1926-28 Sept 30, 1926 Dear: MacVicar gave out the next hymn and while we were singing that he collected his thoughts a little. When the hymn was over I came home. Father was lying on the bed. Dr. Baird went to the HPT for medicine I got father into his pajamas. After his return they proposed I go back to the church for the last hymn. This would reassure the congregation he was better. Dr. MacVicar asked how he was & made an announcement. After the close of service3 several of the teachers & friends came to me to inquire also the Canadians. Dr. Baird was with him and while I was away father had a second spasm of pain. He had a good sleep & feels pretty well though weak. The Dr. has just bee in & says he must remain in bed for three days. We hope the worst is over for this time. With this disease it returns often & may do so in two or three weeks or months or may not bother him again. If the stone is small e may pass it in a day or two for medicines are being given to cause it to break up. I was sorry Dr. Auld was not here for he has been our Dr. for so many years. However if Rob does not improve quickly I shall send for him for I know he would wish to do what he could for him as we have been friends for so long & were with them when their baby Reginald died. Do not worry about father as I have written all there is; I kept back nothing. This is a disease, which may be painful but is the kind that can be treated & if not an operation which Dr. Auld does often for the Chinese. Auld is a good surgeon, a No. 1 Physician & Father will get the best of treatment. It is not likely to give him trouble again. You might tell Mr. Armstrong if you wish & a few intimate friends but do not talk much about it till you have further word. Mr. Ma, the teacher who has been with us the longest is here now arranging for father's classes. He is such a fine noble man. One of our own graduates & of course we feel we know each other very well & there is a strong bond of sympathy between him & us. Father is very fond of him & he seems to feel the same toward father. Now settle down to study & equally divide the play & study. Be careful of over doing in anything that uses nerves for you have inherited nerves from both sides of the house. It is all right for Morr to play in an orchestra when he is doing physical work but I would not want him to play too frequently when in study. It taxes the nerves too much & he should be careful. Some boys have helped themselves that way to make money & collapsed at the end of the term. After Gordon Ross watch. I do want Bill to take vocal. First I would sing in a choral society if he can get in, either Varsity or Knox. Then in the autumn term I would inquire about a teacher. The man who trains at Knox would give information or some of the singers in North Toronto would know who to recommend. Take lessons the Autumn term the three years you are in Theology & give up when the studies press but keep on in the Choral work. I am at the end of the page so goodbye. Love from both of us. Jennie H. Mitchell PS. Please forward this letter to Jess. Love to Mother when you see her. I hope Bill goes to Eglinton Church as before. ---------------------------------------- Pleasanton Hotel Kobe, Japan August 31, 1928 Hello Boys I expect that you two are far enough apart to let the same letter do for both and not seem out of place. It is not so long since we wrote each of you but as it wears to the end of the week we want to let you hve news of us. The fact that this letter is written from here denotes a change in our plans. We had expected to be well on our way to Tientsin by this time but are not waiting till Monday to go to Tsingtao. We reached Kobe on Tuesday afternoon. We had to anchor for a time till the President Pearce got away from the berth at the pier. The trip around from Yokohama was not so smooth as the rest of the journey, but we managed to keep O.K. It was sunny and warm, which was more pleasant than the downpour we had at Tokyo. Mr. Sanborn, the proprietor of this place was at the boat, and took off the burdens of getting baggage off the boat and arranged for bonding to China. He and his men are used to it. One comes into this compound from the corner and is at once struck with the beauty of it with foliage and flowers. The buildings are not up to the compound, but Mr. Sanborn manages to look after a good number of people here. Wednesday I went to the Osaka Shosen Kaisha office and paid for our tickets to Tientsin and thought that we should simply wait till the next day and get off nicely. After lunch I met Mr. Romig from the American Presbyterian mission in Shantung, who told me that the railroad was not running through from Tientsin to Tsinan, stopping about forty li from Tsinan because of the Japanese political situation. Everyone would have to take this journey by rickshaw and would have difficulty with baggage. I had had a letter from Dr. McClure, assuming that I was coming by way of Tsingtao and saying that the train was not crowded when he passed along a few days ago. So I decided to try for a boat to Tsingtao. The first one was an N.Y.K. boat on the 3rd. The O.S.K. have none running to Tsingtao. So I had to pay a forfeit on the passage money as well as stay here for some days. I hope that I shall find that I did wisely. Since we came the house has been a rush of people coming and going. There are not many left just now, as a bunch got off this morning by train for Shimonosoki and Korea. This place has grown much since we first saw it. It has about 700,000 people now and is the most important port in Japan. Yokohama is beginning to build up again but will take long time to get up to this again if it ever does. Our impressions of it on the rainy day we were there, were mostly of torn up streets, and concrete buildings in process of construction. We have not been out to the college here yet, but are going this afternoon after it cools a little. I do not know whether or not any of the missionaries are at home there, but we shall make an attempt to find out. We had a card from the Eadies yesterday. He had just seen in the New Outlook that we were leaving on the Empress of Asia. He did not have time to get down to Yokohama to see us from Kauisawa, where they are for the summer but wrote a card to get us here. He expected we were on the way to Shanghai. Had we known at Yokohama that we should have the wait here, we should certainly have taken a run up to see them on the mountain. I think that the McHatties are there too. The first two days we were here we had the company of Misses Frances and Mary Higginbotham. The former had been spending the summer with the Bob McClures in Formosa… She met the boat here and we were all boarding at this place. They went on to Tientsin by the Choke Maru. They were quite lively girls. It was nice to get some more recent news from someone of the mission. Miss F. is teaching in the American school in Peking and Miss Mary is to teach in the American school in Tungchow. We had lunch with their mother in Vancouver. We were suffering from cold on the way across but have not done so lately. Today is a steamy hot day. Yesterday it was raining and blowing hard. We were glad enough not to be on the water. There was quite a typhoon in the southern island doing a good deal of damage. I hope that by the time we take to water again it will be quiet. There is an Empress boat sailing from here on the 4th, so that this ought to get to Toronto in good time. I do not know how about India. August 1 We had quite a time here over the changing of our berths at the O.S.K. When I found we had better change I enquired whether or not there was some one who wanted the berths, hoping that in that way I should get out of the forfeit. As soon as I mentioned it in the house a man named Stewart, teacher in Yenchin University who had been to Yokohama to meet his bride said he would take it. But he was already fixed for first class - four berth. I tried some people who because they had not been able to get first had taken passage third. They thought they would stick by their decision even if it meant a tough experience for three or four days. The morning the boat was to sail Stewart and I went to the Cook's agent and he talked to the O.S.K. man. Stewart claimed that he had asked for a two berth cabin two weeks ago. The O.S.K. man said he had accepted the four berth one and that he had promised the two berth one if it became vacant the day before to a lady and her son. They talked Japanese for about an hour, but it was no avail. Stewart's plea that the woman and her boy could go in with another couple but that you could not expect a honeymoon couple to do so, fell on deaf ears. When we got down to the boat we found on one cabin the names of Mr. & Mrs. Stewart, Misses E. & M. Higginbotham and a Japanese man. The woman and boy for whom the two berth cabin was promised had taken a boat the day before to Dairen and was not on the boat. So Stewart got his honeymoon cabin, a couple of American ladies were taken out of cabins with Japanese men and put in with the Higginbotham girls, and the man moved out. So, I guess, everyone was happy. but the Cook's man could not get me out of the forfeit money for giving up the cabin. Today I saw on the streetcar quite a natty young blood. His hair was combed up in the latest style. The basis of his clothing seemed to be a trunk with legs about six inches long. Outside this was a double flannelette band reaching about from his nipples to the end of his trunks, folded across the front, and held in place with a clasp. Outside that was a brown knitted stomacher about ten inches wide. His coat was white cotton with black collar, buttonless, flying wide open, and reaching the same distance down as the rest of his clothes. He wore "natural tread shoes" wooden held by his toes. The most of him was clothed only in hair, but he certainly had enough about his middle on a day when the thermometer was ninety. Yesterday we went to the College here. We found only Mrs. Fisher of the Southern Methodists at home, except the Matthews of the same mission who had arrived the day before form America. The others were away for the summer or to mission meeting. No Canadians were there. We made arrangements that Mr. Matthews would get an English-speaking Japanese to go with us today out to see the new place which is about half way between here and Osaka. The city has grown up about this place and they have sold it for between 3 and 4 million yen, and will be able to build up their other place and have some 1,000,000 endowment as well. I am sorry to see neither Bates nor Woodsworth, nor Cragg. Just as we did not see the Prices or Armstrongs at Tokyo. Armstrong's son was our table boy on the Manitoba crossing the lakes. Sunday, Sept 2 I shall also tie this up today as we go off tomorrow morning, and shall have plenty to do then. The Empress of Russia sails on Tuesday and this should reach you about the 20th. This morning we saw some people who have just come from Shansi. Mrs. Watson said that she thought the Honan people would be going in soon, as the Shwentefu people were already back. The express is running once a week from Peking to Hankow, except that there is a break from washouts. You know they come very year. We have been having some hot days here. I am sitting in my bvd's with a big electric fan going at 3.30 P.M. We shall have to get used to the heat, perhaps without the fan. We shall have to invest in hand ones. The preacher this morning vigorously wielded a bright red and yellow one most of the time he was signing. No gowns here, but white clothes. We have been thinking of what you all will be doing, especially Jay getting to Oshawa and ready for their new work. I see that there are to be movies of the Olympic games in the Oriental Hotel here Tuesday. We shall be away on the water. Goodbye for the present. I hope that next letter will be from Tsinan. Love from us both. Paternally yours, Robert A. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Cheeloo University, Tsinan Chung, China September 10, 1928 Dear Mo You see by the heading that we have at last reached the end of our long journey. We have got partly settled into our house, had our firs meal in it this morning, and I have just completed my first lesson. Reaching Kobe on Aug 28, we were met at the train by the proprietor of the hotel, and our way smoothed in the matter of baggage. Next morning I got my tickets to Tientsin paid for and was expecting that we would be off then next morning. That afternoon I met a missionary form this region who told me that I was out of luck if I tried to get to Tsinan by way of Tientsin, as the railway stopped some twenty miles short of Tsinan, and the Yellow River Bridge was down. As I had had a letter from Dr. McClure saying that the way was smooth by way of Tsingtao, I changed, but we had to wait in Kobe till the 3rd Sept. When we got board the boat for here we found two missionary families who had been on our boat across the ocean and another who were coming right here and are now settled in the house next door to us. There was another missionary family and some other foreigners aboard. This boat usually gives Japanese meals for two meals a day and European for one. Because practically all the cabin passengers were European they gave us the foreign food all the time. It was a splendid trip with warmth and sunshine as well as calm sea. We left Kobe 11 A.M. and were all day in the Inland Sea which is very similar in appearance to the sailing through the islands of Georgian Bay, except that in the early part of the trip we were never out of sight of habitation and could often see traffic along the beach. Most of the afternoon the islands were close. About 9 P.M. we came to the narrowest part of all, where the navigation is difficult because of current . Just as we were making our way through there the moon rose brilliant in the east, making a lovely sight. By morning we were at anchor in the strait between Moji and Shimonosoki where we would leave Japan. We were several hours there and went ashore. There is not much to see there except the coaling which is an old song to us now. The town was in gala apparel to welcome back the soldiers who had been occupying Shantung. All the school children were there with flags. They came in at the customs wharfs in lughers and after landing they had to open up their kits for customs inspection. Then they marched away with the plaudits of the spectators. When we awoke next morning we were in the midst of the archipelago south of Korea; it was lit a second inland sea for about five hours. Even after we left the islands the voyage was still calm and we reached Tsingtao in the early morning. We anchored in the outer bay for medical inspection and then went into the inner land-locked bay. Most of the foreigners aboard had acquaintances meeting them there and we had the manager of the Castle Inn hotel to whom we had telegraphed at the suggestion of Dr. McClure. His man looked after our baggage and got it through the customs without opening at all. When I mentioned the radio set in it folks would shrug their shoulders and say that I might have trouble with it. But there was none. We went to the hotel for lunch and a rest and supper. In the afternoon the Wolfes and we hired a taxi for an hour to look around. We went out by the marine drive, saw some of the old German forts, the summer houses, the park. The Germans certainly did have a good thing for China in the way of an example of a city. It has wide paved streets and the whole region has been afforested in such a way as to show what could be done with the bare hills of China if it were only taken in hand. The drives through the woods are lively. it is probably the most attractive place that the foreigners have made in China. We saw some of the gun emplacements at the fort near the entrance to the harbour. They were just cement and iron knobs almost hidden by the trees growing about. Then we went down in and went through long corridors to see the sleeping rooms, kitchens, etc. hidden underground. Then we went to one of the gun chambers and saw the whole works of one of the big guns and how it can swing round in any direction. It was a very pleasant hour of sightseeing that we spent. We went to the station about 8.30 to get ready for getting off on the 9.30 train. Then we truly realised we were in China, the station jammed full of people and goods, and not enough people to handle things. Eventually when the time to go had arrived, our baggage was still on the scales, weighed, but no baggage ticket made out. We had it carried on without a baggage ticket and got aboard. As firs class was the only one sporting sleeping cars we traveled first class. We were very comfortable. This car was one of the Canadian style, not a compartment car. We had telegraphed from Tsingtao that we were coming and they were ready to meet us. But they were hardly expecting us so soon as they thought that we were going to Tientsin, and would send word from there. They had been home from Peitaiho only about a week and they had had four or five people's empty houses to look after and get the furniture about. They had had McRae's furniture carried over to his house from another in which it had been but they had not had time to get the place thoroughly cleaned up. So we were in time to go at it which we did. I was able to find my overalls a couple of hours after we arrived and get ready for work. We had a man working at the rough and next day a man appeared who will be our cook. The house is beginning to look a bit as if people were going to live in it. We had our first breakfast in it this morning and shall continue to eat here indefinitely. We have the MacRae's furniture or part of it. We shall be quite comfortable. One thing which took us by surprise was trying to turn on the electric light at night to find it was not on. Since the firing in the spring when a number of the wires were broken they do not seem to have got things fixed up properly to run twenty four hours. We are on the city lighting system, not one of the university. The water is in the house from the university well, and since the fire in the kitchen was started this morning the water in the bathroom tap has been warmer than at 117 Roehampton. There has been a great deal of growth of trees here since I was last about and it looks very pretty except that it is overgrown and neglected from the summer vacations. But the lack of good lawns is very noticeable as I was expecting. In Tsingtao it looked strange to see public parks with trees, coats, people but never a blade of grass. Yesterday morning we ere out at Chinese service. The preacher of the day was Mr. Lo the dean of the theological faculty. It was interesting to be back in a Chinese service again. The part I enjoyed most was the singing. In the sermon I found that I did not hear him very well and it was a strain to keep on the attention. In the afternoon we were at the English service where the preacher was a Mr. Lautenschlager, an American Presbyterian from Kitchener, Ontario. He arrived a few days before we did. He gave us a fine sermon on Jesus the Christ of the ages, based on the words. He appeared in another form to two of them on their way to Emmaus. His idea was that the expression of Jesus must take the thought form of the different ages, none of them over exhausting Him but only understandable by any generation in the thought for of that generation. It is up to me to preach in two weeks. After the service it was quite a reunion at the church door, people who had not seen each other since before the summer vacation, or since the evacuation, or since before furlough. We hve been at lunch with Dr. McClure and at tea with Dr. Forster and Miss O'Neil. I did not expect to begin work in school till next week as that is when the new term starts. But on Saturday Mr. Smith came along and asked me to take a class this week. Since the beginning of the month they have been at work finishing the work they did not get done in the spring, when the Japanese fracas arose. There will be a full compliment of the Medical students in. The Arts may be a little light. I think that the middle school will have about fifty. On the street corners we saw sandbag pillboxes still standing where the Japanese had been guarding. I do not know how many Japanese soldiers there are still here. I think that there will soon be a settlement of the matter. In the meantime the capital of the province has been moved to Tsian. We received a copy of the minutes of council. Twelve men are going in to Honan. The executive passed a minute that when we arrived I should be given my choice as to whether I go into Honan with the others, or proceed to Tsinan. As I was already in Tsinan when I received this, I suppose I may be said to have "proceeded" to Tsinan. With much love, Dad & Mother Have you written Dr. McClure? If not, get it done - he said he had not heard form you - We are very busy getting the house cleaned & fixed up. I think we shall be very comfortable. Dr. McClure has just gone out. We have seen Bill Chang twice. ----------------------------------------- Tsinan, China September 17, 1928 Dear Mo Yesterday went by & no letter started to the three people I think the most of but there was no paper but we went down to the 'Press" this morning, ordered cards printed & bought paper. Mrs. Struthers says we must call on the American Consul's wife & that it should be done this week so cards had to be made ready. We will probably go in on 21st. At the same time we will call on a couple of others who live in that part of the city. Calling was not easy to keep up last year as there were so many soldiers around it was not pleasant to pass them on the street. but now most are gone though there are about one thousand Japanese. All are not in the city but outside & just standing by in case of trouble to protect their nationals, so they say. China is settling down & there is a strong feeling against fighting longer. Though the militarists do have difference of opinions they try to settle them without resort to arms for they know that has been bad for China & also that they have not the sympathy of the people. We have the house comfortably settled though we may have to have workmen in later for painting for some of the floors are in bad condition. Come up to the front door & enter. On the right side is the living room with three very long windows in the south wall. On east wall are two bookcases & over them two high windows. Between this room & the dining room are posts like those in Armstrong house near the fireplace. The dining room has an east & north window & a door entering a screened in porch to the east. At the left of the front door is the study with bookcases about seven feet high & most of the shelves full of books. Dad has sorted them out but has not listed them for Mrs. McRae. Back of the study is the staircase going up & also to the cellar & as well a side door. A hall leads from front door to kitchen & any guest has a good view of the kitchen if the door is open while standing at the front door. Upstairs are two east rooms joining & we sleep in the north one & shall use the south as a sitting room. To the south of staircase is a southwest room & back of it a small room & bathroom further north. It is a very convenient house except for the windows downstairs - no two are alike. Mrs. McRae had left curtains made of material off the street & I am using them in the meantime for what I have are not long enough. Upstairs it is easier to fix windows. We have a brown rug in the living room & green in the dining room. In this room the green rug was worn in centerpiece & I took it out. Had a woman for a day & she sewed it up & made me two small ones out of the piece & both rugs though somewhat worn look very well. In the room upstairs we occupy, is a long glass door & two windows of different lengths & I think possibly some pongee curtains Mrs. Struthers had had washed & ironed before we came for us. I pieced one & have them in Dad's study one would hardly notice where pieced. I have not yet done anything about curtains in the bedrooms but that can come later. There are several small rugs we are using in the bedrooms - one a grey & brown another grey & blue. There is plenty of furniture & dishes which Mrs. MacRae said to use for she took all her best home. Some we shall buy & also the cooking utensils which will not last very long but we feel Mrs. MacRae should have some remuneration for all the use of these things. Later when we have time we shall ask the members of our Mission to make an estimate of them. There is no teapot & very few cups so we shall have to invest in some. The cook we have was with an English Baptist family for a time but the last two years has been in a restaurant (CHINESE). The bread first baked was not very good but today's is better. The cookies were like bricks & everything tastes so insipid. The first few days I could hardly eat after arriving but now am doing not so bad. We get cow's milk but is flat & not like what we had in Toronto. Nevertheless it is better than that out of a tin. The butter is stale & I am saving on that & using more jam. I shall get the cook made over in time & round to our way of eating. The fruit is good just now & I have put down a few bottles of peaches. The vegetables plentiful & as we had so much meat on the boats we are having a good feed on fruits & vegetables. The cook was very unwilling to leave off meats at first & though I gave orders 'no meat' he felt he must give us some. Dad had classes last week & on Saturday gave an exam on the term's work, though he had only taught one week. The man who had taught the class had to leave so Dad came into exams early in his stay here. When college opens on 21st Dad will have twenty hours a week teaching English, Civics, which is also in English & some scripture. I teach three English classes in Hospital to third year students. The histories are in Chinese at the bedside but they are to write them ion English & learning the right phrasing & terms will be my task. I shall also visit the bed patients & teach scripture to them, Hymns, etc. As well I teach four classes in English in the Arts School. I do not go to Hospital to be with patients unless I wish & just so often as I have time for. We had a letter from Aunt Jessie 16th & also from Mabel 22nd, from Clifton Springs, both on the same day & likely both crossed the Pacific on the same boat. Aunt Jessie had not had any word from either you or Jay but Mabel gave us some word of Aunt Lottie. Hope she is better by this time & that her blood pressure is rising. We do not have very good lights here & as they have been behind with accounts the lights are turned off before midnight & not on till about dark. We have to use a flash if we need lights during the night. However, this will be changed when Colleges open on 21st. Lights will be on during most of the day & till 4 A.M. We are looking for letters from you & Jay on this Empress which reaches Shanghai on 21st. When we hear of Jay where she is to teach & live we will feel easier. The correspondence between you & her once established it will be less lonely & we hope you will not forget to write. Well Morrison we wonder where you are tonight - still in the hospital I suppose but soon you will be back at 88 St. G. Hope you have had a profitable summer & that some of the cases for the last year will be cleared off which will give you more time for other things. We were looking at your sketches today & tomorrow shall likely nail them up. It will be nice to have some of your work around. Now adieu. Much love from both of us. Have had one letter from Bill since arriving. Give our kind regards & best wishes to any of the boys in the 'frat' with whom we are acquainted. Lovingly, Jennie H. Mitchell ----------------------------------------- Cheeloo, Tsinan September 23, 1928 Dear Mo How nearly gone is this month. Thus far it has been very warm. Last night I slept most of the night with only a sheet over me. The mosquitoes are very bd. In the evening they fly around the room & bite legs when one is not thinking of watching that part of the anatomy. We have screens on but not fine enough to exclude that troublesome fellow but does good work with flies. We have been using a net all the time. The people were away so long this summer that the drains were not kept free of silt leaves, etc. Consequently there is a lot of water lying in little pools & these are fine breeding places for mosquitoes. The house is well screened & if we get a couple of cool nights which we are due anytime now that will finish the mosquito for this year. We have a very large strawberry bed & this last week we have had a man weeding & watering it so we shall look for berries next spring. The acacia tree is found all over this province having been brought in by the Germans to Chintao. It is a fast grower & its roots spread everywhere underground & it multiplies very quickly. This yard had them in great numbers & sizes & in some places where they were a nuisance. The man has had some time trying to get these removed. They have most of them been cut off at the ground but when we get the grass cut & weeds removed we shall put him at getting out the roots or next spring they will all come up again in greater numbers. Dad & I both began classes this week. One class I have not taught as there was some mistake about time. Dad has a class in Theology Department the same way but we will get going properly this week. The staff have a retreat this weekend & Dad is off there. Usually it lasts about a week & they go up the mountain but it did not seem wise to go so far afield this year & they have succeeded in getting two empty houses of the American Mission in the East Suburb & are holding it there for three days. Dad has a wheel & he & Dr. Struthers went off yesterday about 2 P.M. Dad will likely come home after the night meeting tonight for he has an 8 A.M. class. Bill Chang & another Chinese were in charge of the arrangements. I also have a wheel. Mine is a second hand one - paid $15 for it. It has been a good wheel, used by one of the Missionaries & well cared for but has been lying around since she went home & needs new tires (inner) & a bell. I had Dad go out with me twice on a back street but yesterday went out alone. I do not feel quite at home on it. My old wheel which I sold before we left Weihwei had hand brakes. This has back pedal& I cannot get used to it all at once though Dad tells me it is easier to manage & a much better brake. I may come to that conclusion later but not feel that way now. Mrs. Struthers wished me to go over & sleep there last night. She has no amah now & feels uneasy lest some child gets sick & she would not want to leave to call anyone. I went over & we went to bed about 9l30 I got up about 7 A.M. & came over here for I had not told the cook I was going away & knew he would wonder where I was. I saw only their servants for Mrs. S - & children were still sleeping when I came down. The cook was mopping the floor inside the front door & looked aghast when I unlocked it a& stood before him. I shall not go down tonight for if Dad comes home he would wonder where I had gone & I think likely Dr. S- will also return. Night before the last one of the Mission houses was burned down. Some workmen had been painting & carpenters as well. It is supposed that a cigar was carelessly thrown aside & it smoldered in a closed house. When the fire was discovered the whole inside was in flames. There were hospital dormitories & another Mission house right near but there was no wind & by keeping water from hose on the wooden railing & veranda it was saved. The dormitories backed on the yard of this house & the sparks fell on tiles & bricks & it was easier to watch them. It was a great mercy the wind which had been blowing subsided about midnight & the fire was not discovered before 1 A.M. The house belonged to the English Baptist Mission but was not occupied at the time. But boxes of three families were stored there & one of the doctors who had just moved out lost some valuable notes & records of medical cases which he has been gathering for years. It was insured. Bill's last letter was only a month reaching us. We had two from him in Japan & two since our arrival here. The Empress reached Shanghai on 21st & we are hoping for some word from either or both of you & Jay. It will be six weeks since we had your letters at Vancouver & that seems a long time. Shall be glad when communications open up & hope we can keep things going so that we shall keep in touch with each side even though it is a long reach. A number of our men are going into Honan Oct 2. They would have gone before but there were breaks in the R.R. from rains & some bridges washed away. The executive passed a minute asking Dad to consider going into Honan now instead of coming here. But we were already here & that made it easier for Dad to say he preferred to remain here this year. It is much better for it will mean less worry for Dad. Bill had just heard of Harold's death when he wrote. he had always been advising Harold to get out & away from Toronto & he said how strange that when he did leave, he should be called forever away. I hope Aunt Lottie is better now that you will go up sometimes on Sunday & cheer them up. You may not realize it but one's relations are the ones that cling to us & are most willing to do kind deeds for us. I often felt you & Bill misunderstood some of your relatives. Now is a chance to help Shaws. Dr. McClure was at Chinese church this morning. He did not go to the retreat. He likes to remain at home & keep up the regular routine. He looks well but is aging. Do not forget to write to him. You will be back at your 'frat' when this reaches you. Wonder how basketball, rugby will come off this autumn. I teach English to the third year students, a special class & their work is writing histories in English. Also am to go for two hours every afternoons to the clinic & chaperon the boys while they examine & write up histories of the women patients. Such chaperonage is the custom here as the women of China are just getting used to men doctors. Two women doctors re in charge of these clinics. I also teach in the arts school four English classes a week. This is all the work I am going to take & shall turn down any other requests. I have been asked to visit bed patients & may do if in the hospital & conveneint but shall not take it on as a regular but only as visits which I can make at my pleasure. This University is a big campus & has heaps of interests we have not touched yet but hope to do so later & shall then write about them. Now, Mo, best wishes for a good year's work & success at the end. Lovingly, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell ------------------------------------------ Tsinan, Sung., China September 29, 1928 Dear Mo Mother has been scribe for the family for the last two weeks so that it is a full three weeks since I wrote. I must resume today. On Tuesday of this week we had a good mail, hearing from all of you at once. Bill's was dated the 27th, Jay's the 20th and the 25th, but posted the 27th, with Mo's enclosure. So they were just the four weeks in getting here from both India and Toronto. These were the first we had had from Toronto since we sailed so that they were the more welcome. We shall hope for a regular correspondence now. We shall soon hope to know where Jay is staying and whether or not Mo is going to stay in the Sick Children's for the winter as hinted there might be a possibility. This has been a busy week in some regards. There are quite a number of new people here, and people who have just returned from furlough. The term has just opened, the welcomes seemed to come all in a pile - medical, arts, theological, general, reception to the American consul, welcome back for Drs. Shields and Mosses. These were piled into three days. I missed the two Chinese ones at which I should have turned up, when my name was called as a new member of the staff. So far our cook has not been able to make a decent cake, so that I hve often called out "O for the bought cakes which Aunt Mabel so much likes(?)". At the receptions for the American consul and for the doctors back from furlough each in American houses, there was a great stock of fine cakes in all varieties for us to revel in. Friday, being the 8th month feast was a holiday. I was enjoying it in my overalls, working at stoves which were to be got in shape for the cold weather, as well as in some oily job. So I was just about as dirty as I could be. The water was turned off for some reason. After wanting water for quite a while, we were told that it would have been at 3 o'clock. It was getting near four and still no appearance of water. The Struthers were to call for us to go to a reception. Presently Mrs. Struthers came along all togged up for us to go to the reception. I appeared in overalls, explaining we had no water. "Oh," she said, "There never was any water on a holiday. We always keep a kang of water for emergencies." So we sent over to their kang and got some but not enough to flood the signs of mourning out of my finger nails. That did not prevent my filling up on cakes, and we shall make provision for a water supply. After some time in negotiating we have the oilers in at our floors. So we shall be camping from room to room for the next couple of weeks. Yesterday at one time, there was oiler, tinner, electrician, mason and coal merchant all buzzing about. We got some of the matter straightened out and some put off. The tinner was speaking price for stove pipes. A hole was to be made through a lath and plaster wall. Of course he said he could not do that as it was a carpenter's work and he had not the tools. So I went to work and cut the hole as Dr. Struthers happened to have a set of keyhole saws. I wasn't going to call in another strange workman for that job. I have risen a notch in the cook's estimation because I can cut a round hole in a wall. I had the English prayer meeting this last week. A request came in for me to take the Chinese service in the university chapel on the 14th Oct. As it is the date I am to preach in English I asked another date, which is not to be till Dec. 16th. but I have the Chinese prayer meeting on Tuesday of this week. When once I get the round of these services, I shall not have another opportunity fro some time. My schoolwork consists of three classes in English each day, a class in Civics three times a week and a class in Chinese on the Apostolic Age with the senior theologues. The last will give me most study. On Friday, Miss Coral Brodie arrived along with the Shields and Mosses, just three weeks after we did. She was at the Exhibition in Toronto with Miss Brown just before leaving. Her family are now living on Highbourne St. just near Armstrong's. We hve been having the ordinary fine weather of the autumn here. We have not seen rain since we came. Grass is beginning to get dry. As they depend on the "constant" water supply from the tap for their gardens here, there is not much for vegetables. We do not quite know what we shall do. Hedges are being trimmed at this time. I think that I shall follow our Weihwei shape. Now for a little about the yard in which we live. There are three streets. The one at the back of our house runs between some of the public buildings & the houses. Then to the south of that are two streets. We live on the first one & there are houses on both sides of this street. Then back of it is another shorter street with two houses but a vacant lot where a couple more could be built later. The church is in the center of our street which runs east & west, with five houses to the east of church & five west. Ours is the third from the church. We are on the north side of the street & our house faces south. The sitting room & dining room on East side & study on west. The staircase goes up just behind the study & there are four bedrooms & bathroom. There is also a good sized attic.. Then north of us is the theological building & east of it in the same line the library. Farther north with a nice sized street between are the chemistry & physics building in line with each other. Further north and in line with the church is the administrative buildings & lovely flower beds & shrubs are found in the circle lying between these two. Near the gateway the S.P.G. an English Anglican Mission have three houses for Missionaries, a hostel for students of their denomination & a little chapel. They meet with all others & only hold a few meetings with their students separately. The dormitories for men students are away east of chemistry & physics building. The west of the Anglican buildings are the women's dormitories & a house for some of the women doctors. This compound of about sixty acres is just south of the city wall. Inside this wall are six residences for doctors, the medical college, nurses home & the hospital. A week ago a building was burned but will be rebuilt. So you see we are quite a university with fifteen or sixteen missions uniting in the work. The high school in which Dad does his work has classes in the physics building. They are trying to unite all the Christian High Schools in Tsinan into one large school & if this plan succeeds then there will be a new building I expect. This is the layout I was describing: I am glad you are enjoying the health course. It certainly sounds good & interesting. Hope Duff has his sup. all right. It would mean so much to him & the family. Your next letter should tell us whether you are still at Hpt. or not. Let us know what you are doing in sports & track. If you remain at Hpt. you will have to cut out some of those things will you not? Jay wrote the same time you did & she was hoping you would get down to Oshawa for a few days before beginning the autumn's work. I think she is comfortably settled & hope she takes care of herself. Let me know what you hear of Aunt Lottie. Uncle Van seems worried over her & says they are doing all they can to help her. He seems to feel if there is not a change in her attitude soon she might be affected mentally & fears the result on Uncle Rob, who he feels could not endure much more. He is trying to get her to go to Florida. I am glad Nita is with them so much for she is bright & although has had her own trouble seems not to throw its gloom on others. Bill seems to be having a busy time but soon should find the work easier. Then too the weather will be cooler. Fred Winnet & Marg. Taylor are tied up. We had the first word of it from Bill, her parents told him. Andrew will be on his way to India by now. How interesting that the day he was designated in church he should be called in a few minutes after to a sick man in the vestibule. 5 P.M. Dad was not well this morning seems to be taking a heavy cold & I have persuaded him to remain in bed till tomorrow. It was not difficult to get him to do so, likely he is feeling badly or he would not miss church. We only have one service in English here & that is 7 P.M. I may not go either as I cannot walk very well. One of the friends who has a car said he would call & take me. They live next door & I do not know whether he was joking or not. If he calls I shall go if not remain at home. I walk fairly well if I keep my leg stiff, but if I flex it it still hurts. Walking with the leg stiff means slow going for me. Tomorrow I have English with third Meds. in history writing I shall have to call a rickshaw. There is no more news so shall say adieu for another time. How I would like to hear your voice over the phone, even if it was to say you could not get up to supper tonight. I would then have some hope of seeing you in the near future. But in the meantime I must stay with Dad & look after him though he often says he does not need me & I might have remained in Canada if I am so lonely for you two. He has kept very well so far & is doing as much work as anyone here for his age. I dread any talk of going to Honan. Not for myself but I fear there will not be school work for a time & he would find the touring very trying I think, especially when cold weather comes on. We cannot say that when Dr. Grant tours & he is older than Dad, but he has been doing it for years while we have been in the school & it is more difficult to adapt one's self later in life. Have you heard how Alex is getting on? Let us hear about Duff. Cockie & other frat friends. Railton, Misner, & Art Walker, was it? Even though busy try & give us a little letter each week. It is such a joy to us. Lovingly, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell ----------------------------------------- Shantung Christian University Tsinan, China October 14, 1928 Hello Everybody (to quote Bill) Mother reminds me that it is my turn to get into touch with the rest of the family. So I shall get to work now after breakfast. On the 10th we received Bill's letter of Sat. 11th. Jut a day under the month. The time that all letters came in together, they were about the same way from Toronto and Indore. Canada has not done so well this time. Apparently nothing caught the Seattle boat which got in last week. The CPR would only reach Shanghai on Friday and will reach us about Tuesday or Wednesday. So far there is only the one mail from Canada since we arrived. It has been a week of shifting about from one room to another but we were able to go on the floors yesterday so that we are back into the rooms which we hope to use permanently. Mother said with relief last evening, "The house is not clean yet, but it is the cleanest it's been since we arrived." The floors look fresh at any rate. The rest of the woodwork would be better of some oil or paint, but it will have to go till next year. Mr. MacKenzie aroused our hopes last week by saying that at last the railway had agreed to take freight through to Tsinan and he would send our box the next day. Now he writes that they ill only take when someone is accompanying it or through a forwarding agency. He says they will charge $5 through the agency and suggests sending it around by Tsingtao. But I think I'll tell him to squander the five dollars. We shall have to "Save on the next". The framed pictures of the family are all in that box and we would rather have them in our rooms than in a damp go down in Tientsin. As the double tenth festival came last week we had three days vacation. Double tenth is 10th of October ( the tenth month) and is the anniversary of the outbreak of the Revolution in 1911, when Jay was lying sick with typhoid, mother with something else, and Bill stewing because we insisted on his staying in bed till we saw whether his temper meant indigestion or typhoid. It was an opportunity for us to get some more done about the house. We also were out for tea one day to the home of one of the missionaries who was on the same boat with us. Another day we borrowed a lady's bike and had a ride down in the settlement. It was mother's first time among the traffic. She did well, so that she ought not be nervous there. One day we had a walk with the Struthers up the face of one of the mountains and had afternoon tea there. It was up near where some of the fighting had been in the maneuvers. Of course the boys were looking for some remains and did get a little sulphur and lead. Sometime before the cold weather comes on we should like to go to the Dragon's Cave about eight miles from here. I understand that the consuls do not want anyone going up there to stay overnight for fear of bandits, but probably day trips are all right. Quite a party went up in the holidays. It is a pretty gorge in the mountains and will look nice at this time of year. Our place begins to look as if it were inhabited. We have most of the hay crop in the collar as well as the shearings of the cedar hedge. It will give us some burning for the grate for some time. Fortunately both grates in this house draw well. We have had some grass fires in them to take off the chill in the morning or the evening. So far we have not lit a coal fire. Now that the floors are finished we shall get up the stoves this week. We shall not use the furnace except in the coldest weather if we do then. We are putting one stove in the dining room near the sitting room; one smaller one in our upstairs sitting room off our bedroom; and a tiny one in the bathroom in which we shall burn grass, branches, etc. when we need it. Since we came I have had that old blue suit with which I scuffed about in Toronto, turned and it will do me for school suit for another year or two. It cost $6 Mex. It will save my other one. We have no word from the men who went into Honan a week or ten days ago. But I hear that they were expecting that the women would follow them in about a month. They will see how things are and get some of the houses put into habitable condition. I have the English service this afternoon. I was down for it one other day but it was put off to allow me to attend the staff retreat. Glad to get your letter of the time of the big swim on Monday morning. Love from us both, Dad ------------------------------------------ Weihwei, Honan, China October 16, 1928 Dear Morr Sunday school is over & I am dressed for supper so here goes for a chat before we go to Mrs. Ratcliffe's where we are to have a pass supper before we go to church. Mr. Eadies is with us this week & Mrs. Menzies has not gone so we are four. Mr. Eadie came down for a little rest & change. We have not had a visit with him for a long time & are enjoying his stay. Yesterday we had tennis for an hour or two & he has been out to several places. He returns tomorrow. Mrs. Menzies has a broken rib & Dr. Auld thought she should not take the trip to Hwaiching for a few days. I do not know when he will let her away. She is getting anxious to have something definite. I think she wants to get settled. Jean & the others are in Peking & are liking the study. My women came in this week to the Bible School & I am busy. I do not know just exactly how many are here yet but about forty & more are to come in this week. Mrs. Menzies has been taking prayers with me this week & will take them this week & also some of Matthew. She is getting anxious for letters from Canada. we are hoping for letters tomorrow for one of the President boats are due in Shanghai. Two women of the C.I.M. who were taken two weeks ago are still in the hands of the bandits & no sign thus far of their release being near at hand. Good promises are given but nothing done. So far we are quiet here, except an occasional visit to some of the Chinese who are robed but no bands rove the country here as in South Honan. We have a big line of cosmos in bloom & it looks fine along the fence to the south of us. There are some beautiful Dahlias in bloom just now. I do not think we ever had prettier ones. Cypress grows on the east fence but it is nearly past. I have most of the plants in the conservatory & a few flowering peas above the ground. Also candytuft. This week the burls were put in the pots & we are looking forward to having some flowers during the winter. We are on the last of the corn today & there are a few beets in the garden & parsnips. The cauliflower is beginning to head & I hope we have some eating out of them later. Oct. 15 This morning there was a letter form Bill Sept. 16. We were glad to hear from him but sorry there was nothing from the other two. However through Georgina we learned of the doing of Jess & when she was to start for Guelph. She will now be well settled & I hope she likes her work and that she keeps at it in earnest. Morr, we know nothing about & often wonder what course he has decided to take. Father brought my racquet over to the school & I had a set with two fo the ladies, while Father & Mr. Flemming played together. I only played a set for I was very tired tonight. Now adieu for this week. I hope my little boy gets settled in his room at Knox and into a course that he likes. Best wishes, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Tsinan, Shantung October 21, 1928 Dear Mo Here goes for this week's doings. Tuesday we got a surprise when letters came in from Mo & jay. We had not expected letters before Thursday or later. Then Friday came letters from both of them again. One set had come by an American steamer & the latter via the C.P.R. We shall likely have a long spell now without any word. We were out to dinner one evening with Dr. & Mrs. Heeren. They have been here for a number of years. He is lecture in History & international Law. She was a member of the English Baptist Mission before she married; he an American Presbyterian. There were two other guests both of English Baptist Mission. Dr. Watson who has for years been in charge of one of the English Baptist Missions has retired here & owns a house just outside the campus. His wife at present is in England with their youngest daughter & will return after the New Year. He decided to remain here. He is a Scotchman & quite jolly. The other guest is one of the nurses in Hpt. here. That afternoon I ventured out to play my first game of tennis for about three years. When making a jump after a ball one of the muscles in lower leg took a cramp. Just doubled me up. I had to be helped home & had a painful time for that evening & part of next day. it is some better but still sore & I fear my bike riding is over for a time. I do not mind giving up tennis still spring but I do like to get out of the yard & off on the bike. Friday we entertained Bill Chang & his wife. She does not talk English & it was an evening of a mixture of tongues. Every little while even he would break out into English, especially when discussing affairs at home. Yesterday I was sitting in the sun trying to warm up when Mrs. Wolf, our next door neighbor, came over to see if we wished to go uptown to some of the curio shops with them. They have a car & it was the first time we had had an opportunity to have a ride. So off we went & were gone two hours. Then we came in here at 5 P.M. & had tea. This week we got in the coal & have had three stoves put up. A little one in the bathroom; one in the dining room & a smaller one upstairs. We shall not use the furnace as it is hot water & requires a lot of coal. Then Jay's letter Sept 18 comes along, also one from Uncle Van & they have furnaces on. Thus far we have only had a little fire of cedar branches or kindling wood, in the evenings or mornings. However the last two days are much more like winter & we shall soon have one of the stoves going I expect. We had letters from Honan from Dr. Grant & Dr. Struthers. They have found more of their belongings than they expected to find. The persons on guard have done everything to get furniture boxes, etc, hidden away but of course M.C.S. & ours are gone. All are friendly & Feng had a deputy there looking over destruction to property & making valuation. At Changte a notice was put out for those having foreign belongings to return them. They had only been there six days & could not say much about anything else but what they saw & the people whom they met were all friendly. Yesterday was the track & field meet of University. Dad was there for a time. I was anxious to go but could not walk & did not feel like getting a rickshaw. Then we got the chance to go for auto ride. One of our W.H. boys who is here took two firsts, one second & a third prize. Bulbs came from Tientsin yesterday & I tell you they are mean looking little things in comparison with those from Keith's that we had last year. One of the entertainments I have here are the night watchmen. There are two. They are supposed to go along in different pars of the yard & answer each other. I did not know this at first & wondered if the same man carried a drum with two distinct pitches. From 10 to 12 there is one kind of a sound or beat & every two hours the method of the beat is changed so one can tell about what time it is. The Chinese have 12 hours, not twenty four as we & it suits their plan very well. When awake I like to hear them around for one feels they have company. Last year when the trouble was on there were five men on the beat at night & there must have been lots of noise. While I was writing, Mother came in with a couple of plates with spoons and big persimmons and suggested I have a break in my letters. The persimmons are awfully slithery eating, but awfully good. We have been reveling in them at breakfasts. Peanut butter is also daily on the table. Drop in for a meal and we shall let you eat all you like. As Australian butter is $1.40 a pound, we find the peanut a good deal cheaper. A week ago the university had their sports. With only a little over 200 students of course it is a small thing as compared with Toronto. I was there only for a few minutes. I afterward heard that one of our Weihwei boys had got first in high jump, first in half mile, besides a second and a third in I forget what. It made me wonder whether you were competing this year. If you are continuing in the hospital you will not have so much time for taking part in athletics, will you? It will all be over by this time. On Monday I was asked to attend a social gathering at the Theological college. I found that it was a bit of jollification over their college doing the best at the sports. Yesterday half a dozen of my class asked leave off to go for typhoid inoculation. There is considerable typhoid about I understand; so a notice went about the other day that any wanting it could have it at 9.30 on Saturday. I expect that next Saturday there may be the same. Since Mother has been lame I have not been riding much except to classes. I have been working about the house and garden. I have a pit dug near the water tap in which I am putting the grass and leaves. The other day I stopped and asked the men who were taking up the plants form the campus what fertilizer they used. He said they used only the rotted grass of the year before. He would like to use other manure, but here "they talk too much about hygiene and won't let me use it". See the terrible drawback the modern hospital and medical school to the proper growing of plants, eh? Last evening we were discussing T.B. They say that the next addition they need to the plant her is a T.B. pavilion. They receive the patients for examination but have to turn them away for there is no way of treating them in the hospital. Dr. Watson was remarking how fine the hill to the south of us would be for a T.B. sanatorium. The leper hospital which they have to the south east of the compound was not originally one of the plans for this institution. It was arranged for by those interested in leper work who supplied the money, but wanted it associated with an institution which had a good number of doctors. The dryness of this climate ought to be good for T.B. patients if the dust is not too bad. We have not nearly the amount of dust here that we had in Honan. We are not near to sand hills as we were there. I suppose that just after these letters get off we shall get word from you. We like to hve a letter in hand when we re writing but the mails do not always allow of that. We eagerly devour the letters when they do come. Let us hear frequently. Remember us to the boys whom we used to meet with you last year. What are they all looking forward to doing when they get through? I suppose many would like experience as interns. I am afraid that after a year we shall hear our doctors in our mission crying out for help and no one will be in sight. Person Struthers is the only young man in prospect help and no one will be in sight. Pierson Struthers is the only young man in prospect just now. I would like to see some of you young men looking this way. Now I shall close off as it is nearly dinner time and I don't want to keep that important function waiting. Much love from the both of us. Your father, Robert A. Mitchell A pack of ten letters in on Monday morning, including yours of Sept 27 & 30. Glad to see you have taken to the carbon paper copies like we have. It will help to keep us all in touch. Look up the dictionary for a word "immergency". I haven't an English dictionary here & don't know if I am wrong on "inoculation". Cold today and five in store. R.A.M. --------------------------------------- November 5, 1928 Dear Mo Yesterday I went with Dad to the east suburb to a retreat held by the Theology students. it is bout two miles. I was tired as I have not been riding. I did not take off the adhesive till after I returned & today I went to the hospital twice on the wheel. My leg feels tired & the place where it was hurt is still sore to the touch. You & Vic are busy & I suppose that is the best way to begin the term. Is Duff back & did he get his sup off? All the committees & other meetings, hunting up recruits for your 'Frat' all give you a change. It seems strange to think of MacKay Thomson as into medicine. Hope he likes it & makes go of it. You had quite a buying time. I am glad you got a navy suit for there are times when a dark suit is very much needed. After a few years when you can have more than one suit then it won't matter so much. We have your sketches in our room & glad to look at them sometimes. Hope you get more time for this year. Dr. Forster & Dr. Gault with whom she lives got a lot of fun out of Epistaxis the evening they were here & took it home with them. Be sure & send us one this year. Mr. Ross is on the ocean now & will be here before the end of the month. I wonder how he left Gordon. Poor boy it is sad lot for him. Harold is much better off & how much easier for his parents. I hope Elsie gets a good job & gets along well at it. Did you get to Oshawa? I gather from your letter that you did not go. Do you ever hear anything about Irwins? I always liked both of them & they seem to have gone out of your life & Jay's. Have you any idea of what you are going to try for when you graduate? If found of surgery, Mrs. Henderson might speak a word for you to Primrose. They are related. I must say adieu now & off to read some exercises for I have the books of two classes to do tonight. Lovingly, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell ----------------------------------------- Tsinan, China November 8, 1928 Hello Everybody This seems to be the fashionable address in our family now. This is not Sunday but I may be away tomorrow & then the letters might not be written till on in the week. Dad is away attending a 'retreat' of the Theological Students. He went about 9. A.M. & will be back about 6 P.M. He is not remaining overnight as he did with the 'staff retreat'. He can ride over in less than half an hour. Of course it means he misses the evening meetings, two in number, but he gets mot of the intercourse periods. I may go with him tomorrow as a Miss Ting whom I have often wished to hear speaks in the morning & Dad has the communion. I asked the doctor who strapped me up if it would be all right to ride that far & he gave me permission to do so. The letters that came this time bore the dates Sept. 27 from Mo, Jay Oct 3, Bill Sept 30, & all arrived the same mail. I went down to Struthers for tea as Dad was away. When I arrived he was here. We went to the shoemaker's for a shoe I had let him have as sample & which I wished to wear tonight. Both rode our wheels & I went down a steep incline which I have been scared to do. Monday I begin going to the hospital in the afternoons & it is quite a walk twice so I am anxious to get over this steep place. I did not want to try it alone the first time. But Monday at 9 A.M. there is always a crowd of people, donkeys, barrows & it will nto be so easy, but now that I have done it once I shall not be quite so scared. The shoe I went for was a satin I bought in Eaton's when home. There was a break in the side of one & he has darned it very nicely & charged me ten cents. At home it would not pay to have it done & I put it away till I came out here. This week nothing has happened except a vicious dust storm. It blew for two days. The first was not so bad for the dust was not stirred up but the second day it came in everywhere & was piled up in banks on the windowsills & under the doors it came in & right across the floor for a foot or so. We shook the curtains cushions, dusted window sashes & sills & then began to shovel it out from the floors. This was finished about 9 A.M. & before noon a north wind came up & blew in dust from that direction & what had passed us the day before, landed in on the clean floors. Today I have been at it most of the day. I feel dust is all through me, but the house looks clean once more & I hope we will not have anymore dust for a time. We have had more wind than in Weihwei & we have some winds there, but thus far not so much dust. Tonight Dr. Margaret Forster & Dr. Gault with whom she lives are having supper with us. Dr. Forster has had a telegram to go into Honan. She had expected to remain here till February but evidently they want her in Honan. Gordon Struthers' cook had buried a couple dozen fruit bottles of fruit in their back yard & since Gordon went in they hve been brought to light & the men are enjoying the fruit. I wish we could get some pears across here but they are all gone now I expect. Dad had a letter this week from one of the Canadian Anglicans, Cannon Simmons, & he wrote that all the central houses had not been entered nor much harm come to buildings. We may have the joy of seeing a few of our things from that house. We will see Mr. Ross here in a few days now & they are very shorthanded in the Theological Department & need him. He has taken fine here with both Chinese & foreigners alike. We got your pictures in the frames this week & have them hung on the wall at the foot of our bed. So the last thing at night is a look at your three & the first in the morning we look at them & try to think what you are all at. Little has happened this week. I have not been out on account of my leg but Dad was uptown a couple of times. He also took my flashlight out of the frame & went all over the radio & it seemed in fairly good shape. He has taken it over to the Physic Building to have it tested but the man there says he has not strong enough current. A piece on the battery was broken & that will have to be fixed. I fear we cannot get much here till about midnight & we will be asleep by that time. Then too the music is not what we care much for. If we are to get good stuff we will need to have a strong current & get music from Honolulu or the west coast of America. Perhaps we might listen in to Toronto some night after we get Bill here fixing up our box. We were delighted to get the first letters this week. The break seemed a long time. Now we shall hope for regular communications. You have had a pretty busy time this summer. Did you get any vacation at all? Jay mentioned that there was some talk of one of your number being there all winter. It sure would be a good experience for you. Of course it would mean that a number of other things would have to be cut out. I think that I addressed my last letter to the frat. If you are not there they will know where to locate you. Dr. McClure said he had received a letter from you saying that you would not need the money. He mentioned that if any change should come that you might still need it, you might have it. He seems in pretty good health. We see him almost every day. He takes a walk in the afternoon and usually calls at either our place or Struthers which is two houses along on the other side of the street. This week is, I understand, the fortieth anniversary of his appointment to the foreign mission field. Mrs. Struthers is talking of having a tea to celebrate it. He has done a lot of good work in the forty years. I think that he feels that the last ten years have been the most fruitful of all, since he came into the college. Though he is seventy-two years old the folks here do not want him to retire from the staff. This week twelve of the men of our mission are going into Honan. I had my choice of going in if I wanted to. But I ffelt that I was committed to them here in the meantime unless there was a more definite call to my own work in Honan. I think that those folks who have been living in Tientsin are on the blue side. They have been right along under the influence of anti-nationalist feelings and now the Nationalists have got the upper hand and naturally they think that things will go to the dogs. The condition of things in Honan would seem some justification. Still wherever you get war you are going to hve lawless things occur, for war is lawlessness. We have your drawings up on the walls in our room and the upstairs sitting room, so that we see them about us. Perhaps I ought to put a note in for you to give Uncle Rob so that he would know definitely that he is to put that money into your account rather than mine. I want it put into an account in Eaton's because the instructions I left in the treasurer's office were that the note was to be returned to him when he passed in Eaton's receipts for the money wither in your account or mine. Mother says she is going to write Aunt Lottie sometime this week and I shall enclose the note to Uncle Rob in that and save you the trouble of sending it up. I have been hurrying in this typing and I see that I have even more than the ordinary number of mistakes. I still keep looking at the type if I want to go fast. I hope that you will have a good winter in college. Remember us kindly to all the boys whom we used to meet, especially Duff, and Vic and Misener. Your loving father, Robert A. Mitchell ----------------------------------------- Cheeloo University, Tsinan November 11, 1928 Greetings to all I had almost begun my letter by saying that this was the odd week when there were no letters, when the postie came along with Mo's of 11th, Aunt Jessie's of the 13th an Helen Craw's of Sept 30th. We do not count on much less than a month for the letters to come and many of them are longer because the steamer sailings are infrequent. Aunt Jessie's letter spoke of summer weather in Toronto. We have had a taste of winter weather here. Last Wednesday we had a snowfall which later for part of a day and lay for several days on the mountains. It has necessitated putting on of a fire in our dining room where I am now sitting instead of in the study. We have not put any permanent fire upstairs yet. In the morning we light up a fire of twigs in the bathroom which makes the room fine and cozy, or we have a fire of grace or cedar hedge trimmings in the grate. That makes a great roar but doesn't last long and largely goes up the chimney. The snow has settled the dust some which relieves us of dust storms for a little while at any rate. Mother's leg is so that she can ride her wheel again though she feels it some of she rides long. We have been out a few times this week. As my classes are not over till five o'clock, we cannot get in much exercise after that time with the short days. One night I went down to the physics building to try the radio. I had gone over it then to see that all connections were all right. The night I was at the physics building the static or other noises were very bad so that it was not satisfactory. I once got something which I could not distinguish very well, but which I took to be a Japanese speaking, I do not know whether in China or Japan. ON another part of the dial I a came in for the finale of a woman's song and a little later for the finale of men singing. I could not find out where they were. I have not been down since, as I do not know whether or not Mr. Djang is there at nights usually. He remarked yesterday that I had not been back. I have not yet set up an aerial here. Yesterday I was downtown trying to buy batteries. I had tried before at some electrical shops but could get nothing bigger than flashlight batteries. The place I was at yesterday was the one that I was told would have them if any place had. They had not. The Field Board of Managers has been meeting this week. Mr. Boyd was here form Honan. He arrived from the north on Wednesday forenoon. He says that there is not a place between Honan and here where proper connections are made; Peking, Tientsin, Yencheng, each necessitating a night's stopover. He started back yesterday about 1.30 P.M. They had got a bus to come up here. Miss O'Neill and Dr. Forster of our mission and two other ladies were going. As we saw them off the place was piled full of trunks, boxes, etc, and the fie people packed so tightly that you could almost hear a crunch as Boyd squeezed in. I hope they would not have too big a load. It certainly was capacity. They would have about twenty or more miles to go in that. Spend the night in an inn and get on to Tientsin by train today. It was nice to see one of the folks from Honan and have a talk with him. The attitude of the Chairman of Synod in there is disappointing but he does not represent the ordinary church member. When they sent a letter to the chairman asking what they could do to most readily help the work, he sent a reply saying that as the synod had not discussed it they had better do what the early church did waiting for power and guidance. Just at the present time they are trying to get houses ready for the folks to live in. Door frames, window frames, and all wood in closets had just been ripped out. Then when anything was needed to hang clothes on they had driven stakes into the wall. It will keep them busy getting things into livable shape. Hwaiking is not much damaged. Siuwu, is the next best after that. Wuan had no soldier living in it, but one of the houses there is not as safe for living because of giving away of the foundations. This is the second case of what they have experienced at Wuan. The people generally are friendly but the officials of the church have not kept the church members in touch with their actions. When they sent word to the Mission that they did not want them to send in the grants for schools, etc., unless they were entirely unhampered by any of the former conditions that they must be used for that, they told the Christians in the southern end of the field nothing about it. In Hwaiking and perhaps some other places, they have been running on their schools under the old understanding with the teachers. They have not had any grants since the end of May. When Mr. Boyd arrived they asked him for the money. He referred them to the Chairman of Synod who was running affairs and had refused to take the money as grants. They would hardly believe it and blamed the foreigners for cutting off their money. Mr. Boyd had a copy of the moderator's letter saying that however large or small the grants were, if they were not entirely unhampered by any conditions of the past way of running things they would not be acceptable. He showed this to the Chinese there. It was the first they ha heard of this and had been carrying on the schools on the understanding they had with their teachers from the beginning of the year. During the board meeting we had with us as guest Dr. D.Y. Lin of Tsingtao. He is the forestry man of the Tsingtao university, a government institution. He is one of the fourth generation of Christians. His great grandmother was a bible woman. His grandfather, his father and one of his brothers all preachers. He took his course in St. John's College, in Shanghai, Massachusetts Agricultural college and Yale. Formerly he was at this place in charge of the forestation. The governor wanted him to cut down the trees and he refused. For a time he was editor of a paper in Tsingtao till Chang Tsung Chang wanted his head. I said to him, "I suppose you did not present it to him in a charger". "No," he said, " I took it off to Tientsin". He sold the paper and went into educational work. He says that Chang Tsung Chang was an awful barbarian and would no more think twice about taking a man's head off than of eating his dinner. One of the big problems before the board was the appointment of a president. It was a difficult thing. Since Dr. MacRae went home, Dr. Li Tien Lu was acting, except when he was away to Jerusalem, when the Dean of Theology was acting, Mr. S.C. Lo. In the staff some would have liked to see one of these appointed to the permanent place and some the other. Mr. Li was substantive Vice-President. After much discussion they decided to ask one of the board members, Dr. Y^.T. Tsu to take it. He is head of the religious department in connection with the Rockefeller Peking Union Medical School. As soon as the nomination was made Dr. Li handed in his resignation as Vice-President in order that a foreign vice should be appointed. One does not know whether it means the beginning of Dr. Li's resignation from the institution. After more discussion, Dr. Shields was nominated as the Vice-President. He is dean of the Medical Faculty. He is a Southern Presbyterian. He is just back from home. Last year I met him in Toronto when the Board were meeting. He went to Guelph to see Dr. MacRae and he did not know Shields, though they had been living at the same table till Dr. MacRae had to go home. Another of the problems was the matter of registration. It was decided tht it should be done, with certain conditions. I do not know exactly what will be the course of action. While Mr. Boyd was here we had Canadian gatherings. W.B. Djang invited us to his house for a Chinese meal. It think we all enjoyed the food, except that there was so much. But the day was cold and there was no fire in the house, which made it a bit chilly. Since I began this letter this morning a letter from Bill has come in, written on the 12th of Oct. Generally speaking they take the same time from India and Toronto. I am sorry the carbon paper for this copy was so ad, but I count that your eyesight is normal and that you can make out my typing better than my writing. So you are into the running again. I wondered if you were going to drop out this year. It would be nice to keep up your record till you left college. But I see that you are getting quite enthusiastic on your hospital work. That is as good a hobby as the track, I guess. More telling in the end. Some of my letters would go to the Sick Children's as I thought you were going to be there. I hope you got them. Are all three of you boys upstairs going to desert the frat for the hospitals? I think I mentioned in one of my letters that Dr. McClure had heard form you. Have you been getting the cheques from the office regularly since Sept? Has Uncle Rob paid in any yet? His note was for six months, but he wanted the chance of paying it when it came in which he thought would be before the six months was up. We're always glad to get your good letters. Goodbye for now, with much love. Your own father, Robert A. Mitchell ----------------------------------------- Tsinan, China November 19, 1928 Hello All of You This is Monday & yesterday I did not start the weekly letter for I hoped letters from the Empress which arrived in Shanghai last Thursday 15th might come in this morning. One from Bill came but none from Canada. They may this P.M. or tomorrow. I shall begin the letters but wait till noon tomorrow before mailing. This boat is the one we heard Mr. Ross waste sail on. No word has come from him. The executive sent a letter to him which they hope he will receive in Kobe, asking him to go on to Honan. He may go right to Tientsin from Kobe & we not hear till later. If he comes here we should have a telegram today. 21 - No telegram Last Monday was a holiday. Sun Yat Sen had a birthday. It was rather amusing. Dad had prayers for the week & went off not knowing about the decision to make it a holiday. In a few minutes he returned & while on the stairs he shouted out in a gleeful voice like a little boy, "Goody, Sun has a birthday!" We had been wanting to take a trip uptown to make some purchases in daylight & in a few minutes after breakfast we started on our wheels. I got silk to line my dressing gown & we looked all over to try & find some cups & saucers that would go with a set we have here. But all in vain. Any flowers were too highly colored & not the same tints. I am going to write Shanghai & see if some merchant there will send to England for the same as we have. The plates are sufficient but cups & saucers are lacking. One set, a dinner one, is green. The other is a tea set minus cups. We have three & two with little 'chus' in them. You remember the little rivets the Chinese put in broken crockery. These have a pretty spray of roses with green leaves & we have grown quite fond of them. As we were coming along the street we saw pumelos & bought one - the first we have seen since returning. We are enjoying the persimmons very much & have them every morning for breakfast. Wednesday we attended prayer meeting for the first time in four weeks. My leg kept us home for two weeks & another time we were invited to a dinner & went. It so happened that the couple at whose house we met were celebrating their twenty-seventh wedding anniversary & served coffee & cake. They had had a few in to dinner & had a lovely two story cake with fancy icing. When we got it, it was cut in small pieces but tasted just as good. Friday afternoon there was a tea at the Y.W. home for a Chinese woman from Shanghai who has been having a special campaign here for two weeks. Dad did not go but I went with Mrs. Struthers. It was different in some ways from other teas for there were so many Chinese present & I enjoyed meeting them & seeing their new gowns. Saturday we went uptown with Struthers to buy Christmas presents. They were buying but I wanted some more silk - had not bought enough on Monday. It was fearfully cold & we were all chilled. Mrs. Struthers came in & had tea with us. Dr. Had gone on to the bank & did not return with us. After she was gone we had a real hot bath & at 6 P.M. got into bed for an hour & warmed up. Then got up & dressed for a 8 P.M. dinner. Dad wore his clericals & I wore my blue dress. There were no short sleeves among the women guests but one of the men had a tuxedo but the other only a smock suit. However we went safe for we were the guests of honor. One couple were a Mr. & Mrs. Loa. She wore a pretty brown watered silk gown. Mr. Loa a grey woolen gown. It was quite a swell dinner, more than I can put up when I invite them here. The host was in Turkey for an umber of years before coming to China & they have some lovely Turkish rugs & other curios. They are lovely people & I am sure would enjoy an evening with us even though I do not put on much style. That is one amusing thing about this place. Everyone does as they please. A few years ago there was a president here & one dean both of whom loved to keep every occasion formal & stiff. This was carried into all departments of the university but since both left only a few keep up to the pace they set. I stopped a few minutes ago to give Dad his tea before he went out to class. Today is milder & we hope the very cold spell with the little snowstorm are gone for a time. Dad had his Bible class yesterday at 9 A.M. & then we read & in the afternoon went out for a walk & had a cup of tea with a friend before going to church. The speaker yesterday was the main head of the Salvation Army in North China. He is Australian & gave us a very good address. Dad has made out a blank check for you to pay for a parcel sent you for Dr. Jeffs. We did not want him to pay the customs dues & so took this plan. Will you lo after getting it out of customs & letting them have it. Dad has it all wrapped & their name on an inside paper. Our cards are also inside with best wishes. If you care to open the parcel do so but do not forget to replace the cards. Hope you had some wins at the intercollegiate sports. You remember that Eric Liddell we wrote about a couple of yeas ago. They pressed him hard to go home & run at the Olympics but he felt he could not take the time. But one of the late papers tell of a race he ran in Japan & was late for his boat. It had pulled away from the dock & he took a run & jumped fifteen feet & landed on the forward deck. He is teaching in one of the Colleges in Tientsin & represented a Tientsin club in Japan. He also plays some great tennis we have heard. When he came out first in 1924 he could not do much at tennis. His dad could beat him but he has gone at it & is very swift not only the balls he puts in but the way he moves around the court. Let us hear about your basketball, Daffodil night & other doings. At a farewell tea to one of the workers leaving tomorrow for London a Dr. Morgan came up to introduce herself & said when in Montreal she had been told t look us up when she arrived. She has been taking a two months course in Calcutta & only arrived this week. She met Harkness' Leslies & Miss Preston. Of course we got acquainted at once & are well on the way to being friends through having multiple acquaintances. No more tonight as I am sleepy & tired & it is bath night. Today we went out for a bike ride & were out about three quarters of an hour. We were riding all the time & it tired me somewhat. My leg has not fully recovered its normal. I guess I shall give up tennis. A woman of my age should begin to take life easy. Let us know how Jay is when you have seen her anytime. Lovingly, Mother Best wishes to Duff, Art Walker, Vic Railton & Meiner ----------------------------------------- Cheeloo University, Tsinan November 25th, 1928 Christmas Greetings to all: This should reach you all about Christmas time and it will carry our best wishes. We would be very glad if we could all be together at this time but we must just try to have our joy out of thinking of the love in one another's hearts and the thankfulness that so much joy can be ours. This year we decided to make our remembrance to the home friends in the way of a little album of pictures form Cheeloo, giving you something of our surroundings. We have the albums but I am afraid they will not get to you by Christmas time. Most of the pictures are form Dr. Struthers' negatives. He usually sends them to Shanghai for printing. He was delayed in getting them off. They went away two weeks ago, but have not returned yet. As the boat sails from Shanghai next Saturday I am afraid there is little prospect of their catching that steamer now even if the photos came in today. Please take the will for the deed and look for the pictures on a later mail. This week's C.P.R. mail has been a kind of disappointment. It did not arrive here till Thursday instead of Monday as it often does. We had hoped for a large mail from various places in Canada. All that came were three letters, one from Jay and two from Mo. We, of course were glad for them, but were hungry for more. The daily routine of work has gone on as usual. You all know that normally there is not much exciting in a teacher's work. Discipline is not such a bother here as in the home schools. None of my classes has more than twenty-one. I meet practically the whole school evry day so that they are all acquainted with me. One evening this week we were out to a tea in farewell to Miss Nunns who started for England via Siberia. One of the lady doctors played the violin very nicely. She was telling me that her sister is an accompanist in San Francisco and that if we had radio to take in that place we would hear her. But I do not expect to get S.F. They say that for a first class set it is hard to get the coast cities, as it is in the daytime. I sent to Shanghai this week to get batteries for the radio and we hope to get it set up. That is to be mother and my Christmas present to one another. I hope we can hear some occasionally. They say there is some good music from Harbin at times. Our weather is still quite mild. It is seldom that I have had to wear an overcoat in going out in the daytime. We have the one stove going in the dining room. Then we burn a few twigs to dress by in the bathroom. Yesterday Dr. Tswei came in to ask me to change the time of my Chinese service. It was to be on the 16th of Dec. But Mr. Payne who was on for next Sunday is ill. So I am to go on in his stead. It is the first time I have taken a Chinese service in our church. We have just returned from English service. Mr. Rowley of the English Baptists gave us a well thought our sermon on the Power of Forgiveness. Not through the suffering of the one forgiven, but through the suffering of the forgiver. He is one of the men just back from home. He left his family behind. We have had a bicycle ride almost every day. A couple of them downtown and in the city shopping. This is not so good a place for riding as about Weihwei. We can go east along the south side of the wall, but that is somewhat broken. To go south we have but few roads or paths and they all rise toward the mountain and are mostly stony. To go north we have to go on the city streets, of them flagged long ago and now rough. By going west along the wall we get into the settlement. The roads are macadamized, but there are so many people on the street that it is not so pleasant as the country rides we used to hve in Wehwei. Mother is getting quite expert with her wheel and dodges people pretty well. We haven't so many motors as you folks but we have rickshaws and barrows and bikes and carts and a people in the middle of the road, and not able to pass an examination o n the rules of the road. We are trying to take regular exercise so as to keep fit. We were glad to get your letters and know about your locating in Grace at last. Also to hear about the track meet. It was a bit disappointing not to be able to keep up your half-mile championship for the last year. However one cannot be so busy as you have been in hospital and do the other work too. Probably the hospital work was the best after all. I am thinking of taking as my subject for next Sunday "The Christian Race", speaking from Hebrews 12:1-3. Taking the training, the manner of running and the incentives. If you are thinking of trying to get into Montreal for internship, perhaps Dr. McMurtry might be able to help you. Dr. Sheppard the surgeon is Mrs. McMurtry's uncle. I do not know whether he is about on the retiring list or not but he has held a leading place. Dr. McMurtry would be glad to do what he could for you. We were glad that when Jay was up you were able to take her out. She would enjoy being out with you. She said it was the first time for a long time you ha been out to a big affair together. How does she seem to be keeping; She has always written as if she were trying to take care of herself. We hope that she is able to hold out all right and get strong again. Are any of the other boys from the frat in hospital for the winter? Give our kindest regards to them. I used to enjoy meeting them. Especially give good wishes to Duff and his mother. It is a shame that I was never over to see her all the time I was in Toronto. I'm sorry our pictures are not going to get to you by Xmas. I hope that you will be able to help someone to have a happy Christmas. We have not heard your plans. Give Jay as good a time as you can when you have opportunity. It is pretty tough to have to give up all that she was used to. She has borne it bravely. Help her keep it up. We shall be lonely without any of our own near us. It is tougher as one gets on in years. But we have to learn that one's life does not consist in the abundance of things he has but in the high quality of the soul he keeps. Love from us both, with a good Christmas greeting. Robert A. Mitchell ------------------------------------------ Cheeloo University, Tsinan December 9, 1928 Hello All you Folks By the time you get this you will all have had your Christmas over and you will be in the New Year. Thursday of this week those belated photos came from Shanghai. I've got to work and put them into the albums as soon as I could and get them mailed to you yesterday. I am sorry they are so late but could not help it. The pictures are from Dr. Ernest Struthers' negatives, but the photographer took a very long time in getting them done. I did not fill up the books, leaving a space for you to put in some others when you get them in the future. These would show you what a nice outlay of compound we have here, even if it does not show you the work we are doing. I am sorry that the art corners did not stick very well and in some cases the pictures hve shifted. I did not have time to go over them again and paste them down. The gum on the Japanese corners is not quite equal to the American, but they charge only fifteen cents a hundred, Mex. We are having plenty of gunnery about these days as well as airplanes both in the daytime and in the evening. I do not know whether it is just the ordinary thing they would save if they were in their own country or whether at the present time when the Sino-Japanese negotiations are seemingly at a standstill, and the anti-Japanese boycotts are becoming severer in all parts of the country, the Japanese are letting the folks know what they could do here if they liked. Certainly the occupation of this town has hit it badly. The provincial government has all moved to Tsian. Most of the business houses are still doing their business with their shutters up. Clerks in the better stores flock around a customer coming in, as they have not enough to do to keep them busy. It is probably that next year there will be a very considerable advance in taxes and duties. The folks think now that they have more than they ever had before. The new tariff will boost them up. The routine work has gone along as usual this week. The weather has been pretty cold. The snow of a week ago has not quite gone yet. It was 18 degrees one morning. We had the Wolfes in for supper on Tuesday and the Hearens last evening. We were not out any place. Mother yesterday went to the Y.M.C.A. to an international entertainment they were putting on. Some of our people went and sang "O Canada". Mother played. She says there was some very expert sleight of hand work. Apart from the photos, I have had two things occupying my spare time this week. The mission is asking for detailed lists of the losses in Honan. We have never really got out a list so far. We had not an inventory of things, as they were when we left. We have to shut our eyes and think of the appearance of one room at a time. Then when one tries to put an equitable value on things he is at a loss to know whether to put what they cost, what they were worth as second hand things, or what it would cost to renew them now. It takes a lot of time and is hard on one's conscience. The other ting is the radio. I got my batteries this week. They sent them by C.O.D. mail from Shanghai. They said that by that way they were usually delivered. I went to the P.O. last Saturday about four. They said I had to go to the customs in another part of the city. I could do so if I hurried and yet got the parcels before they closed at five. I took a rickshaw in order to hurry. They told me the stamp had already been sent to the general office for the weekend, to come on Monday. I went on Monday equipped with a suitcase to carry the things. When they saw the customs declarations in English they were at a loss, but took my word they were not things for sale and stamped them without any duty. When I got to the post office I found the parcels too thick to go in my suitcase, so called a rickshaw to bring me home. I have been working some at my preparations for my aerial. I did not get it up yesterday but hope to do so tomorrow. I hope that before Christmas I may find whether or not I can get any music. We certainly will not have it so easy as in Toronto. One man in town has a set, eight tubes. They say that if they get up at about 3 in the morning they can get Vienna and Berlin. None for me thanks!! Yesterday I had a peculiar accident with my bike. I was coming up a slope without holding the handlebars. The wheel gave a sudden slew to one side. I suddenly gave it one to the other. My inner tube broke right across and came out with two ends. Fortunately a tube for a bike does not cost much here, 90cts max. They are Japanese made, I expect. Today I had a letter from Dr. Grant, which has quite a cheery tone. The Southern presbytery had been meeting the week before. Thought the foreigners were not in it everyone was friendly and they came to them for advice on some matters. The Secretary of the general assembly was at Weihwei last Assembly of the Church of Christ in China expected to be in Weihwei last week and then in Changte, to visit the churches. They were hoping that his visit might help in the way of brining a better feeling among the higher officials of the church toward the missionaries. That feeling does not seem to be shared by the rank and file of the Christians but one or two have got quite filled up with the idea of their own importance. Your letter telling about the harriers came in on my birthday along with one from Jessie. Your experience on the tack this year rather points to the fact that a man cannot hope to keep at the head of anything if he does not keep up practice in it. Expertness needs work in whatever line it is. However you have been getting an opportunity for becoming expert in other things even if you were not able to keep up your record to the end of your course on the track. How do you like the Grace Hospital as compared with the Sick Children's? It will give you an experience of a different nature and in that way may be better than if you had kept on there. Has Uncle Rob paid over any of the money to your account yet? How will your finances be this year as compared with former years? We hve not heard form the Shaw at all since we left. Aunt Lottie was the one who always did the writing and her getting knocked out as she has, has not made her any the better writer. We are always glad to get your letters. We are enjoying them every time and always look or them even before the boats can bring them in. You and Aunt Jessie are our standbys for the Toronto news now. She gives a lot, writing a little on several days, keeping us in touch with radio concerts, public meetings, etc. Supper is ready. Come and have it with us. Any time you drop in we'll give you the warmest welcome possible. I am afraid this will be long in getting to you and that we also will have to go for a long time without. There is a gap in the winter boat service. Love from us both, Your Father, Robert A. Mitchell Dr. McC says he has a wire from Bob announcing the arrival of a son. ----------------------------------------- Cheeloo Tsinan Shantung December 16, 1928 Hello Everybody The time to record the week's doings has arrived & while Dad takes his Bible class I shall have a chat with you all. Dad has a class of boys in English. They read a book & then when they meet most of the time is taken up with discussion. The book is one published by the Y.M.C.A. & the title is "Jesus & His program of Reform". There is so much talk of reform in China the title takes the students & then the chance to talk English is a drawing card. The last week has been what we call cold here; the lowest was 18 above zero. We hve been able to keep comfortably warm with our big stove, only feeling chilly when the stoking has been neglected. Upstairs we have a little stove in the bathroom & we keep warm by it, dressing bathing & then make a run for the cold bedroom where a warm bed & hot water bottle awaits us. After the noon rest when changing clothes we put some of the cedar branches cut from the hedge in the grate & have a warm time around it. When not in a hurry it is quite a treat to sit around the grate, feed slowly & watch the flames as they curl up & around in all directions. It takes little things to amuse small minds, you see. The routine of every day has continued each day with the extra bit of work getting Christmas cards of to the friends in China. A few calls have been made, which were long overdue. Yesterday we went out on our wheels for a ride; took a little road where we had seen heavily loaded barrows coming down from the mountains. We followed it for some distance with a gentle climb but keeping to a little valley road, which would take us up to one of the passes between two mountains just south of us. The roads were not very good after the late snow & we after making inquiries of some burden bearers turned toward the city & struck a big road, which was very fair. Then we went along the big street to our grocer. I laid in some raisins peel, etc, for mincemeat & a fruitcake which I hope to get at this week. We shall have only a little mincemeat but we like the fruitcake for pm tea, which is a regular part of the day's eating out here. It is a good kind of cake to have on hand as guests come in. I got all my extra tea cloths & luncheon set washed & ironed this week. I do that myself for things will wear longer. I also attend to all Rob's collars. I have had quite a bit of fun stretching a couple of pairs of socks Mo gave Dad. They had been badly washed at his 'frat' & he has such big feet he cannot wear any but good-sized socks. I got them softened up & then put them on the frame & he will have a comfortable pair of socks & almost as good as new. We have been surprised to find the price of some things out here. We seldom use 'quaker oats' or oatmeal. They are so expensive - a luxury. We buy ground wheat locally, corn meal, rice, & a sticky kind of millet. We run the changes on these & when spring comes we are not eating so well shall bring on the luxuries. We are not allowed to eat salads out here unless something out of a tin. The doctors do not approve. I often long for a bit of uncooked cabbage & once or twice we have dug a little out of the centre of the cabbage & had a feed. Disease lurks everywhere hence such precaution. This time of the year we can get Chinese pears, occasionally bananas & American apples. The latter are a big price for tax on everything coming into the country has been raised. Some things are taxed twice in the country if moved from one district to another. The government are hard up as after way in any country & now we all have to pay extra. We still have Japanese soldiers everywhere & there seems no likelihood of an early settlement of the Sino Japanese question. Neither side will yield an inch. Lately the gunnery practice has been more frequent & almost daily we hear sham battles going on around us. They go up in the Mts. to south of us & the roan rolls along & through the Mts. longer than if on a plain. One day this week we were at a Chinese 4pm tea. It was very pleasant. The Chinese cakes have more lard in them than we care for but one or two kinds very nice & we specialized on them. The man, Mr. Yang was a 'Y' Secretary for a number of years but has been here for Theology work & graduates this year. His wife has been educated in Foreign Mission schools. Dear Mo In a few minutes I go to my Medical class & help the young men learn how to write histories. I wrote out a list of their errors two sheets of paper & had them correct in class & we discussed why, etc. Here are a few: 'the operation was took place' 'the puncture was in crossing position' 'gave nothing by mouth within 24 hours' ' could not took still strong & health in that period, he troubled pain in ---, abdominal operation was given immediate' and so on. Heaps of fun, sometimes again tiresome. They also mix the Past history with the Family history, get husband mixed up with parents & sisters but they are coming on. Last Friday one student heard a systolic murmur, a second said there was none & they argued for a time & a senior came in & said have a beautiful aortic insufficiency case in No 2 so off they went to listen & when the doctor made the examination of first case there was no systolic murmur. I enjoy the life & eagerness of these young men & so often think of you & the others I met at your frat. I can imagine you & Vic having just such an argument. Even Duff would take a hand it were he around. We are thinking of Christmas these days & wondering where you will spend it & with whom. I hope you can be with Jay for part of the day as next year you may be at a distance from her & unable to be together. We hope Bill will be with us next year but that is a long time ahead to plan. But we are a scattered family & this year you & Jay may be together & next year a different combination of the family. I hope Aunt Lottie is feeling better & that she will continue to do so. The holiday seasons have sad recollections for all up in years. It is only the Christmas spirit that remains & let us all do our part to bring joy to others & in doing this, we shall find it less sad & lonely. There has been no letter for a long time from Bill. The steamers may not be so frequent& then he was going away on a vacation trip & likely the letter to us would have second place now that Helen fills so much of his thought. It is quite right she should. Do you meet her often? We had a Mrs. Seymour in for supper last evening after church. Her husband was accidentally shot last spring by soldiers. She had a daughter out here - a nurse. She had trouble like Jay & has not returned. She is in a doctor's office in Los Angeles. The son has just gone to Honolulu to serve his internship in a hospital there. His Father was a doctor out here & an old classmate has given the son this opportunity. When I first came to China I met them & used to ride Dr. Seymour's white horse all around the hills of Eastern Shangtung. We never met since 1896 till we came here. Let us know how you think Jay is. Do you ever see the Irwin's? I suppose you do see Tom Beath sometimes. Does Don still play basketball? It seems MacKay Thomson is too young to be joining your 'Frat' but time does fly. He is quite a rugby player is he not, or has he changed to some other sport? I must close now & get off to transplanting some lettuce & nasturtiums. Dad will soon be home from his class & we shall do it together. We cannot buy lettuce & are not allowed by the doctors to buy & eat raw vegetables except where we grow it ourselves & I think the lettuce will be safe for we water it ourselves. Heaps of love from both of us. Hope you have a nice trip during the holidays & do not lose all the games. Tell us about it for we are interested in it all. That was a great mixture of faculties at the Kingston games. If you see Chas give him our 'best'. Lovingly Mother Jennie H. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Cheeloo December 28, 1928 I am supposed to carry on & tell the Christmas doings & then there will be no letter. We thought it best to have all the Christmas written in one letter. As Dad has the service Sunday he will want the machine to make his sermon. Christmas morning we had breakfast about 8 A.M. after a little talk about where our loved ones might be, what they were doing, etc. At 1 P.M. we went to Mrs. Heeren's for lunch - it really was a Christmas dinner. Dr. McClure was also there & three other guests. We had soup, duck, salad, tomato jellied, plum pudding, candy & coffee. We had a very pleasant time & did not leave till after 3 o'clock. Then to Struthers for tea, & from there with them to the church for an hour of carol singing with a five minute address. From there Dad went to a Christmas entertainment the students were putting on. they asked him to do his crying stunt. I went home for a rest & after he returned at 7 P.M. we dressed for dinner at Struthers. I supplied the ducks & soup. Dr. McClure & Miss Brodie were also there. We invited a family of Canadians who are under the Amer. Presby. Board & another family with their son, who is about the age of the oldest Struthers boy. We had a fruit mixture to begin. Then followed soup, ducks & plum pudding, candy raising. Then we went into the living room where we had coffee & after a little chat played a couple of games to please the boys. The first was volleyball with blown up balloons. This was lots of fun so were the other two games. We separated about 10.30 & returned home. Christmas was over once more for another year. For older people with so many past memories it is a lonely time & one finds it difficult to keep the real joy of Christmas uppermost in the mind. We were in a couple of homes where the kiddies were excited over the toys & while we entered into their spirit much as we could yet it took us back to the many times we had seen our own three & again with them lived over past Christmases. I had forgotten to give a record of the 24th. In the afternoon we went to the Children's party in the Med. Building. It was funny Chinese & Foreign children of various ages. There was tea & cake & they were told tht the car carrying Santa had a puncture &^ there would be some delay in the arrival of Santa & his bundle. In the meantime we would have some fun. The Chinese children put on some very good ….dance. The foreign children also had two folk dances., Two little girls especially fine. There were Christmas carols & then Santa's bells were heard & he arrived. One of the little boys, a son of the man acting the part of Santa did not recognize him & drew back when Santa tried to be familiar with him. From there we went to a play the Chinese students were putting on. We did not stay long as there was no fire in the play & we could not understand much they said. Christmas morning several hundred beggars were fed & those taking part had a strenuous time. I also forgot to mention Christmas forenoon I went to the services in the wards. They were beautifully decorated & after the service the foreign children went to each ward & sang a Christmas Hymn. Then Santa visited each ward & every patient was given some little gift. to the women a package of needles, a skein of thread (Chinese) & a wash rag. The children received dolls. These things are usually supplied by Sunday Schools from the Homelands. Mo, we were so glad to receive your picture today. The glass was broken but you had pasted paper over the glass & the photo was not injured. It is very good & you look just ready to give back to someone a little bit of sauce & the eyes & mouth look just ready to smile as you so often do. The glass has been replaced & now stands beside me as I write. Thanks ever so much. I wish sometime when you are in Eaton's you would look for a grey frame to hang on the wall size of glass about 6 1/2-81/2. The dimensions might a little over that but not under it. They will wrap it up & mail it to us. If you have any trouble - Well let us know the price is the best way & we will give you an order on Miss King for Eaton's do not wish others to sign our D.A. Keep a lookout & you can get one of the made up ones & they will not cost so much as if you order. The size may be a little larger than above but not smaller. Do you remember Roulston who graduated from Knox I think 26. He has been engaged to an American Presby. nurse but only yesterday was the announcement made at a tea. She was in to see me just a few minutes ago. She will likely go to Honan next autumn. bill knows Roulston very well. Now I must close. We are so glad to have the picture. Hope classes go well this spring & all the final term's work. Goodbye dear boy. Continue writing as you have been doing. Much love Mother