cause it that is the only way to get at it. Usually he is not troubled with it till after we reach Weihwei but this year it began three weeks ago. Well we hve finished our summer holidays. They were so different from the usual but enjoyable all the same. There was always something doing at our house. Mrs. Menzies is so fond of company & she herself is on the go all the time. I suppose if I had lain in bed as long as she did I would be glad to get around now. There is to be a new Educational Board meeting at Changte Friday. Father will get off there & I go on with Mrs. Ratcliffe. We are the two first to return to W.H. but Miss Mitchell may come in on the P.M. train while we arrive about four hours before that. Yesterday at 9am we left P.T.H. My but there was a crowd. We come down on a little train to the junction. Years ago when you & we went to P.T.H. we got off at the junction & went over to the sea by chair or donkey. In 1917 the last time we were there Morr. was very ill with dysentery & we carried him a fourteen months baby on a pillow. We rode in chairs, Father & I taking turns holding him. We had a short wait at the junction & then when the train came a rush to get seats. Miss Batty & Mr. Knight, her fiancé, Mrs. Ratcliffe & Miss Logan of Tsinan were in the party. I stayed by the stuff they could not carry & they got on to find a place. The gentlemen returned while Miss Batty held the place. The two women were not really in our part but the men could not see them without seats so they sat with us for a time but as soon as they could get seats with others did so and the married people could be together. Knight and Miss B. have been engaged over a year & both live in Tientsin. I think they see a lot of each other for they do not act like engaged people. Not self conscious nor blushy when jokes are made & they are always playing tricks on each other like early married people. We had a pleasant trip & went into the diner with them. They got off at Tientsin & we had three hours more to Peking. Arriving here we quickly got off, hurried to the customs & were among the first to get our baggage inspected & then into rickshaws & over here arriving about 7.30. We found two of our Mission here; Misses Macintosh & Shipley. After a little chat while waiting for our beds to be made up we got into bed for we were tired. This morning we went out & bought a few little things we need & made the appointment at the hospital. I shall not write more till father returns with his report. Just after we sat down to tea father arrived. They gave him twelve needles & the only one he reacted to was golden rod. We have none of that in China but there must be some plant similar to it. it is too late to get any help this year but we will hope to get the scrum going in time to prevent a recurrence. Now I must say adieu & we will write after our arrival in Weihwei. Heaps of love from both of us. Mother, Lovingly Jennie H. Mitchell --------------------------------------- Weihwei Sept 6, 1925 Dear Bill & Morr Last week I did not write you people. I arrived on Friday, Aug 29. Father got off at Changte where he had a ducat meeting. Mr. Grant & Dr. Struthers met Mrs. Ratcliffe & me at the station. All along the street people wished us well & we felt they were glad to see us back. The two nights before father returned I had the amah sleep in the house. Father came along about noon on Sunday & I was glad to see him. It was a strange Sunday. No church bell & no service in the Rosedale church; the same today. I was very miserable when I first returned & so did not write. There was the house to settle & I always feel miserable after a train trip & the eating of meals on the train. We have been out for a few bike rides but the roads are very rough. This morning father decided to go out into the country to see the attitude of people. When we have been out it is friendly. However there will be no High School this year. Whether the primary school is open or not depends on the decision of the School Board, which it is hoped, may meet next week. This week we shall have a station meeting or two. Then the work father is to do will be decided. It looks as though he would go into country work & possibly as in the early years without good helpers. Some are afraid to go, others are unwilling to be associated with the foreigner. How long this will last time will tell. The conference to be held the end of October may make a difference & it is hoped that a lot of these affairs, which are misunderstood & misrepresented, will be cleared up. Alas the hate stirred up will never die in the hearts of some. There is a fine autumn crop; the best for years & this will keep the people busy for a time & of course happier than other years when there have been such poor crops. This is the best for W.H. since our return from Canada. I am hoping to have a goodly number at the Bible school, which will open about Oct. 1. We have only once heard from Morr since Bill left Toronto. In that letter he told about his races & enclosed clippings. Eric Liddel thinks Morr is undertaking too much at his age. He did little running till 21 years of age. I hope Morr got along the last part of the summer better than the beginning. Father sent word to Eatons' to transfer $110 to your D.A. Hope the letter did not go astray. We are wondering where you boys will be rooming this year. Let us know & tell us about your room, etc. Also about Mother for she cannot write often now. Give her my love. Let us know about Shaws & give them best wishes. The English service is to be here tonight & Father leading. I must get seats etc. ready so will say adieu. We hear Gordon Ross is very bad; had become violent. Write whether this is so or not. What an awful sad affair. Poor parents. Heaps of love to our two boys of whom we are very proud. You do not worry us & that makes it easier to remain here at our post. You may see Mr. Flemming this winter in Toronto. If you hear the Mitchells did not want to go home don't believe it. Some have told us that. It is duty & nothing else keeps us here & it is not easy to give up the hope of getting home in 1926. Pray that we may be kept brave through it all. Now adieu my precious boys. Much Love Mother. Jennie. H. Mitchell Weihwei, Honan Oct 8, 1925 Dear Morr & Bill This week brought in a letter from Morrison dated August 30. It was a fine long letter and we hve read it over and over again. It is nice to get such a fine letter, especially after one has been guessing for so long. Thanks for letting us know that Jess has a school. We have been anxious about her, not knowing what was going on. Now we shall be more at ease. It is nice that it is where you can see something of one another some times. Morr speaks about our being home and living someplace where we can be all together. Wouldn't it be nice? We would like it finely in many regards. It is hard to not see you all; especially when out here we feel that we are living in a hostile atmosphere, especially among the Christian for whom we have done the most. The calumnies against us have come pretty largely from them; that is, those we hear about. I suppose that what we do not hear about do not hurt us, eh? By this time you will all be down to your regular work. I suppose that track meet will be coming on, other sports getting started in the series. Your professors will have some demands to make on you. It will seem like old times for you to get back to it again. I was through the school for some things yesterday. It is dreary looking with cobwebs all about. We used to make an effort to keep those down as well as out of the boys' heads. It is a pity to see our big plant lying idle. I have only been a few short trips in the country yet. Next Tuesday I expect to go for a trip around the main points of my fold; I shall be away three weeks. This will be largely to get in touch with things. We shall not be doing tent work. Perhaps we may see our way to beginning it before very long in some places. Mr. Lochead has asked me to be responsible for the station work during November. I shall be a few days late in coming in. Copland is to accompany me on the trip on which I am going this time. We shall both ride bicycles but shall have our goods go by cart from place to place. He is going out with Mr. Grant for three days this week. Mother is getting ready for her women. We do not know whether or not there will be many come in. In several places where there were formerly several women coming, the Christians have declared themselves independent of the foreigners. It is quite likely that the numbers will be considerably reduced and also that there will be a good deal of misunderstanding of the true state of things by those who do come. Mrs. Grant just showed us a clipping from the Globe telling of Fred Moffat's sad death. It seems strange that there had been no provision for the shutting off of that old road. One thing about his death is good, that it was instantaneous. I am afraid that the poor girl with him will have much suffering. The mother is apparently not in good health. It will be a terrible blow to her. I am sure that Morr will miss him much this winter. As one gets farther on in the course the friendships get knit firmer. But the sorrowers are not as those who sorrow without hope. Other folks have mail in of the 12th. Sept. We are quite on the alert to find out how Morr did at the run at the exhibition. Mr. Lochead was remarking that he was getting quite a furnishing for a house with all his prizes. It will be like going into the grant house thirty years ago where the boys' prizes were everywhere. Now I must close off and get away to some work. This is Friday morning and the letter was started several days ago. Mrs. Grant tells us that the word from Mr. Grant at Sinsiang is that things are looking quite hopeful. The opposition to the mission and the agitation for separation is largely confined to three men, but the rest largely stand to keeping on in friendly relations. With love and good wishes for all your work this autumn. Your loving father, Robert A. Mitchell --------------------------------------- Weihwei, Honan Oct 8, 1925 Dear Morr & Bill This week brought in a letter from Morrison dated August 30. It was a fine long letter and we hve read it over and over again. It is nice to get such a fine letter, especially after one has been guessing for so long. Thanks for letting us know that Jess has a school. We have been anxious about her, not knowing what was going on. Now we shall be more at ease. It is nice that it is where you can see something of one another some times. Morr speaks about our being home and living someplace where we can be all together. Wouldn't it be nice? We would like it finely in many regards. It is hard to not see you all; especially when out here we feel that we are living in a hostile atmosphere, especially among the Christian for whom we have done the most. The calumnies against us have come pretty largely from them; that is, those we hear about. I suppose that what we do not hear about do not hurt us, eh? By this time you will all be down to your regular work. I suppose that track meet will be coming on, other sports getting started in the series. Your professors will have some demands to make on you. It will seem like old times for you to get back to it again. I was through the school for some things yesterday. It is dreary looking with cobwebs all about. We used to make an effort to keep those down as well as out of the boys' heads. It is a pity to see our big plant lying idle. I have only been a few short trips in the country yet. Next Tuesday I expect to go for a trip around the main points of my fold; I shall be away three weeks. This will be largely to get in touch with things. We shall not be doing tent work. Perhaps we may see our way to beginning it before very long in some places. Mr. Lochead has asked me to be responsible for the station work during November. I shall be a few days late in coming in. Copland is to accompany me on the trip on which I am going this time. We shall both ride bicycles but shall have our goods go by cart from place to place. He is going out with Mr. Grant for three days this week. Mother is getting ready for her women. We do not know whether or not there will be many come in. In several places where there were formerly several women coming, the Christians have declared themselves independent of the foreigners. It is quite likely that the numbers will be considerably reduced and also that there will be a good deal of misunderstanding of the true state of things by those who do come. Mrs. Grant just showed us a clipping from the Globe telling of Fred Moffat's sad death. It seems strange that there had been no provision for the shutting off of that old road. One thing about his death is good, that it was instantaneous. I am afraid that the poor girl with him will have much suffering. The mother is apparently not in good health. It will be a terrible blow to her. I am sure that Morr will miss him much this winter. As one gets farther on in the course the friendships get knit firmer. But the sorrowers are not as those who sorrow without hope. Other folks have mail in of the 12th. Sept. We are quite on the alert to find out how Morr did at the run at the exhibition. Mr. Lochead was remarking that he was getting quite a furnishing for a house with all his prizes. It will be like going into the grant house thirty years ago where the boys' prizes were everywhere. Now I must close off and get away to some work. This is Friday morning and the letter was started several days ago. Mrs. Grant tells us that the word from Mr. Grant at Sinsiang is that things are looking quite hopeful. The opposition to the mission and the agitation for separation is largely confined to three men, but the rest largely stand to keeping on in friendly relations. With love and good wishes for all your work this autumn. Your loving father, Robert A. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Weihwei, Honan Nov 19, 1925 Dear Bill & Morr: I have just arrived home from a ten days in the sands to the southeast of here, about twelve miles from home. I was staying at two villages. In the first place we were staying at an inn, which was not open. We got the best accommodation there was, the kitchen and office. But as neither of these had any door we lived a somewhat public life. My bed and bicycle were in the inner room. The rest of life was in the outer. t the other place we had a three chien room in the home of a fairly well-to-do family which is ordinarily used for a school of the old type. We were very comfortable there and were made welcome. There were two Chinese preachers and myself. We all made our own food. My food making was a source of curiosity for the youngsters up to 60 years of age. During the day I was mostly teaching the few Christians and in the evening we lit up the gasoline lantern and hung it at the big door to draw a crowd for preaching. The last time that these places were visited it was with a tent and the people could be seted and held better than this time. However we are not using the tents just now. Mother and I are going tomorrow to Siuwu for the weekend. At least we have not decided yet not to go. The trains are running on that line as usual. On the other line there have not been any passenger trains for about a week, though there have been plenty of troop trains running. We really do not know much of what is going on outside. We have had no Tientsin paper for over a week. We understand that the train is running south from Sinsiang daily yet. I understand that the troops have destroyed a bridge to the north of Changte on the borderline of the opposing forces. Mission work is not very encouraging just now. Besides the effects of the summer's agitation, which are most felt, near the city and near schools the hearts of the people are not at rest. There has been so much suffering from bandits and their aliases, soldiers that the people are getting so that they just cannot stand it. Everywhere there are bands of the Red Spear Society, whose idea is first to resist bandits and next to resist the military authorities if they come too hard on them. They are a society similar to the boxers in their incantations and incense burning to make them impervious to bullets. They seem to be everywhere. At each of the places where I was the last ten days there was one of the sons who had been in prison for some months. I cannot say anything positive about the rights and wrongs of their cases but each had been kept for months in default of payment of $600 and $1,000 to the magistrate. Last week the magistrate was carried off by some of the brigadier-general's soldiers who wanted money. They first opened the prison doors. I saw one of these men who had escaped. He said that he had been twenty times before the magistrate and they had been unable to prove any guilt, but yet they were demanding $1,000 from him. While I was there there were two men from the wamen there, one to get the man back, and the other to collect a new tax on peanuts. The people here are getting pretty restless under all the exactions of the military. Last Sunday every family was busy making clothes for them. In the morning they left cloth at the house according to the number of women in the household and called again for the garments at night. The public funds office has told the brigadier-general that they have no means of raising his last demand on them,. Folks are afraid that before the troops leave here they make occasion to loot the place. I hope not, but you cannot know what to expect from such a bunch as are in authority here. The Hatties, Miss Hall and Miss Leslie are due to leave this week. I do not know whether or not they ill be able to get away. I understand that Miss Leslie is on her way here. They may leave here for Sinsiang by the Taoching tomorrow. This morning as I was coming in I met Miss Hodge going out on a wheelbarrow. Just after starting this morning a food shopkeeper told me that she and Miss MacDougall had passed through on a barrow day before yesterday, coming home. I haven't seen anybody but mother since I came home. There is no news. We are both well. Of course we don't know how you are getting on as we have not had word for a little time. It is not so long since we had a letter saying the boys were in the north house at know. The sports were just coming on and we would like to know how the boys did in them. Love from us both. Keep looking up Your loving father, Robert A. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Weihwei, Honan December 22, 1925 Dear Will & Mon I just got home from Taokow yesterday evening. I had been building my hopes on getting letters from all of you as a C.P.R. mail was in. But apparently your letters missed it as there was no mail from any of our immediate connections. We have been hearing from Copland and Locheads about your being at Coplands but none of them gave particulars of the races. Mother had a note from Mrs. Leslie in which she said that she had heard Will's voice over the phone, but had not seen him. A week ago yesterday I came home from Djang Gao Tswen. The afternoon before there were several youngsters talking around me. I heard them each urging the others to ask me something. Eventually one said, "Are you going away tomorrow?" "Yes", I said. One heaved a heavy sigh. "We shall not be able to see the lamp tomorrow night". The gasoline lantern is one of the bright spots of their life while I am about. They crowd in, in the evening, asking if it is pumped up yet, or if it is lit yet. They all like to be in at these two events. I had quite a trip home last week. I started away in the opposite direction to visit some Christians in the villages. At noon I was as far away as in the morning and started a road I had not previously ridden. I should have struck the other road about twelve miles from home in a gap in the sand hills. I missed it, and went through ridge after ridge of sand. I had my fill of it. Sun went down when I was about six miles from home. I was able to see well enough to get home without having to walk. Originally I had intended to come the next day. But when I discovered that the wind was south for the third day in succession I was afraid it would be changed the next day and I had better take advantage of the favorable wind. After I ate dinner, I found that the wind was partly ahead. However, it was not high till I got home, when it was whistling. I went down to Taokow on Thursday for the RALLY. Getting there I found that there had been a mistake made in the announcements of the Chinese dates, and the people were a day late in coming in. However, I made arrangements that my work would be over by Monday noon and I could come home in the afternoon. I had taken my wheel with me with the idea of riding back by the railway track, in order to take the directions for making a map of my field. We had a very good gathering with about a hundred present. It is the first time they have had such a gathering for the Christians of the Hwa and Hsun Hsiens. It is about a month later than it should be to get the best time. But we had no winds to speak of and the weather was good, though a little cold at first. The meetings were in two tents sewed together. It made a very good meeting place. I was the speaker who had to take the bulk of the work, speaking five times. I took all of my work from the book of Philippians. There is such a wealth of material in that book. Paul is just overflowing with love and gratitude in it. Dr. Fan asked me to go to his place for a meal. We had a lovely meal. Mrs. Fan sat with us at table. I think that that is the first time she has done so. The doctor was asking particularly about Morrison who used to be his particular chum. You will remember him as Fan Yun Wen. His son is now in Peking in pre-medical course. he seems to be doing well enough in his practice. He says that his first year was his best, when he took in about $5,000. I wish that he were a more aggressive Christian. His social proclivities have been a great temptation to him to get mixed up with a lot of folks who are no help to Christianity. I think that perhaps he is settling down better now, but he has not learned the joy of real Christian service. Yesterday I left there at noon. I came by the railroad, where there is a good riding track. It is hard, pretty smooth and with few turns. My scheme was largely a surveying one, but it was a very enjoyable ride. There was a favorable wind. I was at the railway station here in little over four hours. It was such a favorable day that I continued on a mile or two and came in home from the south. I suppose your term is about over. How the days and weeks slip away! You have made a good mark in your athletics. I hope it has been the same in the college and in the church. We are near Xmas and we do not know what your plans are for it. There is to be a union dinner here, but there is not a union Chinese service as the Chinese church prefer not to join with us. In time they will get over this. Now I must close and get some things ready for guests this evening. Lovingly, Your father, Robert A. Mitchell