Tsinan, Cheeloo Jan 12, 1932 Dear Folk I am going to begin this letter on January 1st. Rob wrote while we were at Bill's & gave you word of our trip over & something of our doings of the Christmas. Jan 1 Robert Melville was baptized. At Changte they have the practice of noonday prayer meeting. We had the service 11.45 & there were present seven persons besides the Mitchells. Two of the men Dr. MacKenzie & Mr. Faris had gone to the country on 30th. I think I can enclose some photos of the house. Dad stood beside the grate, between the two little trees put there for Christmas. It was a simple service & after it was over Mr. Menzies led in prayer for the children of our Mission still in China & Mrs. MacKenzie for those in the homeland. She mentioned most of the parents asking guidance & blessing for their children. She started with the Goforth family. After the service we went out on the porch & had some snaps. Unfortunately there were no large sized films in the compound. We do not know how those turned out, as Bill has not sent us any. The next morning Dad went into the city & bought a film. He took some snaps of the house & three of Bobby. You will have some of them. Now about Bobby. He is a lovely baby with very large open eyes, greyish blue in color. He has a very large head & a fair amount of hair, which comes to a curve around the front of the head in a very pretty fashion. He is not very fat but5 is now gaining all the time & seems strong & well. He has a pathetic look in his eyes sometimes as they follow his parents around the room. They tell me he just looked at them all the time after the operation while the dressings were still on & he was uncomfortable. He laughs & gurgles & talks back in baby style already. The Amah is the one to whom he talks most. He is rally a bright boy & will in time get well fixed up but will have times of suffering poor laddie. The second operation will be when he is about two years old. This one on the lip is very well done. The scar will not show much & the nose is filling out on the left side already. It may take a couple of operations on palate before it is closed. When on furlough they may have to have something done on soft palate. They would go to the Children's for that. Just after Bob McClure went down to Hwaiching he had two Chinese children with harelip brought to him. He operated (dress rehearsals he called the ops.) None have come since. It did seem providential that he had these two cases to help him prepare for the little Canadian laddie. There is a slight curve of upper lip, but it will not be noticeable later in life especially with a moustache. The difficult thing will be the repair of the palate so that speech may be as normal as possible. Then too they will have to be careful in training him to talk. The home looks cozy & comfy though they have stuff belonging to several. Their dishes, pictures, a couple of little tables from India & a dresser are their own. I forgot a bed. Other articles of furniture belong to those on furlough. They are having some dining room chairs made, which we saw. Other things will come as the carpenters have time & when they know whether they remain at C.T. or not. I think their permanent allocation may be up at this annual meeting. They seem very happy & are busy studying & Bill takes a small part in the work of station. Helen has given herself to Bobby but has done some study. He requires more attention in the feeding than if he had not this trouble in mouth. At noon Jan 1 we were with Mrs. Menzies for dinner & in the evening all were at the home of Mrs. MacKenzie. Bill & Helen were without a cook part of the time we were there. His Father-in-law died. I was sorry for I know Helen would have preferred having us with them to eat & she would have entertained more. However everyone was very kind & thoughtful & we had a good time. We got our own breakfasts. One morning we went, Dad, Bill & I on bikes to visit the tomb of Yuan Shih Kai. In the afternoon of same day all four went to see an old stone, which was erected five hundred years or more ago giving freedom from some taxes to Christians & freedom of worship. It is the same tablet as Helen wrote about in her letter, sent out before Christmas. There was a change in trains on the Peiping-Hankow line & we left a day earlier than we planned. It meant that or remain two days later. The weather was mild & we thought it best to move before a cold spell came on. That line is not well equipped with engines that will pull the train & heat it. We had a cold time going down, but there was a warm train on the return trip. Georgie Menzies & Miss Doyle were on & I shared a compartment with them. They had been to Hwaiching for a visit with Mrs. Menzies. We remained in Peiping a day as Dr. Thornton was to come with us. The night before we started he took heavy chill & has not yet been able to come down. I fear he will not be able to visit Tsinan as his time for sailing is not far off. He is a Winnipeg pastor whom has been visiting Australia & Missions of our church in India & China. He spent a month in Honan, went into country with touring pastors & has seen the work as it really is. That is more than most visitors do. As our library here is a gift from a Winnipeg church it will be disappointing if he cannot get down. But when people get ill they must just give in to the frailties of the flesh. I expect he has "Flu" which is all around China this year. We had asked that our house be swept, dusted & fires all on as Dr. Thornton was to come with us. We were glad it was warm for the day was a cold one & it is trying when cold to sit around while the house warms up. Dr. McClure had us for dinner & by night the cook had everything bought & after supper we had a good warm bath & off to bed early for we were tired. Rose the next morning with thoughts of a pleasant visit to Honan in our minds but glad to be home. We have our new rugs down on the living room floor. They're a Christmas present to each other. The center is a taupe with a lighter shade of leaves on the background. There is a wide space of blue & then a narrow border of taupe. At the four corners we have "Mums" in two or three colors. I think we shall like them. The color is serviceable, though not as bright as many rugs we see nowadays. But we want something that will wear & as we should put them in a room at home not so bright as the present one, brighter draperies can be used. Our birthdays & Christmas come so close together we decided to combine on rugs, as we needed them. We have three 5x8, & the smaller ones 2 1/2x4. Dr. Struthers goes to Kobe to meet Mrs. Struthers, leaving on 26th. They will be here early in Feb. I shall have their house warm but they will come here for the first meal & possibly the noon meal as well. They will arrive in early morning. It was a great disappointment she was not able to come with him but that is all past now. We will not go into the annual meeting now that we visited Honan at Christmas. Classes begin this week & we decided to go when there were no classes & now must stay by the students & help them make up for lost time, which was forced upon them through the actions of others. Since our return we have bought a bird & he sings beautifully. We used always to have one & I did not realize how much I had missed one till I was in a house where there was a singer once more. Now I must say adieu. Aunt Jessie's letter beginning Nov 23 & ending Dec. 11th just to hand; none from Mor, or Jay. Dear Mo - Your letter re treatment of harelip I gave Helen. She wished to have it as she had been wishing she could have some word of treatment in Toronto. You may have written them since but she will keep all. Bob McClure fears an operation on son's palate is inevitable, but recommends that it be when they go home & they inquire about whether there is any advice to be obtained re: training at Sick Kid's. He will do the hard palate but does not want to try soft palate if it must be done & he says it would be done about 4 yrs. of age. Helen will wean Bobby about six months & gradually increase feed & decrease her milk. It is a difficult task giving him enough as he gets tired & she has to help him with manual expression thus far. Bill & she have been very sensible about the trouble & have not allowed it to get on their nerves. But they feel it keenly. Had it not been for this sorrow I do not think we would have braved the trip in cold weather, but we felt a change would be good for them & I think it was for they could talk right out with us. Write them when you can & let us all help to make their days cheery till little Bobby is fixed up. It is a long time for them to wait. But should they need to go earlier than 1935, it could be managed. It will all depend on how the next operation turns out. Lovingly, Mother ---------------------------------------- Cheeloo University, Tsinan January 24, 1932 Dear Folks, Mo I suppose that this is about the first letter I have sent to you this year, so that I shall have to make my bow very low with all my bet wishes -- especially that I shall type better than I am doing and not get you all out of temper reading my letters. We have had quite a remarkable winter thus far in the year. I was just looking at the record: only two days when the minimum was below 20 above and one day when the maximum was below 40. People are wondering if we are not going to have any winter weather at all. But we have had no snow or rain. The spring winds will soon begin. Thursday was mother's birthday. These days do not get the celebration that they did in early years. Mrs. Wolfe knew of the day and sent her in a pot of begonia. I also gave her a pair of glass vases, painted on the inside, which she had admired very much in a store window some months ago. They are of the same kind of work as we sent Dede when she was married but not so large as those. We celebrated the day by riding over to the east suburb to a reception for Mr. and Mrs. Terrance who were married in Shanghai a short time ago. He is in the Middle School in the east suburb. His wife died a few years ago. She is a China-born missionary who was working here for sometime and then in Shanghai. Most of the people of the missionary body were there as well as a good many Chinese. This reception was at Mrs. Johnson's house. The last time we were there was at her 70th anniversary. Then in April we shall have a reception here for Mrs. Johnson's son's bride, Miss Hoffman, one of the nurses here. She has asked the use of our garden for it. Of course if it is blowing a hurricane we shall have to come into the house. We cannot supply many flowers at that time. Dr. Johnson is the son of Dr. Johnson who died this year. He took his medical course in the PUMC in Peiping. Work has been going along with a push the last ten days. Exams begin with us tomorrow. They have already started with the Arts. We shall get them over, then register again and begin our new courses on Wednesday of next week. We have been doing more riding lately in the fine weather, having no other exercise to take at this time of year. One day we went on the city wall and rode around from the south gate to the west by way of the east. We stopped at the observatory on the southeast corner of the city wall. In olden days this corner was the site of the temple for the god of literature. Here this temple has been done away with and its place taken by a meteorological observatory. We were through and saw all of their instruments - mostly British make. When we were up there we noticed a nice road for riding along the base of the wall. Another day we went for a run on it. From the south gate around to the northeast, we were between the wall on one side and the running stream of beautiful clear water. When the leaves are on the trees that must be a lovely route. Yesterday we were at the funeral of Mr. Wang His En, a man who had quite a remarkable record as a teacher. Perhaps he has had few in China who have taught the learning of the west so long as he. He graduated in 1893 when this college was at the extreme east of the province, Tengchowfu, near Chefoo. He was instructor in the college for three years, then tutor in a private family. Then he was called by Yuan Shih Kai to teach in the Shantung University here, when Dr. W.M. Hayes was put at the head of it. He was there for eight years. That institution has been long defunct, but Mr. Wang has been teaching here for twenty-eight years. His subjects were mathematics and astronomy. At the funeral the church was the fullest that I have ever seen it, practically all the walls were covered with scrolls and artificial flower wreaths. There was a religious service at the house a week ago. At this service representatives of Alumni, students, etc. spoke. The band played two pieces; a quartet sang a specially prepared hymn. At the close of the service the coffin was carried from the church down to the main gate where the catafalque was waiting. Mr. Wang was a fine Christian worker. It is well if we can play our part in life as well as he has done, for the good of men. Last evening Mr. Cady came in and asked us to go over for a while to play some music. We had piano, gong, triangle, tambourine and cymbals -- quite an orchestra. It was lots of fun. I made some bad work, but Mrs. Cady who was in bed said we improved as we went on. We had an express letter from Dr. Thornton saying he would be alone yesterday or today but a telegram arrived an hour before his express letter and said, "Delayed". He had spent a week in bed with the grippe, then got up and had a relapse worse than the first attack. The doctor said he might proceed by slow stages. He wanted to come down here to recuperate. Today we had another letter explaining that the telegram was because the doctor thought he ought to stay quiet over the weekend. He may be along Tuesday. If so I shall have to either make some arrangements for some one else to meet him or make arrangements for some one to preside for me at examinations. Dr. Struthers is expecting to leave on Tuesday to meet Mrs. Struthers at Kobe. He got word from her yesterday that she had written Mr. MacKenzie to take passage for her from Kobe to Tsintao the first boat after she arrived on the 2nd. I think that that boat is the 5th. So I suppose that they will be here by the 10th of February. Mother and Coral Brodie were expecting to give a shower on Thursday for Cora Hoffman. Mother has just heard that Cora is invited elsewhere to a tea (probably a shower) that day. I don't know how they will get the matter straightened out but probably they will get things to fit in some way. Tuesday morning in examinations hall: While I listen to the "tap tap" of the pencils writing Chinese, I shall continue my letters. The Empress reached Shanghai on the 20th and we have been hoping for mail, but only papers have come. Dr. Struthers leaves today to meet his wife. We shall be glad when she arrives and completes our Canadian Contingent. We shall be out to a Chinese meal this evening - our monthly faculty dinner which is at the Li's this month. How's the situation holding out? I suppose the position in Toronto is secure is it notwithstanding the hard times? The universal economic depression is making people feel that there certainly should be a great reconstruction with less of the selfish idea of acquisition and more idea of stewardship. Life is given for better things toward humanity than amassing a pile of money at the expense of others. Goodbye with much love from both of us Your father, Robert A. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Cheeloo February 7, 1932 Dear Just got this far when I thought my heel felt cold. On examination I found holes in both stockings, which were put on this morning. Evidently they were missed in the darning. Holes do come in stockings out here as well as in Canada. I have been wearing a pair of grey sent by Jessie & another the exactly same color & both made by Penman. It was rather amusing both came from different persons & both Christmas gifts. Dad is out at Chinese service. The president is the preacher & his them is "What the Chinese sages taught us". Yesterday we met him at tea & he said his main idea was that their teachings prepared the way for Christianity. One of our friends remarked she thought it did not work out in practice. Then this evening in English we are to have one of our new men on "An undismayed Savior". This week the World's day of prayer for women is to be held with the women of the university in the meeting room at girl's dormitories. I am to take one of the prayers … for the Philippines, India and especially, Ghandi… I do not use Chinese much & am rather dreading it. However can make it short. I would have preferred reading a passage of scripture but the Chinese woman in charge would not let me off. Friday the 5th Miss Brodie & I gave a shower & tea for Miss Hoffman, one of the nurses, who is to be married shortly. We had two previous days set & were forced to change the date because of meetings. We made it a white & yellow affair. The Chinese lilies are in bloom at present, in pots. Then I have a yellow embroidered tea cloth & both of us had yellow candles. We had them on the table & in several places in the living room. Our electric light is very bad just now but it came on OK so only the candles on tea table were lit. We had twenty-eight present… three were unable to come. All the gifts were useful & some very pretty but nothing extravagant. There were funny remarks on several of the cards, which of course made a laugh when read. The day before our tea & one of the meetings for which we had to give away to was the Woman's club. The subject was "Needle work". There were samples of children's dresses & underclothes, quilts, knitted goods, etc. There was a paper made up by the two women in charge - a Chinese & Foreign & read in both languages, Chinese & English. I sent a log cabin quilt I have been working on since my return to show them how one could use left over remnants. Also another patchwork quilt was there. And the Chinese were told how old women liked to do this work & that young children were often started on such patchwork. The Chinese do a lot of knitting the last few years but do not know much about using scraps, & making them up in an attractive way. The two papers were very interesting & the Chinese young women were interested in the baby clothes. Our next meeting is to be cooking. Two women - a Chinese & foreign woman are to cook something for us & we shall have it done in the kitchen & then repair to the dining room to eat what they make. At present our mid-week meeting has been changed to a Bible study group instead of prayer meeting. We are taking a course for eight weeks & then decide if we wish to continue the study or again have prayer. We were uptown the other day & got some ever-ready batteries. Now our bells ring, as they should. I am so glad for often we could not hear people at the front door. Yesterday was Chinese New Year & we are keeping our doors fastened as often at this time a number stroll around looking for amusement. The last few years has been an effort to do away with celebrations at this time but this year the Governor seems to be encouraging it. It is not so noisy here as at Weihwei for we are further away from the Chinese homes where firecrackers are kept going all night. Yesterday our servants were off after breakfast & today I let them off after dinner. My cook told me last year he did not want to be off too much for then his friends invited him & he had to drink. I said well you tell them your mistress will not let you off & so there it stands. If he wants to go he tells me. I got the dinner & supper & enjoyed it. Wish I could get rid of the pair of them but that is impossible out here, especially in the real cold. ----------------------------------------- Feb 12, 1932 Dear Mo I have kept the letters hoping we might have m ail from the Russian. None has come. Mrs. Struthers came on it as far as Kobe & trans-shipped there & arrived Monday 8th. The mail may be lost for the P.O. was near the Commercial Press, which was burned. Also the big library was burned, which is a great loss educationally to the country. Japan has just gone too far this time & most of us think she will suffer for her actions not only among the thought of the Powers, but in her own country. There is trouble between the military & the civil authorities & the former paid no attention to the promise & agreements of the consul in Shanghai. China has not played fair I know & to some extent is getting what is coming to her for her abominable meanness in dealing with all foreigners. But this is too much & nearly all the countries sympathize with China at this time. China has had a jolt & now sees that her past conduct has been her ruination. Wars & fighting & lack of union have weakened her. Well enough for politics. We try to keep quiet & talk very little where our Chinese friends are around, & as for letters we do not know when they may be censured. Bill & Helen both got their year's exam of Chinese. We have only heard once form them in the five weeks since they came from Honan. They are busy with review & the Annual meeting. We feel we would like to hear how Bobby is growing. For a time he was not gaining as they wished & I think it bothered them both because they cannot get away from the thought of the next operation & want him in good shape for it. I fear the strain on both of them. It is a long time & in the interior there is so little diversion. They cannot get away from the though of the future as if they were in Canada where they could go to movie or concert or dine with friends. However they are doing bravely & grace will be given them I am sure. Before long now we shall be directing our letters to Toronto again. We are wondering if you have already left Copper Cliff but knowing they would forward mail we still send letters there. Now my dear laddie I must close & write Aunt Jessie. Do be thoughtful for her when in the city. I think she feels lonely for some of her own. You know Jean is really no company for her & that fact spoils her visits with Peter. If she should be sick see that she is cared for. When we go home we shall try & look after her a little but that is three years & one half. Heaps of love, Mother Lovingly, Jennie H. Mitchell --------------------------------------- Cheeloo University, Feb 21, 1932 Dear Mo The month is getting pretty well on. We have been having our winter the last couple of weeks. After a long spell in January when the minimum would be in the upper twenties, we have had weather when it was usually at least ten degrees below that. We have been having a few winds, but not many yet. We shall begin to get to work outside in a short time. The gardeners have been transplanting some lilacs already. Yesterday they transplanted a number of cedar trees for us. These were some at the main gate, which are in the way of the canal being dug. Some time ago I spoke to Mr. Davies about getting some of them if they were disposing of them. So we got nine to fill in some breaks in the hedge, which was transplanted last year. Two weeks ago tomorrow e got a telegram saying that the Struthers were coming. We had expected them on the Tuesday morning train. But when we realized they were coming in at 10.20pm we had to hustle about. Their servant was not about, but I got into the house and got a fire started in the furnace and mother got the beds made. I met them at the train with a car and McClure and mother waited here. The Struthers took meals with us in morning and evening and with Dr. McClure at noon. They were started up in their own place shortly. It is nice to have them back. But one can see that Mrs. Struthers is not a strong woman at the present time. She will get more opportunity to rest here than she would at home. Mother had a tea for the ladies in the yard to meet Mrs. Struthers on Tuesday. That day we got a telegram saying that Dr. Thornton was coming the next day. On the Wednesday morning both mother and I went to the station to meet Dr. Thornton. The train was a bit late so that I was late in getting to class. He had been intending to come down with us five weeks before when we came from Honan but took flu the day before we got to Peiping. He is not particularly strong yet. That evening we had out United Church people in to meet him at supper and had a pleasant evening together. As Dr. Thornton is not well, we have not been pushing him in the way of sightseeing. We took his breakfast in bed till yesterday. Mother has taken him about to see various parts of the work and we went up to the settlement one day and saw the independent church. He has only taken a meeting with Mr. Lautenslager's "Friends of Jesus", and one morning at our Theological prayers. One evening we had the theological staff in and another had some other folks. We were having the president and his wife and the Dean of Arts and his wife. But in the afternoon came an urgent invitation from the Commissioner of Education for both of them to go to a dinner. They decided they had better split. The president was here and the dean went there. But the president's wife was not well enough to come. So we had one man, and the other's wife. Mother has been bothered with a cough the last few days. She thinks she caught cold at the "ditch" as we call the "Mountain Water Gully" where there is a very interesting market of old things every five days. A week ago Saturday we watched the hockey game for a while. The week before the settlement team had beaten ours three to two. That day it looked as if they would come out top again but just near the end our boys got two goals, getting it by 3-2. I think they are going to play off the tie. Quite a number of our fellows are bordering on the fifties up or down and they were quite delighted, though the English members say that the game is much rougher than the orthodox English playing. The fellows who are not used to it are inclined to put football practices into it. Monday is Washington's Birthday and the community is invited to the American consulate. Dr. Thornton is staying over a day in order to attend. He will leave for Tientsin Tuesday evening and go on from there to Korea and Japan. I hear that 120 people have accepted the invitation. It is the firs time that the American consul has given a general invitation since we have been here. The British generally does on Empire day. My work has been keeping me pretty busy lately, just able to get ready in time for classes. This week I shall have to put on a spurt, as I have the English service next Sunday. Today it is led by Dr. Cotton of U.S.A., who is here on the Cook series of lectures on religion. He began last evening and continues till Tuesday evening. Yesterday Miss Hoffman…. --------------------------------------- Cheeloo March 8th, 1932 Dear Mo The last two days have been warm. The temp with our door open all night was 60 this morning. We knew it would not last but that is March. We have warm days & our hopes rise enough to get us into the garden then comes a cold day. Lots of work was done in gardens & everyone enjoyed the lovely warm days. At noon today a North wind suddenly rose & it is getting colder. Our fire was let out in dining room last night & has not been re-lit but it likely will tomorrow. The kitchen is the most comfortable room & we have the door open to dining room. I think we may have a little wood fire in grate when we come in for the evening & settle down. If no colder than at present we shall likely eat quickly & go off to bed & read there. It is not only a wind but the air is full of dust. We cannot see very far. Dad is in the garden transplanting & in a few minutes I shall put on the tea & call him. Then we dress & go out to call on a new couple that joined the medical staff over three weeks ago. I was in the garden all yesterday forenoon & most of this. It tires one when the new muscles are called upon to do the new work of the Spring. We are making a couple of changes & are anxious to get out early, as the wedding reception of April 20th is to be on the lawn if there is no wind. Last Saturday & Sunday dad was busy with his sermon. He is freer this weekend. However he gave an exam this forenoon & has some exam papers to read. Monday & Tuesday he also has exams. They only last the time of usual class & are on sections of the work. However these term exams do count in the final marks of the year. Next door to us - Lautenschlagers have scarlet fever. One of the servants also came down with it so the whole household was quarantined. The medical officer asked me to do their buying for them. I went over every day for eleven days & standing in the yard took the orders from their cook for the day. They gave them to my cook. It meant a double keeping of accounts for both the cook & myself. Now that is all over a the "contacts" have all passed the time when they might come down with it & only the scarlet people & those waiting on them are in quarantine. I also had to give the grocery orders & look after several affairs for them. Was glad to do it but more pleased when they no longer need my services for it is hard on the cooks. One gets the commission of the other & it sometimes makes trouble. It did not in this case. Last night a neighbor was going to the "Move" & came in to see if we would go & fill the car. It meant reduced expense for them & so they gave us the chance. We decided to go & in five minutes were out of the house. It was good & I have not seen Dad laugh so much for some time. We do not go often I assure you but sometimes there is a good one the people from this yard, especially those with older children go to. We least of all I think. The films used here are all old ones but the Chinese do not know that. The styles of dresses even to me were ages old. The next three days "The Student Prince" is on. A week ago Dr. Thornton left us. He arrived safely & Mr. MacKenzie wrote he was to sail today for Dairen & Souel. He will be glad to get where he is sure of trains & boats, as he will be when he reaches Souel. A family returning from Mission Meeting (Wesleyan Mission) was with us over a day. They take bus from here to their home & we had to get them off by 6.30am. One must be there when the gates are opened or you may not get a seat. The bus would leave about 7.30. They are on first term & Bill & they have been together a good deal when at Peitaho, the last two years. I had to give them lunch as well as get them off early. I felt tired all day. I do not like early rising… getting old I suppose. ----------------------------------------- Cheeloo Theological College, Tsinan March 30, 1932 Dear Mo Since last I wrote you work has been going on pretty much as usual. Last Sunday morning I was preaching at the leper hospital. This week had morning prayers at our own college. My regular routine is nine lectures a week in three subjects, ten hours a week translating with two men in two subjects and my preparation between times. I have only once had to say to the translator, "We'll have to stop there as I am at the end of my material". But it is the steadiest work I have had since I came here. I have a bunch of exam papers, which are overdue for reading. Well, the weather has given us some shocks lately. After being so mild that the apricot and peach trees were meditating opening their flowers, last Saturday afternoon we got a new rearing, tearing dust storm from the north with tons of dust and the thermometer dropping till it got down to fifteen degrees. It rather chilled the energy of people who were getting their gardens in shape. It has gradually improved since so that we look forward hopefully. The time of the big storm was just the time when our fellows were playing off the tie with the settlement in hockey -- not ice. They came off the field grey with dust, caked with perspiration. Each had had one win 3-2. This ended in another tie. Last Thursday the captain of our team came to me from the committee to ask me to play goal for them. The same request had come before the first match. However I agreed this time and took about an hour's practice on Friday being peppered at in the goal. Yesterday was a rather nice day for the play. It didn't look very well for their new goalie when before over he had had a hand on the ball a scorcher, which one could hardly see, got in at the goal where he wasn't. Then another of the same kind made another score. Somewhat later a hard shot coming straight for me was deflected by a back and though I deflected it again it went through the goal. But it was disallowed as an offside. It was our turn next and the halftime came with the score 2-1 against us. With the sun and the wind in our favor we added another score. So the play went on. We were weak in the halfs, Stanley was away, and Shields is off with a torn ligament in his foot. We were playing Mrs. Price as right forward. As the settlement was short a man we let them have Miss Morton-Smith to fill up. In the last half they peppered our goal quite frequently, but what the goalposts did not stop, I managed to keep out till about five minutes before the time was up when a comparatively easy one came in. Instead of getting right in front of it with my feet I tried to stop it with my hand beside me. It slipped by, for the losing score of 2-3 against us. The captain as good enough to say that the goal was not their weak spot. But I had not had enough practice to make the proper reactions automatically. From baseball I should have known that I should have had my leg as a backstop for my hand. I expect that this will be the last hockey and the Saturday afternoons will be used for baseball. Tennis is beginning again. I had almost decided to join the club this year. I feel that I have a great tendency to draw away from things in which others are engaged and go on with my work by myself. But I have decided that with the cut in salaries the tennis fee is one thing on which I can economize, and continue to get my exercise out of the garden as in former years. Talking of garden we have had discouragement. Our city electric plant is just about useless so that we haven't that power for pumping water. Our own machines are not enough to give us all the water we want and at the same time electric light and power for hospital. Some were warned not to put in gardens. However there has been a notice sent around since that we can use water, half of the compound on one day, and half on the other day, but not using much toward evening, nor any at night. We have been saving our wash water and dishwater for the gardens, but it means a lot of carrying, as our waste pipes are not handy to tap. The last word relieves some of us a good deal, as we do not want a lot of space going to weeds. There will be more concentration on fall gardens after the rains. This week our boy is off which makes more work for mother. Ten days ago his wife had a baby. After a couple of days she took a bad turn and died two days later. We knew nothing of the affair till the boy told us she was very sick and asked off. This morning when I went to the letterbox I found letters from you and Aunt Jessie of Feb 22. I think that it is since the last letters that the previous letter had come in, but perhaps not as I must have answered some of your ideas on finance in my last. Just when I had finished up writing to Bill, a letter from Helen came in with yours to them. So we have been having lots of chat with the home folks today. It always makes the heart cheery. In one of your late letters you were asking whether or not we were hearing regularly from Jay. Did she ever tell you what I sent her for a Christmas present? She put it on Mother as being the instigator. I asked Eaton's to send to her a box of correspondence cards with all the envelopes addressed to mother and five-cent stamps on them. We had a letter telling that she got them and then we had a letter form her written about Jan 22. But we have not yet had any of the stamped envelopes. She will be very glad when you get to the city again. By the way we have just had a long letter from Dr. MacVicar. He is now in Mimico, 55 Eastbourne Crescent. If you are keeping on your car after going to the city and could call in on them sometime I'm sure they would be delighted. Mrs. MacVicar is a very fine woman of whom you need have no fear of getting acquainted. MacVicar will be greatly pleased. Take Jay along. He had a very hard field before he went there. There were four preaching stations widely separated and he had to get around to all the visiting. Helen's letter just in says that Dr. McKinley and Bill are off in the country, up Wuan way. McKinley was at Changte to take out Faris' appendix. I suppose that before he went home he wanted to see some of the northern end of the field. Do you remember our trip up there for one Christmas Bobbie is getting on finely, on artificial food altogether now and weighing 14lbs, 101/2 oz. They are quite delighted he is doing so finely. Mother had a letter from Dallas Bates not long ago speaking in the highest terms of the way in which a Dr. Risdon had remade his son's jawbone. Do you know this Dr. Risdon? We are sending on your pictures to Bill this letter 0 also the Canadian Comment. He sends us over his World Wides. World Wide has a tendency to have rather long articles. The comment will err the other way if any. It seems to me to have a strong conservative and capitalistic tendency. Thanks for sending it Love, Dad ---------------------------------------- Cheeloo April 5, 1932 Dear Folks Sunday 2nd I thought Monday 3rd was free day & I would wait & write then. Dad & I have so few days together now I wanted the time with him, as I knew I could not have it on Monday. Monday turned out to be a busy day & nothing was done at the letters & here I am only now beginning. The day is cold near freezing point. We got out our geraniums & oleanders yesterday. It turned cold & a cold north wind blew all night. We had a little rain & lots of lightening & thunder, which does the ground no good. The last two days have been very warm & one got on thin clothes & here today we are cold. The spring vacation ends today & work has already begun. I teach in three different schools & the holidays do not come at the same time. I was muddled & did not go to my class in Mark two days as I thought it was vacation with the Day school. Then yesterday I did not expect to teach scripture at the foreign school till I heard the bell ring. However I got ready for that & was on time. One of the days I should have been teaching Mark, dad & I went for a long bike ride into or better between the hills, through to the valley beyond. We took cocoa & lunch & were gone the whole afternoon. We have not been out for a long time & enjoyed it very much. Then Friday 1st we took train & had six hours ride to Chufu, Confucius's burial place. We had never been there. The Methodists have a preaching place there & through the courtesy of a friend we were entertained there. We took bedding & food, though we were able to buy a little hot stuff in the morning for breakfast. We had an awful lot of stuff as we prepared for cold weather & for a building where there had been no fire all winter. Put on our winter underwear again & my but we did roast for it turned out to be unusually warm. We went over the six miles in a cart, but in returning the next day came in ricks which is much more comfortable. After putting our stuff in the room we went right out to the temple. It is like most temples in need of repairs but not so much as many. In the first we saw the images of his most noted disciples. The proportions of all the buildings are very accurate & correct I believe. The beams & other wood are painted in what were at one time very bright colors but are somewhat faded & of curse covered with more or less dust according to the height of the beam or cross piece. the altars in front of the images are very large & done in red. There was a long table just inside the door upon which were several urns & vases or bronze enameled in yellow & blue. They are supposed to be very fine & even today they are not faded & are pretty. In the second row of buildings was an image of the wife of Confucius. It was not so finely decorated but just as high. I saw no fine bronzes in it & there were no attendants. There were other rooms with pictures of different times in life of Confucius; also stones with mottos on them written by him or some noted person. In the yard were very old trees, one planted by Confucius himself. The cedars are very old. Some have died & others in different stages of dying. Some with large holes right in the center of the trees where stones had been placed, others had fallen partly over & resting against another continued to live & the branches get their support through what sap got up the one side of the tree. There were other trees there but they were not out in leaf. It was not the best time of the year to go to either the temple or the tomb on that account. They have some flowering trees & shrubs. One kind, which they say one tree bears the flower & the one a short distance away the fruit. We were sorry not to see those trees in leaf. It is quite a common tree in the Province we have been told. We had been reading up on the way down & were the better prepared for what we saw, but more reading would not have done us any harm. Since returning we have done more while things are fresh in our minds. ---------------------------------------- April 7, 1932 Mo Bill Chang has been with us for a couple of days. He has jus said goodbye to me & gone over to the Theology College where he leads worship. Then on to a conference for a couple of hours before taking his train for Chingchow. He has decided to return to the college & will come for the next term. We were sorry he left but he felt he was needed at the mass work of his Mission (English Baptist) He has been at that work for two years in June. He likes the work & took some time before deciding to return to college work. He was inquiring about you & wished to be remembered so here are the good wishes. We think of you roaming around the Sick Kids Hospital & would like to peep in on you & learn how you are liking the change. Bill Chang thinks it is best for you for lonely places make it difficult to keep up to the standard. I wondered if he had found that out the last two years. He is a fine chap not afraid to say what he thinks is right & we expect in a little time he will be the Dean here. There is no other man we know who could so well fill the position & because of that hoped he would return to college work. Of course he knows nothing of what is in the minds of some. We are having a very cold spell. The stoves are all moved out except in the kitchen. We have a grate & yesterday I had fire in it for a time. We hve cut down several trees & have wood. That makes it easy to start & I have it in cold times. Dad is at college, has his study there. He is very tired the last few days. I think beginning work again is probably the cause. Shall be glad when this term is over for it is a hard one for him. Next autumn will not be so hard as he will not have two new subjects & once having the lectures put in Chinese means he only needs to make his own preparation another spring. There is quite a bit of excitement in the Province as some people have taken on the "holy roller" idea. Do you know what that is? People at meetings confess their sins - one confessed to forty-two. They work themselves up into an excited stage. Sometimes lie on the floor & roll around. They claim under the influence of the Spirit. They do not think the people who keep cool are really saved. Because they do not confess their sins publicly they think them proud. It is really becoming serious in some places & with an illiterate church, or largely so, one fears how far it may be taken up. Efforts have been made to explain but in most cases those nearest to the movement think it best to let it die out. Bill Chang says he & others with him tried to advise & explain but all they said was misinterpreted & repeated incorrectly & he thinks it best to go on with one's work & keep quiet. We have a few in the yard & if it spreads among the students we may have a lively time before close of college. Now I must say adieu for this week. Am glad you are near Jay once again. We shall hear about her if not from her. We gave her a box of stamped correspondence cards (stamped) & we hoped by doing so that she would write a card every two weeks & having them stamped she would not feel she had to wait till she had stamps. We have not seen one of the cards not the envelope. Indeed have had one letter since Christmas. I do not want to write & hurt her feelings but try & get her to do some letter writing or if it causes too much trouble let her alone for now and we will hear from you. Tell us how things seem with her & Armstrongs. From both sides they seem happy but is it too much for Mrs. A.? I hope Jay will try to be really one of the family and a help & joy to all of them - a big sister. Now adieu for good this time. Much love, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell P.S. Give the account of trips to Confucius grave to Aunt Mabel to read. J.H.M. ---------------------------------------- Cheeloo University, Tsinan April 17, 1932 Dear Folks Weather is the prevailing topic these days. Gales of wind filled with dust from the daily round. Housekeepers are in despair. Mother has been trying to get the house into decently clean shape before the wedding next Wednesday. Just in the midst of cleaning the windows up comes a big dust storm with a few drops of rain to make mud streaks all down the windows. Of course April is too early for a good display in the garden. Jasmine is gone as well as forsythia. Lilacs and Judas tree, and flowering almond are trying to hold out against the winds. Yellow roses and iris are only just budding. About the most promising bloom about will be the strawberries. I mowed the lawn yesterday. Seeing there is no grass on it but a little alfalfa you know that the mowing just means cutting off the tops of the weeds. But it makes it look better. If it had not been for the shortage of water, I should have tried to water the lawn this spring and see if I could have a green sheen on it for April 20th Mother was out at Evy Shields yesterday ot a luncheon and handkerchief shower for Cora Hoffman. Little Kathleen Lautenschlager, who is just out of her quarantine after scarlet fever and measles, dressed up as a bride and came in with a bouquet made of the handkerchiefs presented. the other day as I was looking out of the classroom window while the class was writing and exam I noticed the campus gardeners planting out the oleander. I hailed the boss and asked him if he would let me have some of them till after Wednesday. So he sent along eight pots of them. I have them tethered with rope in the arbor where we put our bikes. I just noticed now that they were swaying on their tiptoes in the wind. If they were not tethered they would be all on their sides. There has been nothing much but the ordinary work from day to day with us. This term, the daily work, and some gardening keep me about as busy as I want to be. We did not join the Literary Society this year as most of the meetings began at 8.45. Last Monday's was by the German Consul on Goethe. One of the meetings was got up by the Japanese this year. It was in chrysanthemum time. I was asked to take part in the next meeting, in a drama, but declined, as my work is keeping me close and I did not feel I could afford the expenditure of energy and late hours. We had Bill Djang with us for two days. he came in for a conference with the Appraisal Commission. He is going to be back with us in the Theological College in the autumn. We have missed him. Our Chinese staff is not so strong as it was when I first came on. We were out one evening to a musical prepared by the women's club to which they invited the husbands. We had piano music and singing, from both Chinese and Foreigners alone and combined. There has been quite a revival among the students in connection with Dr. Stearns group. I was at only one of the meetings. I could not hear and did not go back again. There were none of the "Holly Roller" manifestations, which are so common throughout this province at these meetings. But there has been quite a move. There are some score meetings daily in Dr. Stearns' house and there seems to be a good deal of joy among them. One welcomes a renewed interest in religion. One regrettable thing is that it is of so narrow a literalistic nature. I understand that one or two of the students have felt the call to separate themselves from the rest of the students so that they will not eat at the same table with them, basing it on II John 10. This week I got back from the photograp0her some prints of our visit to Confucius' grave and send you on some. There is not one of the actual grave, which is only a circular mound of earth with a stone slab with four or five gilt letters on it. They all came out fairly well except the one with mother in front of the gateway. The rows of cedars in the approach to the grave and the pillars in front of the temple come out pretty well. The temple is in the city and the grave about a mile north of the city of Chufou, which is about six miles away from the railway station. We then returned to our room; heated up a tin of beans, made some tea & with bread & cookies, which we had taken, made a good meal. Then the cot beds were stretched & beds made. We went out in yard for a little time visited the night school & I had a chat with the Bible woman. We had several chats with the Chinese pastor there. He speaks good English & seems to have been well over his field from the map we saw on the wall, where the places visited were marked. We rose the next morning, bought some hot food & "mo" Chinese steamed bread & after packing up started for the "Tom" & from there on to station, where we arrived two hours before the train was due. It was a dirty place. We sat on our bedding bag, ate the lunch we had made up & amused ourselves by reading about a trip in Morocco from Geographic. As to the grave, we got out of rics & walked a little way up the avenue, which stretches from the North gate of the city to the entrance of cemetery. Many of the old cedars have died. There are five kinds found there. Dad took a couple of pictures & if his camera does not leak light shall send you copies later. We entered the gate of cemetery & the old gatekeeper minus most of his teeth led us around. It was difficult to understand him because of his loss of teeth, but one sees & does not need to hear much. After walking nearly half a mile with trees on both sides of the avenue we entered the inner part of cemetery where the tomb is. Then a long walk & as we came to a bridge across a small stream we were told all officials must dismount here & leave horses. All from that spot must approach the tomb on foot. We were shown what is left of a tree planted by Confucius & it is all boarded up on all sides & one sees only a little of the top of the dead stump. We reached first the tomb of the great man's nephew, then that of his son & lastly that of Confucius. It is an immense mound pointed at top over twenty high. A stone with gold letters stands before it upon which is his name - nothing else. A long table stands in front of it with candlesticks & incense urn. To the left is a brick building, small & oblong. It stands on the place where Confucius most dearly loved pupil pitched a tent & lived near the grave of his dear deaf master for six years, refusing to go away. Other disciples lived in huts nearby, but when the three years of mourning left but Tsi Kung lived on longer. There are a number of tablets presented by different emperors who visited the grave. They wrote a few words on paper & had them chiseled in the stone later. These are all under cover & are being preserved. When fighting was on a couple of years ago soldiers took up their quarters in the temple & also in the grounds around the cemetery. Some damage was done but repairs have been made & a large sum has been given for further repairs & improvement of temple & cemetery. They both need it. The whole "Kung" family live in that district & one sees graves & graves. There are in all 2900 acres of cemetery. At present in Chufu the seventy-seventh direct descendant of Confucius lives - A young lad in his teens. We did not see him though he is very willing to see guests. Most of the students from here ask to see him but we did not. It is nothing like a showplace in the homeland; not tidied up as public places in Canada are. Nevertheless it is wonderful that through all these years that mound remains & has been cared for & visited by thousands. Certain times there are big gatherings of officials & the clan holds memorial services. Some of the new generation makes fun of his teaching but a large number of Chinese still venerate his memory & selections from his books are to be found in all the schoolbooks. A few years ago the books were memorized but not so at present though much of his teaching is passed on, even today. Confucius finished his work about the time Nehemiah began his. I have never been South from Tsinan & was interested in looking our of train windows. We were passing through the territory here Confucius lived & preached. Also went past Taishan, the most sacred mountain of China. The whole district is pretty with slopes, of different shapes & height. Gullies running in all directions, little patches made up by using stones on lower side to keep soil from running down hill in times of rain. All these little patches are cultivated & most had wheat growing. Some places are not as large as a table, yet every place where they could gtet enough soil, they pick out stones & start something growing - wheat or vegetables. A few fruit trees were seen where soil was deeper. J. H. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Cheeloo University, Tsinan May 15 1932 Dear Folks I am starting off with a freshly cleaned and oiled machine and a new ribbon. But I am afraid that that will not improve my touch any nor make me space any better. However you may be able to read the typing better. The most notable thing of the past two weeks so far as the general good of the country is concerned is that on the 3rd of May we had a rain, the first one we have had which really was a rain for the soil. It was sufficient for the people to get on with their work and I think was early enough to help the wheat fill out. Part of last week we had with us a Professor Horton from Oberlin. He gave four lectures in the two days besides addressing some of the classes of our college. He is going to Shansi to look into the schools of "Oberlin in China". While he was here Mrs. Cady gave a tea to have people meet him. We have just had word that the Board has agreed to the transference of the Menzies to Cheeloo. I do not know when exactly they will be moving. Prices, into whose house they will move, go on furlough on June 6th. The last few days the University has had a big blow in the probably loss of the dean of Medicine. Lately he has had a slight growth on his right jaw. It was removed this week but the microscope shows it malignant. They wrote to P.U.M.C. for advice and got a wire back advising preliminary treatment locally. But they do not know how long is expected. I suppose the letter will be in today. Meanwhile, Dr. Shields has wired for places for himself and Mrs. Shields on the Empress of Russia sailing on the 23rd. I do not know what they will do if they find there is no chance from any treatments at home, whether they will return here or not. Their daughter, Evy, who is teaching the Missionaries' Children's School here is staying on. She feels that this is her home and to go with her parents to America at this time would only make complications wherever they were staying. Up to the present they have not appointed an acting dean. Dr. Djang is practically looking after the Chinese end of it but they want some one to keep in touch with the foreign end. Administrators are none too plentiful. This week we passed another anniversary of our wedding. The Struthers' was on the 10th, their 16th. Ours was the thirty-second the next day. We did not say anything to anybody and were not counting on any celebration. But during the day there came in from Struthers a nice white rose in a pot. For ourselves, we treated one another to a pair of high stools to put under two trailing plants. The day before Jay's letter of April 6 came in; and on the 11th, Mo's of April 12 came along, very happy souvenirs for the day. This spring about once a week there has been a baseball match. This week it was staged as "Americans vs British". Naturally you would guess the result of such in baseball. The score was 27-9. A good number of the British know practically nothing about the rules. They would run on flies, etc. I was put on second base and made field captain, as they thought I knew about as much about the game as any of them. I kept telling them to try for double plays and cut off the forward man in forced runs. Then there came down a ball to me only a couple of yards from my base. I got it and without touching my base where a man was forced threw straight to first! You may know I felt jelly well like kicking myself. The American shortstop and first baseman and left field played a practically errorless game, and were accountable for most of our outs. There were some of the settlement men playing, both British and American. There is a talk of the settlement challenging our South Suburb. If they can get enough men there the game ought to be more even. Last night we had a dinner party for the bride and groom who returned on Friday. There were Dr. and Mrs. Johnson; Dr. and Mrs. lair, who for many years have been intimates of the Johnsons; Miss Evy Shields, the maid of Honor; Coral Brodie; Mr. Wheen, the groomsman; and his associate in the Imperial Chemical Industries, Mr. Lyntellac. The Johnsons are getting their packing doe and will be off to Welhsien in a couple of days. There were some very good pictures of the wedding taken by various people. My own film went astray in the mail. But it turned up at last. Only four pictures were decent. The big picture was very good. As a picture the background comes out in such a way as we did not realize. Three or four tall pointed poplars stand out against the background of the mountains. Mother went with some other women one day to call at the German and American consulates. Sometimes when they want to do things in the settlement, they get a group big enough to fill a car. In that way it is no more to go by car than to go by rickshaw. Gardens are beginning to show up more now. Those people who have old gardens have had flowers for a long time, lilacs, wisteria, etc. Ours does not show up much with perennials yet. Just now we have quite a display of Shasta daisies, sweet William, red roses, and yellow iris. We have just had word that one of our Honan students has pleuric T.B., and is advised to rest ofr a month. I have told him I will stand his hospital bill for the month and I think that he will go into the hospital rather than go home, where I fear he would not rest. He is a nice young man who tries to make up by long hours of work for a somewhat dull mind, which has not had very good preliminary training. He usually comes pretty low in the subject I have with them, while his friend from Honan leads the class every time. We were very pleased to get your letter telling of arriving in Toronto with all the news in it. That sure was a mean trick you got played on your tires. It looks very like the act of some jealous garage man who does not believe in the owner of a car having free storage. Will it affect your keeping the car? You mentioned that because of drop in stocks you might not be able to keep it. Will that affect your being able to pay the note I sent you? Of course we hear a great deal of the depression at home, but personally I have not come in such close contact with it except through the cut in salaries, and the call to share with those who suffered in the west. I have not heard so far that payment had been stopped on any of the bonds, which I hold. I have done practically nothing in stocks. I am sending your letter on to Bill and Helen. We were very glad to hear your verdict about Jay's health. Most people writing have been saying that she seemed well. But we have not had anyone looking at her from a physician's standpoint giving a verdict. The two young men who were in last evening are both working in the Imperial Chemical Industries. What is the present name of the International Nickel Company? And what is the relation to the Imperial Chemicals? Our business relation to the latter is that I buy fertilizer for the garden from them instead of buying farm manure. I have not had much in the way of personal relations with these young fellows, except on the playing field. When is a fellow somewhat bigger than you - strong? I felt him the other day when from about twenty feet he threw to me to second base. Being so close I was thinking he would throw in easy but the thing came like a cannon ball and I muffed it. They seem decent fellows. Lyntilhac was in China till about twelve years old and then went to England for his education. He wondered why you did not come back to the east. He said that after growing up in the east he would like to live at home. Probably England is somewhat different from Canada. By the time that I write you again, mother will probably have gone to the coast with Helen. I have not yet heard when Bill gets his vacation or how long he will have. He has his final language examination to get off yet. After we get through here June 17 I shall prepare to go over there to help for half a month in the summer school and then go out to Peitaiho. I hope that Bill and I can be in Changte and at Peitaiho together and not have to alternate. News is short so I shall close off with much love from us both. We do enjoy your letters so. Your loving father Robert A. Mitchell ----------------------------------------- May 16, 1932 Dear Mo I fear you are too busy at the Hpt to write letters. We may hear soon but only one letter has come since you went to Toronto. Hope you & Jay had a good day at the Credit. Try & take Aunt Jessie sometimes for a ride. She is such a lonely body & has no one but Peters & Jean is not congenial. I have just ordered tea & after we have had it with a cookie shall go down to the sea. The elevenson tea is quite as much a custom as 4pm tea. The U.S.A. people have coffee. I do not know whether so much little meals is good for us but when anyone is around it is customary & so we "follow the jones". Robert is a lovely boy; very bright & knowing. Two doctors have been here & both remarked on the good job bob had done or Robert's face. All hope the next op. is as successful. I fear it will take two ops. to do the work. Dear little fellow we do hope for the best. Bob has sent home for some instruments for the Op. as they are not in Hpts home. It will be nice that Robert will never have any memory of any of the suffering nor his looks. That is a comfort to Helen. You would know Lou Little & Flora Gauld. They have a baby girl born blind - opacities on retina. There is hope that one eye may clear up some as it has already done & that an op. may make it so that she will see a little with one eye. It is a great sorrow to them but Flora wrote Helen if a little girl had to come blind into the world she thought their home was perhaps the best place for her as both understood a little about what to do, etc. We took Robert to the sea today. I held him with his feet so the waves would come up to them. He was not afraid then later I let him sit down & he played with the foam & tried to catch it. Helen does not go in & I had on my bathing suit. The Drs. do not want her to go in the sea till August when the water is warm. Maxwell of P.U.M.C. says she must avoid any chance of a chill. Since coming up here & getting rested she has had no albuminaria. I think she had too much responsibility & was nervously tired out with the shock of Robert & the Med Work put on her. Of course there is poison somewhere in her system but no one has found the place thus far. The only thing left is the appendix. Write & let us know how you are getting along with your work & other things of interest. Dad I expect is on his way out & I hope to see him about 6pm on Monday 18th. Wish Bill could join us also but he is not likely to come for a couple of weeks. Much love, Mother.. Jennie H. Mitchell Cheeloo Tsinan Sung China ----------------------------------------- Cheeloo May 28, 1932 Dear Mo As tomorrow is a busy day for me I am beginning the letters hoping that I may finish them to mail on Monday 30th at latest. Dad is off playing baseball. Cheeloo plays the Community as we call the business people in the East. Last week they beat our teems by four runs & it is quite exciting today. Our team is all old men; well up in years all over forty. While the community men are in late twenties or early thirties. We have a few boys in teens who come in if some of team cannot be present. I do not know how they are today. I am not feeling like excitement so am at home. Saturday it is the custom for all to have ten at tennis court & I shall go there later & meet them there. Then this evening we go out to dinner & will be home late. For three days I have had a tooth giving me trouble. Well it is an old root upon which one side of my bridge rests. My face is slightly swollen & the ache goes down neck & up side of face. I went to Dr. McClure yesterday & he said he thought the tooth should come out & then we discussed the pros & cons of fixing the plate so I would not have to have all the teeth out. I hope this can be done. When I visited the dentist this a.m. he said "very bad." He put some stuff in it & I also have a wash, which I have to use every three hours till Monday when he will pull it. So you see I am not feeling much like company. Tomorrow I have been asked to give the certificates to those graduating at the little school where I teach. That is 2.30 just when I like to be resting but the woman who usually does the job is away & I could not well decline, especially when it is not a difficult piece of work. Then English service at 5pm & in the evening a sacred concert is being given in the church. I would like to attend that if not too tired. Dad has about finished his writing-translating & then comes review. Another week & half will finish lectures but then come the reading of papers. After that & the graduation on June 17 he goes into Honan for two weeks & will be with Bill. Then both come out about the Middle of July. I do not know when Helen is going. Likely Mrs. Struthers & I will leave here about June 8th. No definite word has come from Helen as to when she goes out. She was not well &U was put to bed for a time. Then today a letter from Mrs. Menzies of C.T. mentions that she has hives from eating strawberries. The greatest cause of no letter is probably the four days strike of Postal people all over China & every department except the Saving Bank Department were out. She may have written about the time of strike as the letter I received from Mrs. Menzies was sent off the ay before the strike. Hope to hear from her soon because if it is cool here as it has been we would not go if Helen was not to be there. We shall adjust our going to hers. We have a daily train & they only four a week. Then she cannot travel alone & must wait till others are going. We are taking our cooks from here & it is very easy to send them off with heavy baggage & groceries, which will be sent form Tientsin. They will hire cart for all of us & get the things over; Also clean up the house which has not been occupied since last September, also the mattresses, etc. All my woolens were put away this week; dad's wool suit pressed & dosed with flit & put ready to take to P.T.H. for the cool days. Sweaters are rolled in paper after flit sprayed on them. Moths and another little bug are dreadful here. We cannot leave anything hanging out in May & early June. Then when we get to P.T.H. we will be bothered with silverfish that do not touch woolens but eat silk or silk line. It is dreadful caring for stockings. Last year I just put them in bags. We used flit in all the drawers & watched continually but it is difficult with dresses. We try to wear voiles mostly or prints, but sometimes silks are in demand & they must go along. One day we biked over to Est Suburb to tea with three single women. They have a very large yard & are fixing it up. Dad is an authority on gardens & they wanted his advice. They have some lovely coned shaped cedars near their long verandah. We called on a sick friend. She had diabetes & takes insulin injections twice a day. The nurse came while we were there. She is the mother of the groom whose reception was in our yard. May 31 Helen has been in bed three weeks with Albumiria. She will go to Rockefeller for an exam en route to P.T.H. Last week a sister of groom showed her movies of the wedding. Of course the bride figured in most of them. They were very good & some funny pictures were taken. Dad appears a couple of times when trying to move the crowd in to the wider space after the congrats were given. One of the funniest in were the Mother of the groom is trying to get away from the movie camera& scolding her daughter for taking her. Then when the bride threw her bouquet she is standing on the railing of perch & is caught just after throwing it with her arm still extended. She looks like the Statue of Liberty. She also showed some of the scenes in Shanghai just after fighting ceased. She is married to a Britisher & he & his colonel appear in most of the pictures. her husband was volunteer. Sir Miles Lampson the British minister is also shown in several pictures. It was through his courtesy she was allowed out so early after cessation of fighting. The ruins of Commercial Press & Library were shown. Several of our Profs had books in press ready for printing; some just finished. Cheeloo has lost three thousand or more. The Library is one of the finest in China & its destruction is a great loss intellectually & educationally to the country. And can never be replaced. The Japs say it was reported to them by their spies that snipers were in these two big buildings. One picture was where a Jap police is holding up their car & while waiving his baton & talking his actions were recorded. Also as he pulls back his arm & says "well go ahead" he did not care to lightly ignore a pass from the British Minster, Sir Miles Lampson as he had done so much to bring about peace. Sunday 29th we had a great rest. Dad has Chinese service in morning & at 2.30pm. I went out to give the prizes for the year's exams at the school where I teach. Then we had a cup of tea & later supper. At 8.30 our light went out & we slept without any long wakeful spells till 6am the next morning. That is very unusual for us. We were needing it. Yesterday I had my tooth out which I have been suffering from for about a week. It did not hurt. I had an injection but yesterday afternoon I was nearly wild with pain & had to have medicine to kill the pain. For four hours I bore it thinking it would soon let up & then felt I had had enough of what nature was doing & got a dose from one of the medical men. Have no heard from Changte for some time. Each day hope to get word. But none came & if not today I shall make decisions here & write what we are doing. I will likely get there before Helen & that will be OK. I must go off to dentist now & have this hole washed out & more gauze in it. Mrs. Struthers has just been in & we go on 8th. Much love, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell I had Novocain injection yesterday. This a.m. the wound was washed out, iodine put in it & I am to use a wash I have - go tomorrow & then he will look at my bridge & see how it can be altered; Nothing but mush & soup for two days more. He says it was one of the largest abscesses he has seen in a tooth. Now I do not know whether Aunt Jessie has applied to you & Jay to help with Elizabeth's HPT bill in August. She has us & asked us to ask Bill to help. Bill is having hard enough time to finance his affairs & save a little on his salary. We shall say nothing to him. But Aunt Jay has sometimes done things like that although Peter & Jean do not care for it. We shall send anything we give direct to Peter for Elizabeth & let them use it for her HPT or anything he thinks best. Do not think there is any disgrace in Elizabeth taking what the Government gives for childbirth attendance & care. Will you write us what is given & what the law is. If you have an opportunity inquire into Peter's affairs. I doubt if he is any worse off for his station in life now as he is at retiring age than we will be. He has been out of work but I feel it about his retiring time. They have that annuity given by Mrs. Scharfe, which covers taxes & upkeep of home as long as either of them survives. Then why do they remain in such a big house and not rent rooms? If it is because Jean cannot get along with people then I do not think we should be responsible for that. With the letters Jessie wrote Dad felt Peter was hard up & sent him fifty dollars last November. Now there is the rub. I doubt if they need it more than we do. Jena always put on big meals & blew about how well they lived, etc. How she would never take anything from the Mitchells & never had & never would. Her friends were well off & would help them, but they cashed Dad's check. Do not leave this part of the letter lying around. Cut it off & destroy after reading. ---------------------------------------- Tsinan, China June 21, 1932 Dear Mo I have missed my time in writing to you because mother said she would write with the typewriter. But I have also missed getting a letter off in time for your birthday, which I should not have done. But I have decided I must send it off now in order not to be outside the month altogether. Enclosed find a cheque for five dollars to help pay the holiday expense!! Many happy returns of the day. We have been thinking somewhat of the year of your birth because Georgie Menzies is here and it recalls the bunch of five of you born in the mission in one year. Mother went to the coast on our hot test day so far 104f here. She is cool enough where she is. We had a rather nice closing in the church on Friday. Ten graduated. At the Sunday morning service in Chinese the President haws his formal installation by the representative of the board. He presided that morning. This morning the civil closing of the university was performed. There were 20 grads in Medicine, 11 in Arts, 2 in Sciences and 5 nurses. Addresses were given by the president of Faringtao university and by the Commissioner of Education for the province. Sunday afternoon's English service was communion and I had charge. Mr. King of our mission preached. He is on the Board of Directors and was here for meeting. Mrs. King came with him. She sang a solo for us at service. I am all packed up to go out have a lot of things not done and about two hours to do them. The oilers should be in to do the stairs in the next few minutes. I shall just say goodbye with much love - Your father, Robert A. Mitchell P.S. Mrs. King & Georgie Menzies go to P.T.H. and Mr. King & I go to Honan. ---------------------------------------- Changte Ho China July 2, 1932 Dear Mo It is some time since I wrote you as it was agreed that mother should write first as she had the typewriter with her. Now I am using Bill's. As it is a bit different from my own I do not spell any better with it than I did with my own. As I have no thin paper with me some of the copies may be light. On Friday, June 17th we had our Theological closing in the Rumler Chapel. There was a very good attendance and a good meeting. Ten graduated. On Sunday the 19th there were the religious services of the University closing. Last year there was some criticism of the university closing having no religious exercises in connection with it. This year it was definitely stated on the program of events that the religious services were on Sunday morning and the civil exercises on Tuesday morning. On the Sunday, the president was formally installed in his office by Bishop Scott representing the Board of Directors. He had been acting since last autumn, but had not had a formal installation. Then the President preached. At the English service in the afternoon I was due to have communion service. I had asked Mr. King of our mission to preach. He was due to be there at the annual meeting of the Board of Directors. A Mrs. King was on the way to her vacation; she came down to Tsinan with him. They roomed in our house while we all took our meals at Dr. McClure's. At the Sunday service I asked Mrs. King to sing. In the evening there was a special service of music. The Kings went in with the choir and also sang a duet. Tuesday the 21st was the closing of the University in the Institute Hall. It was the first closing since registration and the end of a good year of work. Twenty medicals graduated including one who was interning near Shanghai and was killed in the war. Thirty graduated in Arts and Science and eleven nurses. The evening before the graduation exercise there was a very enjoyable entertainment on the lawn. It was partly to celebrate registration partly for the alumni to receive the president and partly just a get-together. There were no speeches, some music, and some conjurers. Georgie Menzies had been down to Tsingchowfu to visit a language school chum. She came to Tsinan on Monday and waited over. On the Tuesday evening the Kings, Georgie and I started for the north. We had a compartment to ourselves and a very comfortable trip to Tientsin --- the ladies had elected to occupy the upper berth and they complained of heat, while we men were cool - with a sheet and blanket on. We got to Tientsin at 7.30 in the morning and went to MacHattie's for breakfast. After making some purchases we saw the ladies off on the way to PTH at 11:30. King and I left at 4pm for Peiping. We went straight from the one station to the other. We found that they were not selling tickets of my class as the train was to be full. We saw Li Ech Pu, a medical student from Changte, who said he had bought the last second class ticket at five o'clock so got the man to sell us third class tickets and got on the train. It looked like bare standing room all the way to Honan. King, who had been in doubt whether or not to come in, and take the time off his vacation decided not to come. I took his ticket. And at the last minute I found a vacant birth in the second class. As one man got out in the middle of the night and another in the early morning, Li Ech Pu and I had a very good trip. There was a retreat in process here when I arrived arranged by the Church of Christ in China and the National Christian Council. A Dr. Fisher from Canton, who does not speak Mandarin, and a Mr. Chen from near Tientsin, who does not speak English represented the C. of C. in C., while Mr. Han, and Miss Chen Kuan, good Mandarin speakers represented the H. C.C. There was an attendance of about 200 and the meetings were generally speaking very good. At one meeting there was open discussion, a good deal of hot air was blown off, which did not add particularly to the goodwill of the meeting. Dr. Fisher says that in the Canton district they practically never hear imperialism mentioned now. That phase of things has passed over with their church. It looked as if the visit of Dr. Fisher, the general secretary, was not going to accomplish anything as to the better relations between foreigners and Chinese. The officials of synod had been dilly-dallying about the question as to whether or not the synod should be called. The foreigners were not wanting to demand a meeting. It looked as if the leader of the opposition to the foreigners were going to persuade folks that if the foreigners did not say outright at this time what they were dissatisfied with then that all would go on and things would be as they were. Dr. Han said that he did not see very well what the foreigners could do but decide to withdraw from the co-operative scheme. As there are only four trains a week the delegation had to plan to go on Sunday. They went over but no work of the train. We sent beds to an inn near the station for the night but no train. At the same time troops were detraining. It was twenty-four hours before the train did come along. Meantime, on Monday morning, the chair of synod had called a meeting of the executive and they had a very good meeting; all delighted. It is the first time that the executive of the synod has been called together in eighteen months existence. The difficulty in working with the present group of people here is that they discuss things in little groups without having called on official body and then give out as decisions of the official body what has been the decision of a clique. Their business experience is not broad enough, especially with the present chairman. But the delay in the train accomplished one good thing. It has been quite a week for the departure of people and put me in mind of the time we had seven years ago. With the delegation, Mrs. Dr. Menzies, Misses Mitchell and McDougall got away but they could not get tickets nor have baggage checked. Miss Dinwoody refused to go on without her baggage. She and Mrs. Menzies (J.H.) and the MacKenzies got off at daybreak on Wednesday instead of 1pm the day before. Mrs. Ratcliffe and Miss Warren got away Thursday after a couple of trips to the station. We did not know what was the trouble. It was the communists in Hupah province cutting the line in the mountains. They attended Hikubshan and carried off Mr. Vikner and Mr. Hykus. I do not know the latter. They also took some women and children but let them go, presumably because they were afraid that they would impede their movements. Bill was to start off at 3 am for Wuan on Friday. He got away after a couple of attempts. He arrived here about 1am this morning. Bill was running a table of eight during the time of the retreat here, very well too. Even now we are Mrs. and Mrs. Forbes, Mr. Fleming, Mr. Bruce, Bill and myself. We began classes in the summer class. There is a registration of 51 in the senior class and 59 in the junior. I have two hours a day with the seniors and one with the juniors. With the seniors the subject is Selections from Samuel and Kings; with the juniors, Old Testament Characters. As these are neither what I have been teaching before, just in that form, it means that I have to organize my work from day to day and it will keep me pretty busy during the half month I am here. I have refused to be responsible for printed lecture notes as last year. Then I had material fairly ready in English and it only needed to be put into Chinese. I had the sunset service on the lawn last evening. So I begged off taking the English service this evening, as I wanted to get this letter written. With all the irregularities of getting people away on trains and other things about the stat- Bill has been a very busy man this week. Fleming tells us he is filling a big place here. It is a somewhat difficult position. Changte was always noted in the mission for steadiness and fixedness. The old members of the station seem to feel that the reconstruction must proceed in all features along the old lines. The rest on the mission are not quite of the same mind and Bill is not exactly what you would call a conservative. Mr. Menzies has resigned from all his responsibilities and is packing to go to Tsinan. In one way it may be easier but in another way it makes Bill and Dr. MacKenzie the only men here and the latter's work is in one country field and he disclaims all responsibility here. So it is Bill and the pre-evacuation ladies. I think that Helen is a good balance wheel when Bill is apt to fly off. We have been having excellent weather for this time of year. During the last three weeks there have been only two days when it went beyond 95. I haven't once used a fan when teaching. I did see one man bring his teapot into church this morning but I did not use a fan at all. Wednesday evening we had a heavy wind and rainstorm. Bill has got me helping him some with his flowers. he got a good many seeds from us but he will improve on ours. The soil is level to work with here, plenty of sand in it. Bill does not carry black carbon paper so here we change colors. Bill had a letter from Aunt Mabel this morning. She said she had not seen much of you since you had got back to the city as you were busy. Aunt Jessie's last was written about Empire day and she was waiting to hear that your trip with Jay to the Credit was safely over. She said that it was a fine day and the roads would likely be jammed with autos. I am glad that you are getting lots of experience in the work you are after in the hospital. MacKinley left quite a reputation here as a surgeon. I expect he got started in that work in the war. He got plenty of practice out here also. He says that the ordinary man does not get any chance at it at home as everyone wants a specialist. Bill has just come in and I asked him if he wanted to send any word. He will write. With love, Robert A Mitchell ----------------------------------------- Peitaho July 16, 1932 The last letters were written by Dad from Honan & it is around almost time to write again. Tomorrow is the day but I see by the paper that mail goes off from Tientsin tomorrow for one of Empress steamers so shall hurry up a bit & get this off & then it should have a quick trip to you. Well, Helen & I have been here a month & Monday 18 we expect Dad will arrive. I fear Bill will not be along for some time yet & that he is not likely to have much of a holiday. They are very short handed at Changte & he has been put into the work of a senior workman to look after & is on the School Board. It is too nerve-wracking for a young man & alone as he is a representative of the station. The study class is there & the teachers & while Dad is there he can ask questions & get some suggestions but nevertheless it is trying. Funds are so low & the staff is reduced. I do not know where the mission will land. Pull up stakes & go home one man says & join the row of unemployed. This machine does not stand the damp very well. It goes till it gets near the end of the line & then sticks or runs rapidly. We have had two days of rain. It was much needed & all felt glad to see it even though it means inconvenience for all, especially the hawkers who carry vegetables & fruit around for sale. Yesterday was a great time for sunning. Every household had their verandahs covered with shoes, dresses, linen, etc. This a.m. is a little cloudy & it is well we ge some things dry. My early job is to get Robert sunned. For two days he had none but got a good time yesterday. It is uncertain if he will get much this a.m. He is fed at 5.30a.m., goes from 6 p.m. This morning he cried a lot & would not go to sleep. His mother made him lie there though she had him up once. All is quiet now, 7.30, so I suppose he is off to sleep. A friend of Helen's - her bridesmaid is to spend the day here, is coming to see him get his bath & it is too bad if he is not in good humor. We had one of the women of our Mission - Marnie Lochead Copland with us for ten days. She had to come out from heat & her husband had to remain behind till middle of July. The friends she expected to stay with her were delayed & she did not wish to be alone. She is ill & was in bed most of the time & since going to her own house had had a hard time. Helen & another Dr. had a consultation & examination yesterday. One of the difficulties is Malaria. She has had two bad chills since leaving us. Last winter she had Malaria badly but thought she was over it but alas there is some still in her system. She had a very big operation last Sept at P.U.M.C. Peking & it was not altogether what was hoped, but there are complications with this malaria & the dosing for it hinders her. She was a fine looking plump girl when she came from Canada but she has gone down, down all the time & is thin & white. The several Mission industries bring the work of their women & girls up here for sale. They put on two big sales, all gathering in one big hall, twice in the summer. Helen bought a bedspread appliqué for her double bed & a lovely little one for Robert's bed. It had fish & birds on it. Both were green on a white background of white. We have had friends a couple of times here for the day. They come & go swimming with us, have lunch & tea, then home. Twice we have had tea parties & invited friends from different missions & localities. There is little but tennis & swimming. I have not been going in regularly but shall try & do better now that it is warmer. Helen is not allowed in till August when the water is always warm. She is looking better - has some color in her face. She has had a hard year, like Bill has had too much put upon her. She is studying through July but when Bill comes will likely give it up. Our tennis court has been marked but none of us are enthusiasts & thus far none of us have been playing. Today is a very murky day, steamy, sweaty day. Last night was also bad, hot & a bad night for sleeping. The two nights when it was raining I slept fine but last night did not get four hours. I have been to service three Sundays since coming up & only once had a good sermon. That time was from a young man who has been at language school the last year. I saw him when a little boy about three years of age & knew his parents. ----------------------------------------- 24 2nd East Road Peitaho August 5, 1932 Dear Folks, Mo It is getting on to two weeks since I was due to write you all but did not do so. Now I shall have to give you the news. I finished up my teaching in Changte on July 15th and left there the afternoon of the 16th. I brought away my examination papers with me to read out there & about a hundred of them. I had a pretty comfortable trip to Peiping. That morning there was quite a thunderstorm. It looked very black in the north but the rain was not much with us. However we found that the storm had been worse ahead and we had to stop to remove the trees from the track. In that way we were a little late and could not catch the train out of Peiping for here. I took a train at eleven o'clock, meantime hung up Prof. Osborne of Winnipeg who I heard was in the city. Reaching Tientsin after two I went up to MacHattie's where I found him alone; the family having gone off that week for this place. On Monday morning I did some little business and got away here on the 11:30 train, traveling third class. It wasn't too hot a day and I was not crowded so that I had a good trip. As I had only two parcels with me I had no trouble at the change at the Junction. When the train arrived at the Beach station Mother was waiting for me and we were soon in rickshaws on the way home. As we are in the same house as last year it was all familiar ground. Helen and Bobbie were at the house. The latter made a little strange with me as he does not see a great many people but we made up the next day. Most of the time since that has been rainy in some part of the day. For twelve nights in succession we had to get up to look after windows or screens to see that the rain was not getting on Bobbie or Helen. On Wednesday morning we took a dip in the sea. That evening Helen came down with a violent fever. After the second day it was diagnosed as malaria and she was put on a stiff quinine diet. She was in bed for about a week, but is now going about again though ill taking 20 grains of quinine a day. Of course that week made Bobbie and me more familiar as I tried to help out as I could. He sure is an interesting boy with plenty of life at the present time, though he was neot quite so lively when he came down. He is making great use of his legs. Just now he is sitting in his spring swing all by himself just having the time of his life jumping up and down. The last few days he has discovered how to put one foot ahead of the other. I had him on the steamer rug on the floor a couple of days ago. I was framing him about with chairs. I wanted a couple more so I put him in the center while I went for them. When I cam back he was standing by one of the chairs. Having completed the circle of seven chairs and a couch I encouraged him to go around. He completed the circuit all by himself. About the time Helen got up I took my turn. One morning my teeth began to ache on one side. Next day the face was swollen and worse the next. I knew that the dentist was off to Tientsin till Saturday and Monday was a holiday. But on Saturday I went to hunt him up at his house and ask advice. He said he had to go to Chinwangtao that evening, but told me to come to his office on Sunday at 2. He said he could not remove the tooth with a face like that with a local. I wanted him to do it without an anesthetic but he said no. So they put me to sleep and I got rid of the tooth. There have been several grass widows here wondering when their husbands would come out. Bill was responsible for the Changte Station in July and Dr. MacKenzie in August. Dr. MacKenzie got a bad running car and had to wire in a delay of a week. As he was to take lectures in the class, Fleming and Bruce had to make arrangements for keeping the class in work. Then a newspaper report said that the trains were not getting north beyond Shunte because of the ruins. So all kind of speculations were rife. Day before yesterday a wire came from Peiping that Misses McTavish and Somerville would be along the next day. Yesterday when I went to the station, Mrs. Flemming said that she had that morning had a telegram from her husband that all were coming. So Bill, Messrs. Bruce, Flemming, Menzies, Misses McTavish and Somerville, as well as Dr. Struthers and Dr. McAll from Tsinan came off the train. Helen had been at the dentist's and waited over at Mrs. Menzies so she was at the train. The women had left Changte on Tuesday but had been delayed enough to miss connection at Peiping. The men left on Wednesday and connected up so as to get here on Thursday only about 27 hours from C.T. The last two days have been scorchers so far as heat is concerned but with less rain. The folks coming off the train were a pretty washed out looking lot. Flemming, Bruce and Struthers looked as thin as matches. Bill had plenty of meat on him. Menzies is not the thin kind. Bill says that Menzies' regular custom lately has ben to wear four shirts a day, each one soaked through with perspiration. I rode ahead and told mother that Bill had come and took Bobbie out a little way to meet them. But he was not very sure of that dirty strange man. He is making up more today. Sunday morning:… It is a long time since we had any direct word of you. Sure it must be that you are very busy as all the rest of the folks say. I heard one person say yesterday that when a young man is not writing to his parents regularly he is in love. Sure and that might be so too, for some men do go that way. Bill has discovered why my machine was not running rightly so now I can run through to the end. I hope that it will spell better than it did. Mother and I were off for the day at Mrs. Menzies yesterday. It is about 2 1/2 miles from here to the west of Rocky Point. In the evening we were out to a concert at Rocky Point. There is one every Saturday evening but this is the first one we have been out to. Next Saturday is to be a big one when they are to give the Creation. They have been practicing all summer. I hope to get out to church this afternoon. The last two Sundays I have been kept home. This morning I have been sneezing a bit. I wonder if it is the beginning of hay fever. I have been all right up to the present but the time is about at hand. I hope that you are getting the value out of the work you looked for in the Sick Children's. Were any of our old acquaintances in the Canadian delegation for the Olympics this year? I do not see very full reports in our paper but I see that Williams has dropped behind this year. I hear them just coming back from the sea with Bobbie. He has not yet got used to it. I shall close off with love. Mother says she wishes you were back up to Copper Cliff so she would get some more of your interesting letters. Dad. --------------------------------------- Peitaho August 21, 1932 Dear Mo. This will be the last word from this place we leave Thursday 25. We go on a train at noon; Bill, Helen & Robert at night. Robert had such a hard time coming down they decided to return at night. It is more expensive of course but one cannot gauge values by hard cash at all times. Certainly the little chap suffered coming out & for several days after. He could not get used to the noises & so many people around. He has seen more people out here but will find the noises trying. However we hope if he gets asleep that he may not waken up for all that goes on around him. Then too they will be able to get in the train & not get out in the night to change at junction & that means a lot with a baby. The last two weeks have been rather hectic. Bill was so late coming out we waited till he was here to have some of the friends in for tea & tennis. We leave Thursday and are having a few on Tuesday - six guests. We shall do our packing Tuesday & Wednesday for all the stuff we wish to check goes down early Thursday. Then we must get around & say farewell to some of the Honan friends so we shall not have much of a rest till we reach home. Helen is still loading up with quinine & will have to keep it up for a few weeks yet. She is not very strong yet but around all the time. I have been bathing Robert the last week. I am so glad to be with him & it gives Helen a little more rest. Helen will have to remain in Peiking for a few days & go into the HPT for special examinations. We hope they locate the cause of the trouble this spring Albuminuria. The Malaria was a short illness but severe & she suffered a lot for a couple of days with high fever, sweats, pain all over her body. The Quinine is keeping the bugs quiet & she has had no return of that trouble. Robert is a lovely boy; very bright. He is just wanting to walk all around holding onto things of course. He cannot be left alone or serious things may happen for he is venturesome. He does not know what he can do. We have a swing for him. If a mat is put under him he will stand right up. Other times he will jump up & down; the swing keeping him from falling. Then there is a little pen for him & he walks all around holding onto the sides but it is not safe to let him go when out of pen. After the first ten days he has been gaining & now is in fine condition. He will have his second opeation in November. They will take him to Weihwei for it. There was a chorus of sixty voices, gave Hayden's a "Creation" a week ago. Last night a Missionary who has been out a little over two years gave a concert. Tickets $1 & the proceeds after a certain percent to the music association go to this HPT. He has a fine voice. There is a Musical association here & every summer in July & first three weeks of August give a concert. The performers are mostly Missionaries but not always. This year we had a very good Russian sing at one of the entertainments. The man who trained the chorus is in charge of music at Yien Ching University Peiping. His wife was the soprano select & the man who gave the entertainment another & the third select a Bible society man from Tientsin. He is a Scotsman. Bill sang in the chorus lat year but this year was not out in time to practice. There was thirteen of our Mission in the chorus. We have had a great time buying our Christmas presents up here. This is a good place for that. However we decided not to send much but cards or calendars but have them laid in & I got some pillow cases & towels all things needed either for self or gifts. In Tsinan often showers are given to people leaving or to newlyweds or engaged people & I lay in to have them if needed as I found use for things purchased here three different times during the year. Bill & Helen have been getting some linen they needed & a few other things. They go about their buying very systematically & first get names of all they wish to send to at Christmas - a good idea but I do not seem to get at it that way. We feel somewhat shut in these days. The sorgum is about thirteen ft. tall & we have trees all around us. ---------------------------------------- August 22, 1932 Dear Mo All day I have been trying to get at the personal notes for my letters but only now have I been able to do so. Robert was playing with the machine a few minutes ago. He could not understand why the type rose & yet when he went to catch it, it was done, never realizing it was letting go the letters that released the type. He would try & try again to catch the long legs of type & they just as often disappear & he would look around with such a puzzled look. He sucks his finger & they tie his hand up when sleeping. Indeed have a jacket with thin slabs in both arms so he cannot turn elbow. They are getting ready for tying him down when op. is done. Then too they do not want him to suck lest it affect the mouth. Today a fingerstall was made & in the top ends a little ground Quinine was placed. As he sucks he got the horrid stuff. He did not know whether to cry or not at first. His dad fixed it and put it on & had several good laughs at him. Helen did not enjoy it so much. However it has been effective thus far & he leaves the finger alone. Could you get any infor4mation about how Helen should teach him to talk & other instructions as to how to help him after the op. He says Mamma but in doing so does not need the roof of the mouth. If you could get any instructions Helen would like you to send them or give her a name of someone to whom she could write. Dallas Bates wrote that Dr. Sandifand did some work along that line but there may be someone who does work at Sick Kids Hpt. Helen & Bill are off to a station meeting. Too bad they must have them during holidays but it cannot be helped this time. Bill has a lot put o him - too much for a beginner. But some are home & our staff is not as full as it used to be. He is supposed to be in charge of Wuan & yet has a lot of Changte work shoved off on him. He enjoys it & is very well but it interferes with his study & is anxious to get his third year off this December. Poor Helen worked hard this summer, when not sick, at her Chinese. I hope she gets her second year off. But Robert's op. will take more than just the time to care for him out of her. Bill will go with her to Weihwei of course but the bulk of care will be on her. The strain is also hard for a mother. The nurses at Weihwei are all nice & capable & they will do all they can I am sure. Bob is doing a lot of reading & asking of questions. His wife tells me it took a lot out of him the last time. The sympathy with friends makes it cost the surgeon more than the child of an unknown one. His father was anxious the last time & over every day to know if there was word. Every one has been so kind & sympathetic with Bill & Helen. Of course the Mission is like one big family. We are going to be very lonely for the dear little chap & he will be a big boy next year when we come here if we are all spared. We are to go out to dinner tonight so I must off & dress. Dad is almost ready. We shall bike home with lights & I find that hard as the shadows confuse me somewhat. Now Mo do write us a nice letter & tell us all about how you are getting along. Jay is getting to be a fine correspondent. She seems so well it makes us very happy. Much love from all of us, Especially, Mother. Lovingly, Jennie H Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Cheeloo University, Tsinan, China September 4, 1932 Dear Mo Here I am again writing from home, the first of the season's letters. It is nice to be back again after such a long absence. The three weeks in August were very fine in Peitaiho. Bill had rain only on one day of his vacation. The day we left it began to rain in the afternoon after we had gone. Bill and Helen were leaving on the night train. Though it rained they got to the train safely. We left PTH in the afternoon and so had only a little over an hour to wait at Tientsin. There was a good deal of fuss about getting settled into berths because of the number of people. However our reservations were made and we had places except that they had put Mother into an upper and me into a lower. However a young Chinese woman in mother's compartment agreed to exchange with her and let her have a lower berth. When we reached here there was quite a crowd of the Cheeloo People at the station. We did not know the cause but it turned out later that they were seeing President Chu off. He had been loaned for six months or a year to the government to act as Commissioner of Education in Hunan province. It had been raining most of the morning and we took a horse carriage to come home but our trunks came home in a pouring rain - no damage done. The rain continued for five days; quite unusual at this time of the year. The Gaolian was beginning to sprout. It has cleared up now and the folks are in the midst of the harvest. Miss Hunn had some Hankow guests stop off. They expected to find that this North Country was drought ridden, but found it almost as wet as Hankow. They did not really get an opportunity of properly seeing Tsinan. When we come back in the autumn the campus looks very pretty except that one has an impression of the overgrown nature of the trees. Our garden looks very pretty. As we look into it and see that a lot of the things on which we had counted have died and that the boy had to make substitutes, we are disappointed but to one who simply stands at our east gate, it gives an impression of being a pretty well cared for place. The boy we have is fond of gardens. The hedge was trimmed just before we came home and the grass was in good shape. Snapdragons are again almost all destroyed by the white grubs at the root. A number of things are past their best but with crepe myrtle, rose of Sharon, golden glow, amaranths, cockscomb, salvia, zinnia, balsams, verbena, calliopsis, calendula, marigold, portulaca, and black-eyed Susan, the place looks quite gay. The asters are just coming in and the Michaelsons daisies will shortly. I let those grow this year expecting they would flower and I should cut them down for another crop. They seemed about to flower when I left two months ago. They never did flower but just grew bigger so that what I intended for a low border around my geraniums are nearly three feet high, quite overshadowing the geraniums in the center. The university opened classes on the 1st. We do not open till the 7th but we have had some faculty meetings, which have kept us busy. There are two changes in our staff. Mr. W.S. Chang whom we loaned to the Baptist mission for two years for their mass educational work, is back with us in charge of the New Testament work. We have a Mr. P'eng from the Methodists in Peking for the Theology. That means that all of us are from the north and have the northern dialects. Mr. Kwo who was from Hunan is not with us. Our whole group of students will be about 35 I think, of whom 19 are new. Among the new ones are two from our Honan field. I am glad that there is getting to be a body of Honan students here again and especially in our own college. My class work will be the same as last year but the preparation will not be so difficult and I hope that I shall be able to spend some time on getting a translation ready for publication. Three families have just returned from furlough; Heerens in Arts, Evans and Smyly in medicine. Dr. Evans is our great gardener who has practically made the campus wht it is. Phillips of the Science is on the way. Mother has agreed to teach history in the foreign school and has also consented to take an English class in the Theological school. We are going to try to give our own English instead of requiring our students to go to the Arts for it. As things are just open we do not yet know what Bible classes will be organised. That is no longer part of the curriculum work in the university since it is registered, but is carried on outside of school hours. Dr. Stanley Jones is to be in Tsinan from Sept. 19-26. I do not know the details of his meetings. We are looking forward to having a good helpful time while he is here and are hoping that his visit will mean a stimulation to our aggressive Christian work in all of the province. This evening we are expecting in a guest from the south, a friend of Mrs. Cook of Wuingfu. Mrs. Cook will be in tomorrow morning, going on home by bus on Tuesday if the bus is running. The rains put it out of use for a time. I expect that the roads are pretty bad yet. On the 7th we are expecting the Krauses of Peping to stay over the day. They are on their way home on furlough and want to see Tsinan and Taian before they go. Then on the 10th we expect Mrs. J.M. Menzies to arrive. So for a time we shall have a succession of guests. I suppose that during the Jones' meetings we shall have to have some more in also. The beginning of the term always has a number of people passing through. It seems an age since we heard from you. You must be awfully busy since you went to the city. We'll have to send you some printed postcards with blanks to fill in to let us know how you are getting on-- or else put Jay on your track to urge you. We know you are busy, but we should like to hear your say so. This morning we had word that last evening at the station here Chang Tsung Chang was assassinated. When there were three or four parties fighting for power about six years ago he was the governor here. He was a man with a large number of wives who taxed the people unmercifully, who tore down a number of streets and made a decent street in the suburb, but who shot men on slight provocation. He was considered one of the cruelest men in China. He has been more or less in the background since 1928. He was home to his native place and was about to take the train here when the son of a man who had been put to death by him stepped up and shot him. Monday morning. I have just got settled in after being down to the station. We got a car and went to meet a lady who was coming off the nine o'clock train. We saw the train was in before we arrived for we saw people with baggage. It was 3 minutes to nine when we got to the station. No sigh of our lady. When we got back we found her here, the train having come in at 8.20. How that for promptness!! We shall have to see two ladies off by bus tomorrow morning at seven, but do not expect they will run away before the time. Goodbye for the present, Your loving father, Robert A. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Cheeloo September 18, 1932 Dear Morrison Dad wrote Sept 4. That evening we had a guest, which we had been asked to entertain for a friend. She came from South China away south of Ningpu & had been traveling for several days. She is a nurse & could not get away during the summer as they are so short handed & is taking a little vacation with a friend in North China. Her colleague needed the holiday more than she so she held the fort during July & August. Monday this guest & we went to the station to meet her friend & hostess who was coming from P.T.H. The train arrived forty minutes early & she started for the campus. We missed her on the way but found her here when we returned. After a little rest we went off to see the museum here in connection with the English Baptist work. Then down to see the Spring. Tuesday breakfast was early & we got them off by 6a.m. with lunch. A few days later word came the bus had up-set, no one hurt. They arrived about 7pm instead of 3 or 4 pm. "but we had a good trip". One never knows what will happen with these old buses & the rough roads after the summer rains. That woman takes a return trip in two weeks. A holiday it is called. Certainly it is a change from South China - Wenchow where she lives. There most of travel is in by canals & little boats. The mother of one of our doctors has been ill since return from P.T.H. She died & was buried the day she was eighty-five. It was a Chinese memorial service & the wreaths were wonderful & varied in color. I do not think home people would care for the variety in colors but each department sent wreaths in honor of the doctor & his wife even though they did not know Madame Stearns. She has been helpless for some time & her going is a relief to her. Gilchrist Struthers came back from P.T.H. for a few days in his home. He & the students for Amer. school in North China left the night of funeral & it made it difficult as all the doctors were pall bearers. On 8th we had Mr. & Mrs. Krause old friends from Peiping. They are on furlough & came this way. They were here only a day but we took them around & visited hard. Dad's classes began the day before but I was free & he had no p.m. work. I had a few friends in for dinner at 7pm, persons who Krauses & we had a very pleasant evening (with). We took them to the train the next morning. Sunday 11th I was feeling badly a neuralgia which had been troubling for days became severe - pain over eye on left side. I remained in bed & did not attend Eng. service. Since then have been to eye specialist, had X-Ray of sinuses but no report yet. Also visited dentist. I think the nose specialist has located the trouble or part of the cause of pain. Have not heard from X-Ray yet. I have had this three times last year & each time it is worse so think we had better go after it. Tuesday 13th my work began. I teach History & Bible in the foreign school. I have six half hour periods a week with my turn at morning worship; Three English periods of an hour at Theolog. Coll. & two teaching Mark to a group of women & children in a day school. This last work I had 1st year. Hope I can keep it up. the History is the difficult subject. Taught in American schools. Where our ancestors came from is really the subject. Mrs. J.M. Menzies arrived that morning. Dad met her at the train & she was in the house when I returned from class. We had quite a time taking her uptown to buy cooking utensils & groceries. The house she was to occupy was fairly clean but the servant quarters were alive with bedbugs. They were running up the walls when dad went in to see the room. The little chap said, "Those are bed bugs" when dad moved closer to the wall to be sure his eyes did not deceive him. This reminded me of the time we went to Weihwei to open the station. They crawled up on walls also. We put the feet of the bed in tins of coal oil. They dropped from the ceiling onto the beds. I would go around every day with a stick to knock them into a basin of water. Bill was put to sleep with a big margin of Keetings powder all around him to keep them from biting him. He was only about a year old at the time. However by keeping after them we got rid of them. But it has left me scared of any dark thing I see moving around bed or on walls. Of course after we got our own houses we have not had that trouble & the house in which Mrs. Menzies lives is free of them. I gave a little tea for Mrs. Menzies on Friday 16th. - The heads of Art department. I mean the wives of the "heads". She is in her own house now. She brought Honan servants with her. Mr. Menzies has gone in for their furniture, etc. Robert is now passed his first birthday. We gave him a "walker" like Jay & Mo had. The carpenter made it from a picture in Eaton's catalogue. They wrote he was going all around in it & having lots of fun with it. One day Helen found him up seven or eight steps. He will keep them busy for a time as he cannot walk & be sure of himself. Mo do write & tell us how you are getting along. What kind of stuff you are getting. Try & get some information for Bill & Helen as to how to help Robert in his talking. I might say I have a polypus, which will be removed, & possibly some trouble in Frontal Sinus. But that will wait for a time after I get that little polypus removed & see what about antrium. I have not heard from X-Ray thus far. Hope I do not have to go into hands of specialist but Dr. McClure is my doctor & he will go with me to read the X-Ray & discuss what should be done. Yesterday morning your letter of Mar 21 came in. You have been having quite a time with your hockey. Our hockey playing is over here. A week ago we got out for a softball game of baseball. On Friday of this week we were out again. But too few people came out and we had only a workout. There were eight men on the field and two at bat. It was too hard work. I found that the most tiresome place was being catcher and then having to bat right after it. A couple of times I was catcher with a lady pitcher who could hardly ever get any over the plate which were the right height. It meant a long time bobbing up and down, which is hard for old joints. Then to have to hit hard enough to get in to home base on the next man's bat meant stiff running. We are getting anxious now to hear you first letters from Toronto. I hope that you will find everything working in to your taste there and that you will get good opportunity for experience and advance in knowledge of your profession. Dr. McClure is back from Honan. He came in unawares. The day before the staff here telegraphed their congratulations on his 76th birthday. Meantime the folks at Hwaiking apart from Bob got the idea that his birthday was on the 6th instead of the 9th. They celebrated before he left there. I do not know what his plans are. I think possibly he will retire from official connection with the staff at the end of the term. He says that if he goes in to Szechuen to see Janet he will fly. He says that Mrs. Ratcliffe is talking of doing the same. Think of it, our Honan missionaries talking of flying into Szechuen! Last letter from Bill he had got his radio fixed up so that he got music from Manila and was hoping shortly to get short wave for Europe. We had no success with the machine here but I couldn't mix it with brains as Bill can. Bill was in the mountains to the west with the preaching tent. He is in with a new dialect and finds it a little hard to speak or hear understandingly. He will soon get on to it as these variations run in groups. Good success to you in your new work. When I see the influence that Dr. McClure has here on the students I realize what a power for good an instructor in a medical school. Make the most of your opportunities; "inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto Me." Dad ----------------------------------------- Cheeloo University Tsinan, China October 2, 1932 Dear Mo This week's letter writing falls again to me. Since we last wrote you the main interest has been the meetings of Dr. Stanley Jones. He arrived here on Monday morning the 19th, having been held over in Tientsin for a Sunday meeting on his way from Peiping. The first arrangement was that the morning meetings were to be for delegates, the afternoon ones open to all, though primarily for Christians but that the evening ones were for the non-Christian public. We began with the morning meetings in the Theological building. But when we found later that Dr. Jones did not want these meetings limited in the numbers we moved over to the chapel. Our theological plan was to carry on work except where there was an opportunity to attend meetings in the afternoon. When the change was made we suspended the morning classes to allow the students to attend. The evening meetings were held alternately in our chapel and in the Y.M.C.A. building down in the settlement. There were some of the afternoon meetings in the south settlement church just inside the south suburb wall by the Institute and one in the church down in the settlement. We had a rain the first day, which made it rather bad, but the weather improved and there was a pretty good attendance at the meetings. There were about sixty delegates from the various parts of the Province besides some others who came privately. We had two guests, Mr. Swen, the interpreter for Dr. Jones, and Mr. Eubank, a member of the American Presbyterian mission at Hsien in the south of the province. Beside the regular meetings there were usually one or two added during the day. He was twice at the East Suburb mission, once to our faculty, once to our theological group. If one were looking for definitely acknowledged results from the meetings he could not point to very great ones. But I think that is a very great number of those present. Dr. Jones made Jesus Christ a more vivid reality for their daily life and work. Perhaps some were disappointed that this preaching was not more doctrinal. If one tried to tabulate him as to theology, etc, he perhaps would not be easy to pigeonhole. As he said in speaking on "All things are yours" he does not belong to the fundamentalist, they belong to him. He does not belong to the modernist they belong to him. While acknowledging that great contributions have been made to our knowledge and understanding of the bible he feels the danger of being content with these facts, while there are higher spiritual facts to be had by communing with Jesus Christ, and getting his spirit. He illustrated this from one of the addresses when the messengers came from the centurion's home and told him that the child was dead. Moffat's translation has "not heeding the word spoken". The word spoken was a statement of hard fact. But he saw another series of facts on another plane and said, "do not fear, only believe". His emphasis was on the person and spirit of Jesus Christ and the life, which that would lead us into. It made us feel that He should be a more conscious element in all our work and life. As I told him I hope that as a result of his visit I hope that in the teaching of the Old Testament in our college, the motive and spirit of Jesus Christ will be more evident even though much of the work must be in the investigation of literary and historical facts. We greatly enjoyed having with us Mr. Swen. He is a graduate of this university who is now one of the secretaries of the National Christian Council in connection with mass education work. He did a most excellent piece of work in his translations, both as to matter and spirit. Dr. Jones likes to keep to one interpreter so far as he can; Bill Djang interpreter for one of the meetings. When they left here they were to go to Teng Hsien but though they got a hearty invitation it was told them that an interpreter need not come along as they made it a rule to supply their own interpreter. The young man we had, Mr. Eubank, was from Texas and he was a bit breezy. He had been some time at that little station with almost no social life and he was sure enjoying being up to the capital for a time quiet apart from the meetings he attended. After the meetings finished on Monday night we had to get down to our regular routine of work. I think that some people were pretty well tired if they had attended as many of the meetings as they wanted. I had had the morning prayers at the Arts college four days of the week of meetings, so that it delayed me to the morning meeting so that I could not get a front seat. I got to taking a chair and being independent of the pews. It was my turn for midweek prayer meeting this past week. So I took the opportunity to refresh the mind of those present on the passages on which Dr. Jones spoke and the particular phase of his teaching on them. Yesterday there was a theological college trip to the Chien Fu Shan. Stanleys were away, Cady was in bed with intestinal flue, so Bill Djang, Dr. Miner, mother and I were all of the old folks who went with the students. Mother and Dr. Miner took chairs to the temple. I walked with the others. From the temple we went to the top. It was a somewhat hard climb for Dr. Miner and for one or two of the girls. On top we had a meeting, hymn and prayer, then Bill Djang gave us some incidents from the mass education propaganda in which he has been for the past two years. Then we had some amusements and lunch. Returning we scattered somewhat coming down the mountain by varying paths and got home about six. We have been planning a mountain trip for next weekend but I do not know if it will eventuate. As the double tenth comes on a week from Monday we thought we would go to Tsian on Saturday and go up the mountain on Monday. But we hear that the government institutions are not going to hve a holiday on the tenth for fear of trouble arising from patriotic movements. We do not yet know whether we shall have the holiday. Then we heard yesterday that the students of our college are trying to plan for a retreat to Kai Yuan Szi, a temple on one of the second line of mountains for that weekend. If there is no holiday and there is a retreat we shall probably be going up there. It is next mountain to the one with the pagoda on it. Mother has always said that she is going up to that pagoda once, and then she will be satisfied with her mountain climbing about here once we were near the top along with a medical picnic, but some people's heads were getting light and others were getting tired of carrying their food up to a bare hilltop, and so we stopped short of the top on a level spur. If we spend a couple of days at the temple mother will probably take me up to the pagoda. It is not a place where my head will get very light I expect if I keep my eyes upward when going up. Two weeks from this weekend there is talk of another group going to the top of Hsing Lung Shan for a weekend. I might go there, but mother says she has been there enough. Bill knows it, as he was up once. It is about seven miles from here to the base of the climb, which has about 2,000 steps. I haven't a late letter of yours so that I cannot answer any questions nor enter very much into your life. But Jay's letter mentions that you had expected to go with her to Irwin's but could not get away that weekend. I hope you are getting lots of good work in the hospital to your satisfaction. I do not think that I have had a letter from you since in that spring when you mentioned your note to me. On March 6 I sent your note, along with a draft on Dr. Laird for $431.04, and asked you if you would invest the total in a Dominion or Ontario bond for $1,000 and deposit with dr. Laird among mother's papers to be dealt with the same as her other papers. We may have had letters since you should receive that but I have no other papers. We may have had letters since you should receive that but I have no recollection of any acknowledgement of receipt of it, or any information as to whether you did what I asked of you. I suggested then that I was not pressing forth payment of the note now if you still needed the money for your postgraduate work. But I would like to know whether or not you got my letter with the note and draft and what was done with it. Please let me know. We continue in good health with some tendency to neuritis on mother's part, but not many aches or pains with me. Climbing the mountain the other day a man coming down stopped straight in front of me and said, "How old are you?" He was 52 to my 65, but expect I could keep up to him on the road. I am very thankful to be feeling so well. Love from us both, Your father, Robert A. Mitchell I found the enclosed clipping in an envelope addressed to you by mother and am making use of the envelope and the clipping .. Dad ----------------------------------------- Cheeloo Oct 15, 1932 Dear Mor I cannot sleep so have come downstairs & shall write some on the letters of the week. It is now 3:30am. I have taken a bad streak lately & cannot sleep past this time. Then when time to get up I want to sleep. China always bothers me that way at times. There has not been much happening the last two weeks but trying to train a new cook. I hope we have one this time who will not take a concubine. He has a boy & the lack of one is usually the cause of taking a second wife. The yard looks lovely just now. Asters are almost over but the “Mums” are coming on & we have several other flowers in bloom. The vegetable part is not much. We have such a good market here it does not pay to grow the vegetables we can buy. We do try for tomatoes but the last three years there has been blight on most vines. We had an agriculturist from Nanking here a week ago. He gave a talk on his work. He is here helping the government get started along a few lines. One felt somewhat encouraged after hearing him tell the efforts being made to improve wheat, barley, rice & cotton crops. There is a method of selecting a few of better heads & caring for them. He seemed to think the only way to get at the tomato trouble was by getting a few vines which had resisted the disease – non resisters & through that method eventually get rid of the pest. Not much use in using sprays. So I think we shall be forced to let others with more time work on the non-resistance plan & buy our tomatoes. There is a small plant here with a few acres working on the new plans for selection of seeds etc. in connection with the University & a specially trained man in charge. They had a few vines which did very well & I got ten lbs. from there. The big thing of the last two weeks was a trip we made to Taishan. This is one of the scared Mts. Of China & for centuries before the Christian era was being worshipped by the rulers of China. There are special times when pilgrims are numerous but we saw only a few. Four women coming down aw we were going up looked very weary. One look all in & she was only starting the descent. The poor people walk all the way up which is about 12 miles. There is a stone road & stone steps. The first part of ascent is not very steep but the last part of about two thousand steps it is almost perpendicular. It takes five hours going up when carried by trained bearers. Days are taken by some pilgrims who walk all the way up & down. They sleep in one of the little huts by the way; the great desire being to get to the top & worship the Mother of the Mt. There is a big temple to her. It was “great” years ago but has been let run down as so many buildings in China the last few years. Then on the top the remains of the old altar where many emperors offered to the rising sun can be seen. There is only one stone & a little of the brickwork left. We stood not far from it & watched the sun come up like a red ball. It gave one a strange feeling to think for so many centuries back people had stood where we were & worshipped. All around are places where noted people trod. Some have left tablets some very old, one said to be as early as 1096 B.C. There is a temple to Jade emperor. This is where most tourists spend the night. We were late in getting up & could not get in. It was holiday time when we were there & several parties of Chinese were there at the same time – not to worship but to see. These jade tablets have been lost buried somewhere or carried off & the temple looks like any other temple – neglected. There is a big monolith left in front of this Jade temple. It is over twenty feet high & three or four feet sq. at the base. It is not a stone from Taishan district but foreign & has likely been carried up by men & can compare to Cleopatra’s needles, which are treasured in museums of U.S.A. & England. It is at least two thousand years old. Another tablet is one which has been carved on the rock surface. It was done in gold at one time but has worn off much of the gilt, though carving is distinct & rubbings are taken of it every year. It is thirty feet high & sixteen ft. wide. It has been ruled off & each character is twenty two centimeters high. It is an account of the ceremonies of an emperor in 726A.D. There are many other tablets of interest but of ourselves. We each had a chair. I walked a little. The last climb to the third “heavenly gate” is perpendicular; Thick chains all around the way for the pilgrims to hold onto lest they fall. The descent is even more trying. One feels as though in an airplane. The bearers are wonderful. They carry one sideways & both keep in step taking about three steps to the second. They never missed a step with us. One seldom hears of their doing so. When the two are weary the third man comes along & they change while still on the move. After we got down the steps on the steepest place we stopped & took in the scenery; some of the country for miles & miles. There are a few streams on the Mt. Side but in August they would be better after the summer rains. The whole road is made of stone & the steps are all stone steps & about the same height. After we get up a certain height cedars & poplars are not to be seen – only pines. We went to one of missionary families of Tsian city. They arrange for Bearers for one, board at their home & all comes in one bill at the close of the trip. We remained overnight. They sent bedding & lunch for us. We reached the top about 6:15. It was almost dark. We had soup which was warmed up fruit, meat sandwiches, etc.; Instant coffee. We did enjoy the hot soup & coffee. Then off to bed for we were tired & had to get up early to see old sol come up. The next morning after a trip on the top of hill visiting Jade temple, mother of Taishan temple & other sites we breakfasted about 7:30. We were hungry. Then packed up went over to West hill & back to the Heavenly Gate where we got in our chairs & began the ride back. We reached our friends about 11:30, washed had dinner & about 3pm we started for Tsinan, arriving at our home about 6:30. We were glad to be back & sit down in our own home again to a good hot meal. I do not stand lunches very well. I was very tired & the first thirty-six hours I was home twenty five of that time was spent in bed. I taught my classes but came back right after doing so. It was a great trip & I enjoyed every minute of it but such a trip should be taken before one is sixty years of age. I had a note from Mrs. Thomson the other day. She said she had rarely seen Jay or Mo. But she heard they were both doing well. Glad to have good reports like that. Oct 16: Had a note from Mrs. Thomson the other day. She says you are dooing good work in surgery. Tell us about it. Dr. R.B. McClure was at Med conference in Shanghai & soon after Nov. 1 will do the operation on palate of Robert. Hope he makes as good a job as the outside work. Dr. E.B. Struthers read a paper on Kala Azar. He has specialized in that & has been very successful with his cases. The papers spoke as though he gave a very fine illuminating paper on this disease. There is one village near here - where every family have one or two children down with it. In our Honan field Siu is the place where Bob found a number of cases. Dad fell yesterday when running from third base. Scraped his nose & came home bleeding. Si Da Pu, one of our Honan students interning here ws watching the game. At once he made for Dad to see if medical aid was needed. It amused a few of our friends who did not know he & we were such good friends. It was also interesting to see a Chinese medical so prompt. Dad's nose is black blue & green today. He looks as though he had been in a fight. Now I must close & as usual say "write soon". We are going out into the country with our lunch & reurn in time for 5pm service. Much love, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell --------------------------------- Cheeloo, Tsinan Oct 30, 1932 Dear Folks, Morrison Here is my opportunity for writing again. We are near the end of October and having lovely weather. Before breakfast it is only 50 degrees at my door and has been much warmer the last few days. But last Sunday night the thermometer dropped to 25 in exposed places. That took heavy toll of the gardens. With us one half of a row of dahlias were frozen, while the other half are still blooming and in a place next the hedge they were all right except one which got the wind through the gateway. Tomatoes and hibiscus, etc. in exposed places all went. But we have been getting everything we wanted to bring in potted and may have frost any time now. We had got everything ready to put up the stove and after Bible Class was over last Tuesday, which was the last being held at this house, we put it up, but have not had a fire yet. The coal oil stove at breakfast, or in the bathroom has been all of our heating so far. Work has been going on pretty much as usual with us. I have just got in half a dozen new books on my subject and I am trying to get some of the new ideas into my old work. Mother and I have been taking advantage of the fine weather to have some rids. Last Sunday after the Chinese service and my bible class, we took our lunch and rode south between the hills some. Yesterday after some shopping, we went out in the country to the cement works and back by the hills. After my class today we may also take our lunch and go out to the north of the city and have a time at one of the "island" hills toward the Yellow River. One day the foreign school took a trip to a match factory. As mother is one of the staff there now, she was along. They found it quite interesting. A week ago Saturday afternoon we went with a group of about thirty who were visiting the "model" prison. There are about 600 in confinement there. On the way to the cells we passed through a lecture hall where a man was discoursing on some moral subject to about thirty men. Each of the units of the cells is made in a number of long buildings radiating from a centre. A guard at that centre can see down the corridors of about six buildings. On each side of these corridors the cells open, each with a kang in it which will sleep five. All seemed very clean. thence we went to the mill, kitchen, etc. The kitchen of that part had seven fires. Thence we went to the workshops and saw going on weaving, wicker work, carpentry, printing, tailoring. In the printing room there were a number reading different books. One man had before him a chorus book with the staff notation. He was not singing and I do not know whether or not that was simply an exhibition stunt In the women's quarters there was not the same arrangement of cells. The cells were down the two sides of a compound, while the workrooms were in the centre. Most of the women were doing some sewing. A few were young women, two were studying geometry, and one English. We asked as to their crime and were told that they were communists. In another yard which is called meditation court, there seemed to be a rather different class, possibly most of them communist, or other political prisoners. There were a good many books there, especially on the subject of the Three Principles of the Kuomintang. We were not shown into places where there was solitary confinement, though I suppose they have such. We were shown into the bathroom. There were clothes hooks numbered up to fifty. They are all supposed to have a weekly bath. I expect that that is something that a good many never had in their free state. We were taken to the execution ground. It was a large garden with trees and grape vines. The mound against which men were stood to be shot was covered with grape vines. The hanging hut was in a big cherry orchard. No doubt a person can be made pretty miserable in such a prison, but one is glad to see that there is in some parts an advance on the old infamous style of confinement till one died of starvation or ill treatment. Mr. Menzies arrived two weeks ago. The floods over in the eastern part of Honan delayed his boat all the time since July, as they could not get past the bridges. We were out at Dean Linn's to a Chinese meal to meet them. Tomorrow there is a community supper, Chinese, to meet the returned people and say goodbye to a doctor going off to Vienna. We have one day in, in November and still we have not had to put on any fire for heat. One of these days I suppose that we shall get a good hard snap, which will cut everything in the gardens clean and make us start up a fire. A week ago there was one night of frost, but half of our dahlias escaped it and are continuing to bloom, while nasturtiums and mums do not seem to have been affected. Letters from Changte today tell that the Eadies, Grants and Reeds had arrived there. Eadies were still eating with Bill and Helen, though they were staying at their own house. I suppose that Mary Grant will be getting up to Peiping to language school, though I do not know if she will go in this term, coming so late as this. How is work going with you? Are you joining up with any basketball team this winter? How long does your engagement with the Sick Children's last? Two ladies from here expect to be passing through Toronto on their way to England in the latter part of April. I wonder if you will be there at that time. One of them is Dr. Shields' secretary here; the other is not really from Tsinan but form Taian, the sister of the bishop there. They are wanting to take a day for Niagara Falls. What is the best way to go at that time? Is it too cold for the boat trip? One of these ladies was a small girl when we were in Chefoo refugeeing. Her mother gave your mother a cut glass bowl at the time of Bill's baptism. It was the same bowl which held water for a similar occasion with you and Jay. I have just sent Bill over my loud speaker. He has got the radio fixed up so that they can get quite a number of places and some of them on the loud speaker. Nowadays as one goes along the main street here there are several places where there is a loud speaker dispensing Chinese music. I hear that there is to be established here a broadcasting station. Now I shall close off, with love from us both, Your father, Robert A. Mitchell ----------------------------------------- Cheeloo University Tsinan, China December 27, 1932 Dear Folks, Mo Christmas is over for another year and we are back into classes again today. Our winter vacation in the university will not come till the 18th of January, when we shall have a fortnight. But we shall also have a couple of days break next week for the New Year. For the past month there has been a good deal of sickness about, chicken pox, scarlet fever, flu, etc. Most households have had something going and some several things at a time. Ten days ago I got a bit of a cold and spent most of the time except class time in bed. This past week Mother has taken her turn at it but we are both better now. Last Thursday Dr. Ingle was put to bed with what was reported as scarlet fever. Then I have since heard doctors discussing whether or not scarlet fever and streptococci throat are really the same thing. The doctors were anxious about him for a time but I think that he is better now. The Menzies, MacHattie, and E.B. Struthers children were coming from Kobe for Christmas. In Japan the students get a half fare traveling third class. That is the way they come over in the summer and they came again the same way this time. They came to Tientsin. But the day they were to arrive here they did not. Then a wire came in that Gilchrist was down with measles in Tientsin having taken it on the boat. It seems they had several diseases in the school there and school was closed a week early. Dr. Struthers went up on Saturday and brought Gilchrist down on Monday morning. He is better but had to stay at home from the Christmas gatherings. About this time there is a superfluity of celebrations about such an institution as this. Here is just the naming of them in the Bulletin - Foreign School, Institute Sunday School, Nurses Party, Medical College bonfire and Christmas music by their choir, Carol Service on Christmas eve outside the chapel; Carol singing later at the Leper hospital, Service and Christmas play at Theological College; Christmas day, Special Chinese service; Beginners Sunday School, Senior Sunday School, Services in Hospital wards and at Leper Hospital, English Services and Carol singing in the chapel at night. We did not try to go to a great many of them partly because we were not in good shape and partly because there is not enough energy to go around. On Friday we had predecessor at Chining thirty-eight years ago, Carol Brodie, Bill Bell who attended school in Weihwei in 1918-19, and his fiancé Miss Dora King, sister of Dr. King, and Mr. Suter of the English Baptist mission who is in language school just now. Saturday evening we went to the Theological School. There was first a service in the chapel, and then we adjourned to the large hall, where the students put on Tolstoi's play. After that we had a distribution of presents, value 10-20 cents drawn by number. I got a pad of letter paper and mother got a box of paper clips. Sunday morning at the Chapel we had a special service all bringing their families and bringing with them presents of clothing for the poor. In the service two groups of children sang while three small children recited the Christmas story. At the English service in the afternoon there were two pieces sung by the Junior Choir (the young folks home from schools) and a solo by Miss Dora King. During all of the service except the congregational hymns the main lights were turned off leaving only the hidden lights in the chancel and candles of which there are a row along the railing and some among the decorations at the altar. The decorations of the church were green and red. The green was palms and ferns and cedar branches while the red was a large bank of red geraniums in front of the altar. The gardener winters his geraniums in the south windows of the church and they were a lovely bank of red cedar. When we woke up on Saturday morning we found that it had snowed about four inches during the night. it has continued cloudy ever since and has snowed several inches during last night and this morning. People were delighted to see the snow for Christmas if they were used to a snowy climate. Everyone is glad for it for the wheat's sake. We have not had any rain all autumn. One of the best surprises on Christmas morning just as we were sitting down to breakfast was a wire with loving greetings from Mo and Jay. We were greatly pleased to get it. At noon on Sunday we had invited the Struthers family and Dr. McClure in. Of course we were short Dr. Struthers and Gilchrist. In the center of the table we had a pot of Jerusalem cherries with a bank of cotton with bittersweet leaves and berries and Jerusalem cherries. Underneath were the presents for the guests. In the evening we had been invited to Mrs. Hearen's who was usual had asked in some of the childless people about Dr. Watson, Dr. Williamson, ourselves and Miss Hickson. The latter had to leave to go to the carol singing but the rest of us stayed and heard hymns on the orthoponic. Yesterday evening we had our Canadian Christmas dinner. It was at Menzies though it was a company meal. Besides our own people we had the Lautenschlagers. It was a very enjoyable Christmas dinner and evening ending with Mr. Menzies telling the children a story of the first Christmas night as his knowledge of the country would let him see it. This year turkeys were in evidence on the tables here. One of the grocers had got in fifty and then got in another batch. They were only sixty cents a pound, which was not much when the dollar is only worth about 22 cents gold. For the Christmas we supplied one and the Struthers supplied one. Mrs. Menzies had lovely decorations. This evening ends up the regular celebrations. All of the students are invited to the homes of teachers. The cooks will get one meal's rest. The various schools are having their own. As the Arts and the Meds are more than we are some of them have a good many people. We have only eight people. We were to have had only six but Bill Djang got a wire calling him suddenly to Tsingchow. His mother is dead. So we had to take his guests among us. I expect that Bill will move his family up here now. So long as his mother was living his wife stayed down there. She has been suffering for some time with cancer. As I look out and see the hedges laden with snow it makes none feel cold and feel sorry for the poor homeless people but it makes one think also that it means "bread for the eater". Our collection at the Chinese service on Sunday was for the sufferers in Manchuria; that at the English service was for the work of the Salvation Army. We were greatly delighted to ge the wire from you and Jay on Christmas morning. It was a very kindly thought on your part. We were a bit lonely that morning. The past two years we have had Bill and Helen with us but this year we were back on the lonely list again. We had had a nice long letter from Jay a couple of weeks before and hardly expected that she would write again so soon. At Xmas we got a couple of pounds of candy from the leading confectioner in Tientsin. There was no name saying from whence they came but we judged they had been ordered from Honan. We had no hesitation in eating them. That reminds me of a joke on Woodhead, the newspaperman. He was for twenty years in Tientsin but of late he has been writing for one of the Shanghai papers. He had been exposing the opium traffic and had had some threatening letters and the police advised him to have a guard and go armed. One day he got a nice large parcel of very good-looking candies enclosing a note with good wishes from "you can guess from whom". The police advise him not to touch them and took them in charge to investigate. Next day on the street he met Mr. Kieseling, the Tientsin confectioner who said to him, "I hope you enjoyed the candies". I don't know whether or not the police ate those candies but no one was poisoned by them. At the prayer meeting the other night Bill Bell led the meeting and gave us a message of cheer and hope. You would not know him. He was from Shensi and attended school in Weihwei in 1918-19 when you had gone home. He is now back at the work here. When a man is getting near the time of laying down his tools it is cheering to see the young men with high ideals facing the tasks of the world with boldness and a newer outlook than we have. The world needs men of ideals who are working toward their ideals with all their might. I hope that you folks have had a very joyous season, which has been inspired by the message of the first Christmas. We have not heard what the Xmas plans were. Hoping to hear from you shortly. Your loving dad, Robert A. Mitchell