Cheeloo January 24, 1934 Dear Mo Dad's last letter finished up the Christmas doings so I begin from there. Friday 29 I gave a tea (4 o'clock). I had about twenty-five guests and four of ourselves. Ms. Menzies and Mrs. Struthers poured tea. Misses Brodie and Doyle looked after serving tea etc. I had ginger bread no icing, cookies and two kinds of sandwiches, lettuce grown in our garden and Apricot Jam our own make with cheese. I tried to be simple but gave two kinds of each lest some one could not eat one or other. We had a pleasant time and the guests talked on till 6/pm. I moved them around several times and I think all got a chance to talk with all the strangers. There were four English Baptist guests in the campus and our Honan three. The New Years night I gave a dinner - twelve of us at table. After we divided into two sets. One six playing skittles for half an hour and then changing with the one bearing the same number who had been playing table croquette. The odds won at skittles but lost to evens in croquette. Last year each household entertained five or six students from Coll. of Theology. This year we decided to have a dinner all together the staff giving it of course. We had a very good Chinese feast and then spent a couple of hours together in playing games and visiting. That was on 23rd. My two guests were invited to Miss Brodie's, as I knew they would not care to go to a feast. Then Friday 29th Dr. McClure had us there to lunch. That made it easy for the servants to get ready for the afternoon. Miss Dinwoody left on evening of 3rd and Miss Doyle & Molly Grant on morning of 4th. The Hockey team from Tientsin played our team twice that week and left on the evening of 3rd. The three girls were together from Peiping on to Changte. Foreign school opened and I had my exams at Coll. of Theology and a few busy days followed. The week of Prayer Dad was in bed for three days 8th-11th, but was out to take meeting of 12th. Last week I was in bed with severe pain over the left eyebrow. This is the third time I have had this trouble. I had a dreadful time the first night - medicine barely controlled pain. The doctor had to go away to Mission meeting but when he returns I am to have some examination to see if the cause of trouble can be located. Sunday 21st was my birthday. A friend had invited us to dinner that night. I thought that was all it was but she was giving me a surprise with all the members of our Mission in Tsinan also invited. There was cake, etc., Saturday 20th. I sent her word I was ill and though better, it would not be wise for me to get up Sunday and go out. The other guests went and just after we had finished our supper in came a sheet of paper with a little word form each one.. a big piece of cake for both of us and some candy. They had a pleasant evening and my friend understood, was not offended and I was better in a warm bed. I was out Tuesday to my class at 11am and hope to go tomorrow, but with that exception I am in the house, and will be for a few days longer. It is very cold. The coldest spell we have had except once since we came here. It began on 4th and has never let up. There is a skating rink here this year. They have not had one before. Dad borrowed a pair of skates yesterday and went out for a couple of hours. When he came in last evening he said, "I feel like nineteen, but tomorrow I may feel like ninety." He did feel a little stiff but went again this P.M. He does not seem so spry tonight, somewhat calmed down. He is very fond of skating and will likely go again if he gets the chance to get shoes and skates again. The Chinese are not used to skating together. However they have seen some of the foreigners at it and are taking to it. Dad saw one of the girls who seemed to be a good skater trying some of the stunts he had been at. Just then one of the Coll. of theology men came along and asked Dad if he would help his daughter with a few fancy extras. It turned out to be this girl. They were in Peiping for years and she likely has skated for years. The programmes of Council have come in. Helen is down for leading of the morning devotional services. 'Prayer' is her subject. Marnie has 'hope'. I did not know whether Helen would venture or not. But evidently she is going or they may think if she does not Bill will step up to it. There are several affairs which specially concern Bill & Helen at this meeting and I think they should both be there if it can be managed. Bill will help take care of the children on the road. Also Miss Doyle, who has been with Bobby so much. I have taken two children to Council at Waiching when part of the trip had to be made in Chinese cart. Now all can be done by rail but one is never sure of warmth on trains. The Rockefeller Foundation have sent a grant less $40,000 than previous years with a letter saying this is the last grant from them to the HPT here. That means a big difference in the running of HPT. Fewer will be employed in all departments and many things cannot be purchased for use in HPT that they have had in the past. But that seems to be what is happening in all directions these days. Than you Mor for that book you sent us for Christmas. We have read it and passed it on to a friend - a Englishman. We have also read "Cry Havoc" lately. Have you seen it? This same friend has read it and was overseas and is anti-war man. You made good choice of books always when you have sent them. I think you must be in the habit of reading good ones. The report of dean of Med Coll. of Toronto came in today. Was interested in resignation fo Starr & Beatty. I wonder where you will be this time next year.Best wishes for your forward movements, which we watch with great interest. When we hear anything we are always glad. Thanks for remembering us at Christmas. Hope you have had a good time. Next to the year bill and Helen came it is our happiest Christmas since our return to China. At the annual meeting in Waiching next week the time of sour furlough will be discussed and most likely decided. We shall be glad to have some idea of when we are likely to return to Canada so we can make plans. No I must say adieu for this time. Much love from both of us. Lovingly, Mother Jennie H Mitchell PS. I enclose a snap of part of the sitting room with cedars over pictures. You see it is the gamily group. bill and Helen's wedding, Jays's picture on wall and yours in a standing frame on the bookcase nearby. J.H.M ---------------------------------------- Cheeloo School of Theology Tsinan, China January 26, 1934 Dear Mo I have been taking advantage of the winter vacation to get my accounts written up to date. That has drawn my attention to the fact that the records of our financial relations are not yet satisfactory. It might be all right if everything goes on as it is. But one cannot get away from the fact that one may be taken off suddenly and then comes the settlement of the estate in the absence of the one who has done the business. In such case it is only right that records should be accurate and save trouble. I would not mind so much if it only concerned myself. But this amount was to be in mother's name. I have tried that our savings would be in such a way that mother should have in her own name such an amount as she could carry on with (were I taken) during the time of the settlement of the estate. Now the Foreign Mission Board assumed the responsibility of the losses of the missionaries in the 1927 evacuation, which meant the loss of all of our goods in the burnt house. It was just about the time that you said you wanted to pay your note to me. I did not pay over to mother any part of the cheque of settlement of the losses but as an equivalent I asked you to use the draft of $431.04 of which I was sending home and your own $625 to buy a $1,000 Dominion bond and deposit it in mother's name with Dr. Laird who is holding our securities in his vault. Now it was a long time before I knew anything about what you had done in the matter. I had received my share of the indemnity money but mother had not. It did not strike me as a satisfactory way of leaving matters if I were called away. Your letter of July 17, 1933 from Copper Cliff expressed the hope that by the summer earnings and the appreciation of investments you might be able in the autumn to carry out the original purpose. We have not heard that the hope was realizable. Now I do not want you to think that we are pressing you to pay the money at this time when times are hard. All that I want is a satisfactory record. The $431.04 is in your bank account; the note for $625 has been returned to you. In case either mother or I were called off suddenly there is nothing for the executors to go on. What I should like to suggest is that you take the amount which you have banked for her from your account and transfer it to her account in the National Trust Col, 20 King St East. Account No. 12805, (Jennie Hill Mitchell); that you send out here or deposit with Dr. Laird a note for the amount of your original note, without interest, (625 dollars), in favor of mother. If you feel that a different arrangement of the amounts deposited and the amount of the note is more satisfactory we are satisfied. All that we are seeking is a satisfactory record, which will not embarrass executors. Don't think from the above talk that we are not feeling vigorous as we are both fairly vigorous for our ages. But one cannot help thinking that such matters ought to be in constant shape. Mother has just come back from the hospital with a report that she has to go there tomorrow to have a polypus removed from her nose. I do not know whether or not anything will be done to the Antrim, which showed dark. The last three afternoons I have been having great enjoyment skating. I had one man's skates on another man's shoes. The shoes were English walking boots of thick cowhide. As I have been wearing nothing but low shoes for years my anklebones feel a bit chafed. I would like just now to have a decent pair of skates and skating boots but hardly think I shall spend the money this year. Not many foreigners are prepared with an outfit here and many have never skated - southerners or English. I think I am the most expert. Struthers is good. Dad --------------------------------------- Cheeloo School of Theology Tsinan, China Feb. 27, 1934 Dear Folks This month has been one of anxiety to some extent. I shall begin with Honan affairs, as probably you have not heard directly from there. Council meeting was at Hwaiking beginning on Jan 30, 1933. Helen was expecting to go with Bill her first sight of Hwaiking. She was to be leader of one of the devotional meetings. A few days before that Bobbie developed a cold and Helen stayed at home. It seems that the baby also took the cold and needed attention. At Sinsian a messenger from Weihwei told the Changte people to change there and not go on to Weihwei as the place was full of troops and there would be inconvenience and delay. When their train arrived at Weihwei they got word that a telegram had come from Changte saying that Bobbie had scarlet fever and asking for scrum. We got word of this from Mrs. J.H. Menzies who had a letter from her husband from Changte. We got it on the 13th. We at once telegraphed for information and got reply that the worst was past and he was resting well. On Friday evening the 16th Coral Brodie got a telegram saying that Bobbie's general condition was good but mastoid threatened. The rest of the telegram meant to tell us that they were getting help in Peiping but was misunderstood. Later word came that Dr. Ching of the P.W.H.C. had arrived on Sunday and that evening done a double mastoid operation. The first one was easy but the last one hard. Our latest note was written last Wednesday saying that the doctor from Peiping was still with them. Bobbie had been 99.6 in the morning but had gone up a couple of degrees. He was feeling better and wanting to play a bit. Bill had heard him say to Al Boyle, "anga", which in his language means "bye-bye". It was the first he had heard him say that since he was sick. We are hoping that afternoon we shall have further word. As we have had no telegram we feel that the laddie is still living at any rate. No letter for the last three or four days probably means that he is well enough that Bill is able to be busy about his other work. He was pushing his workmen getting the electric wiring in the compound. He said that if the operation had been a few days later they could have given them good light but it had to be done with oil lamplight. So much for the Honan end of things. As to ourselves. On Jan 16 mother took an excruciating headache and I called in Dr. Ingle - the doctor of the month. He gave some medicine to relieve. Later she had an X-ray and other examination. On 27th Dr. Lang removed two polyps from the left side of her nose. She stayed in the hospital one day and later stayed in the house for a few days avoiding cold. The doctor has decided that it will be best to puncture the left antrum. So it is likely that she will go down to have that done on Friday. She has been going on with her work but yesterday was the first time she was at the church for six Sundays. It is impossible to get the stone floor of our church warm in the wintertime. Though a person takes steamer rugs yet it is usually chilled up to the knees. So people who are subject to colds are well advised not to go to Church in the cold weather. Winter is getting pretty well over now. January was a steadily cold month the thermometer reaching -3 once. In February the coldest was 16 above. The cold weather of January made it possible for a skating rink on one of the tennis courts of the college. There were a good many students learning to skate and a few who had skated before in places farther north. I borrowed a pair of skates and enjoyed seven or eight skates. It was good to be gliding on them once more. I had not altogether lost the knack and was able to start some of the students on the idea of figure skating. Bill sent me his skating outfit by Mr. Menzies. But a few days later the rink was torn down and I did not get a chance to try them. The ice was pretty soft by the time they arrived and good only in the early morning. With mother not feeling well we have stayed in most evenings not going to literary or a musical or two, which were on. Our work has gone on as usual except that two days were allowed at the "Spring Festival" which is the name now given to the lunar New Year. In spite of the fact that it was reported that the government were confiscating all new year's congratulations which were sent through the mail there was quite an open recognition an celebration of it this year. It is hard to do away with old established customs. Business houses and banks were largely closed for the first five days. Tomorrow is the fifteenth of the month and I suppose will be fitting celebrated and then we shall be in for the ordinary run of life, or rather the Chinese people will, for we do not mind these things as such. Dr. McClure has been rather hardly hit by a cold the last couple of weeks but he is back at class and clinic again. The others would like him to take shorter times at the clinic but he does not like breaking off when it is not finished. We were surprised the other day to get a letter from jay. She had written on Jan 22, and then wrote again on Jan 29. It was a welcome sight but quite a surprise. She said she was going to write a weekly letter at the dinner hour. It will be hard to keep that up but we are glad to hear from her. Jay tells me that she sees you occasionally but that you are very busy. So you are back in North House. What a lot of old associations it will have. But you will seem quite an old man there now. I hope you enjoy it. It will be handy to your work I suppose. I have never got in my mind the exact location of the Banting Institute. Those new changes about the university were not made when we left. Jay tells us that you think of going to England to try for a degree. What is it, when do you expect to go, and how long will you likely be on the other side? Can I be of any use to you in the way of finances? Let us know some of your plans. I see by the minutes of Council that travel for both Bill's family and ourselves is estimated for next year. Of course we do not know at this stage whether or not the receipts will admit of furloughs being taken at the regular time. We have been thinking that we might perhaps be remaining here until the January of 1936 at any rate. It might be better for the continuous supply of the place here unless there is a man ready to take over for the autumn after we leave. I do not know whom the Council will want to succeed me. Some one has suggested that I return to China for a short term. But I do not think that it would be best for me to come on here. They had better get the man they are going to have for a longer time. And I do not know exactly what work there would be for me if I went into Honan. I have been so long at the teaching work that perhaps I would not fit in very well elsewhere. Bob McClure thinks that Bill and Helen ought to go by England and have regular "cosmetic" doctor operate on Bobbie's nose. Poor little chappie has had a good share of operations in his short life. But I expect that an expert in that line could make an improvement in his face. Our spring winds have begun here. Yesterday was a very calm day and I began to think I had better take advantage of it to trim the cedar trees, which mark our gateway. But I would not want to trim them with such a wind as is today blowing them all awry. We begin to plan for the garden. My carriage is playing upon me. I do not know why it refuses to move sometimes and I print one letter on top of another. Now I shall close off with love from us both. Your father, Robert A. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Cheeloo April 9, 1934 Dear Mo: It is a shame I have been so long getting these letters off. They should have been sent off two weeks ago but here I am just beginning to start them on their long journey. Dad would have written but he has been very busy & I have not felt well enough to write. Daily for five weeks we have been going to the nose doctor for washings. Dad goes with me & that takes up his time. It used to take a little over an hour out of every forenoon & sometimes more if the doctor was delayed with Ops. When I returned it took me a little time to get over the pain or uneasiness caused by the insertion of the tube. The last few days it is not so painful & I hope another couple of trips will finish it all up. To day I hope though he will not tell me when he will remove a little stub of polyps tissue & then I think I am almost through with daily visits. But the most joyful thing is the Radical Op does not have to be done. That means a lot to me. The doctors have been very patient in waiting & giving all chance for healing to take place without the op. They are unwilling to do more than they have to do as I have reacted so badly every time. It is no fault of mine & I have done what I have been told but the unexpected & unusual has happened each time. Well I think I shall start with the latest event & work back. Mrs. Menzies & Georgie came over for the Allan-Greening wedding. Georgie was bridesmaid. They had not watched the papers for change in timetable & were delayed all along the line. Eventually they & the groom arrived at 3am. Dad met them. I did not get up nor did I speak as they came upstairs. Cocoa was in a thermos & some cookies. They took that & off to bed. Georgie was to be with Miss Brodie but could not get the suburb gate open at that time so I gave her a bed for the night. Coral came up for breakfast & then Georgie went down with her. I gave a tea with bride & bridesmaid & a few of their acquaintances. I felt it was a little risky to venture it as I was so weak but Mrs. Struthers & Coral helped. The bride's parents were with us & after they arrived there was one grand rush till the wedding was over. It went well & all looked nice. I had no responsibility with reception except to supply the hot water & tea was made in our kitchen. We were a part of bridal party taken to church in car, etc. & included in the bridal pictures. But aside from that & the arranging of meals in the home I was free. but so much excitement is hard even though enjoyable. The night Menzies left I had Struthers in for dinner & we had a quiet visit. All is over & this morning we went back to our own room, own bureau drawers, & closet. A week ago the Union church was organized. Dad is Chairman - secretary of church committee & all the examination of candidates, was under his control. He was not alone but was the leader in it all. We had an outside preacher & he & his wife were with us over Easter weekend. Seventy united as associate members & two as full. A group of young people hopes to unite at June communion & Dad will have an eight weeks class with them. So you see I have been having a strenuous time. Fortunately all classes were off for Easter vacation. I have not taught classes in Foreign school for a month before holidays but begin my classes tomorrow. This morning I taught in Coll. of Theology. I hope to carry on quite normally from now on. Hope so. We have only eight weeks till vacation. Foreign school closes June 1. College of Theology closes about June 10th but we get the English exams over early & I may go to Peitaho the first week in June. Dad wants me away early. Dad goes into Honan for a couple of weeks & will be with Bill. I expect our cook will go as Bill will have to board all the outside teachers. He thinks he cannot get away either July or August this summer & is proposing they come here for Sept. We would enjoy that but fear Bill is not looking after his own health, as he should. Such things can be done a few summers when one is young but it does not pay in this hot climate to shorten holidays. Bill has had very little rest either of the last two summers. We will welcome them here for Sept. if they think that the best plan. A letter came in from Bill at noon today. They were out of quarantine April 2. At noon that day Bobby had his bath over. Bill went up & as it was a little cool put a blanket around him, picked him up to take him to the dining room. He looked very sober as he was used to pain following a man taking him up. He continued this sober look till he reached the dining room & saw Helen place his little cloth on the table with his plate of food. Then he smiled & pitched in. After his sleep he went out on the walk & stamped his feet all the way along the walk to the gate to be sure he was really out in the yard. Poor little chap has had a trying time in his little life. Our furlough is unsettled. The Honan council gave permission to go but we will not know till the end of the year 1934 whether there is money or not. However it seems most likely we shall remain here till Jan of 1936 if permission is given for 1935 furlough. Dr. McCulloch, one of the eye specialists of Toronto is in Honan at present. They have given him plenty of eye cases & that is what he wrote he wanted. He has done a lot of Ops. Bill translated for him part of the time in Changte. He had a look at Bobby & thinks the inside of mouth has all it needs done to it. That all that is needed is to fix the line of lips a little & build up the nose a little. He thinks it can all be done in Toronto. Easter Sunday two little girls slipped up to our door & left an Easter egg in a nest of cut paper the same shade. It looked very pretty. There was also a note. I saw them & invited them in for cookies. They came & I produced three little cakes iced in pink which they ate with relish. We have had lovely flowers this spring. First Jasmine, then Forsythia. Also Apricot & peach blooms. It was still on. Usually they go out about the middle of March. Lovingly, Mother ---------------------------------------- Cheeloo School of Theology Tsinan May 1, 1934 Dear Folks, Mo. The end of the month has already passed over and I had better get my letter written in order that it will catch the steamer in Shanghai at the end of the week. Two weeks ago today mother, after seven weeks washing out her antrum went into the hospital again for the removal of part of her turbinated bone in order to give better drainage. She had only a local anesthetic but the morphia went for her badly and she had a spell of twelve hours vomiting… The doctors say they will never giver her morphia again. After she came out she went once or twice for further washing but has been for a week or more without that trip to the clinic. She is very glad to be at the end of it and is trying her best to pick up strength again. She was out to church on Sunday but was pretty tired after it. We don't seem able to keep out of the doctors' hands this spring. While she was in the hospital I developed a rash, which the doctor tells me is herpes zoster or shingles. It has not confined itself to the back but has gone down a nerve of the leg and between the legs. I am a bit better than I was and hope that in another week I shall be ok again, but it is unpleasant in the meantime. I spent most of Sunday in bed and went early yesterday. Today it was between getting this letter ready for mail and going to bed to be in an easier position. We are at last having some warmer weather, delightful. We took down the stove only about April 15 a month later than usual. Though that is so the gardens do not seem to be much behind time. Jasmine, forsythia, lilacs are gone. Iris, yellow roses and strawberries are making the biggest show of flowers just now. Soon Shasta Daisies and Anchusa will be out as well as Sweet William and Columbine. On April 1st we had our first communion service since the formation of the Union Church. At that time we had received 70 membership cards of Associate members and received on that day Lucile Wolfe and John Lair, children of missionaries who joined on profession of faith. I have since organised a communicants' class of five young people who talk of joining at the June communion. A few more names have been added since. Mother has gone downtown shopping with Miss Brodie and Mrs. Menzies. It is a long time since she has been down. Her bike has had practically no use since the beginning of the year. Last Saturday we were invited to the east suburb to a tea in honour of Mrs. Hamilton's seventieth birthday. I went but mother stayed at home. We are invited over there again for next Friday evening to dinner as a farewell to Mrs. Thomson. That has been turned down also. Mr. Thomson left a month ago going by Suez. Mrs. Thomson is to leave at the end of the week going by the Pacific. She got word last week that her son at school in Shanghai had chicken pox, mumps and measles. But he'll be out in time to catch the steamer. Because of Mr. Thomson's ill health they will not be returning to China. They go to Pasadena. A ma reading pretty hard just at the present both in English and in Chinese in order that I shall be ready for the work in Honan after I get through here the middle of June. I shall have to spend some time with the dentist in Peiping on the way through. It will probably be the middle of July before I get to PTH. Bill will not likely get there at all as he has work cut out for all of the hot weather. They will probably come here in September for a time to let him have his vacation. We shall be glad to have them here again. They have not been here since Christmas 1930. Our late word from Honan tells of them being at normal life again. Bobbie had got a cold and his ear began running again but was clearing up. I had a card from Bill written in the country where he had been for some time. Dr. McCullough, the eye specialist from Toronto has been out here for a trip. He was at all of the stations in Honan but did not come here. Before he arrived in Changte they told the country folks he was coming and would give free treatments. They were swamped with old chronic cases, which kept them busy after McCullough went on. I am writing this on a pillow in bed and the machine does not space so well as it ought, as it is not level. I find it more comfortable in my pyjamas than when I am dressed up. I have not a very bad dose but is it all down in the crutch which with a spot on the leg where the chair catches it is the sorest part. We heard from some source that you had secured a position in the Sick Children's hospital for next year on the regular staff. We have never had any confirmation of it. Is it so? I am glad if it is what you are looking for and gives some prospect of permanence. I think that Helen has the baby clinic at Changte now. She is getting into the medical work since Bobbie is out of the woods. Bill has had most of his time taken up with putting in electric lights and telephones. He is now in the country. He is dean of studies at the summer school and I suppose will run a boarding house for the rest of us there. Then he has a young people's conference at the latter part of August. We hope he will be able to come here for a part of September. Some of the staff here would like to see him take my place when we go home but I do not know how the mission would take to it. They might prefer to send someone else. Goodbye for the present. Let us hear from you. When mother was doctoring continually she one day said to Dr. Ingle, "I wish I had my doctor son here." "Why, " replied Ingle, "isn't the old man good to you?" One does not exactly take the place of the other. Your loving father, Robert A Mitchell -------------------------------------- Cheeloo Tsinan May 28, 1934 Dear Mo A steamer leaves Shanghai for Vancouver on Sat June 2. I must try and get these letters ff in time to go on that date. I have done little writing in my diary this month till yesterday and then put down what I could remember. May 10th is Struthers wedding anniversary. We sent over congrats before breakfast & a bouquet of flowers. Dad married them & we always remember them. They do the same for us on May 11. We had talked a little of a trip together but I did not feel equal to it and Dr. Struthers had not been well. On 11th I invited them to tea along with two single women who have just returned from furlough. We had a quiet but pleasant time together. Struthers sent us a pretty little white rose in a pot. It ad six blooms on it. So another anniversary is past. We shall not likely have more than one other in China. I have been writing Helen several times lately. We are making plans for PTH. I leave here on evening of 7th with Ms. Struthers. We reach Tientsin about 7am; take train for PTH arriving about 5pm at the station on 8th. I then have two miles in rickshaw. Helen will come out from Changte when she can get company. May leave on 8th reach Peiping in time to get sleeper out to PTH on 9th and arrive about 5am at the beach. The cook and I will meet her. Bill may have to go out to Peiping with her if there are no suitable traveling companions. But I have written her when the servants go & when I shall be there. I am taking the amah from here with the wife of our cook. Traveling alone with two children she will need friends or Bill go with her as she cannot manage two children & travel in China with all the inconveniences we meet here. We shall have husband & wife there & it will relieve us of much anxiety. Mr. Kenneth MacLennan has been here. We had him with the staff of Coll. of Theology here for a dinner on 19th. We had ice cream & enough strawberries to make a nice sauce for it. Since then we hve been having heaps of berries & I have put down 13 quarts & done a lot of jam. I have also given away some to friends for breakfast & to Miss Brodie to make a little jam. Mr. MacLennan was very pleasant. He gave us a good talk on Sunday on the present condition but was more hopeful of a way out than some. He looked into University affairs & gave the impression that he got hold of things better than some visitors. We were very pleased to hear him tell of his visit with Armstrongs & Jay. This month I have been out to two teas - both cases where there was committee work to be done. The annual meeting of Congregation is this week & we the wives of men & women of Com. give refreshments. It has never been done before. We are having a cold drink & cookies & little cakes - very simple but it will give a time for talk & visiting after the meeting. Dad will then be free of one big job. He will be glad. I accepted one dinner party invitation. All others have been turned down as they begin at 7.30 & my bedtime comes after that time. I am much stronger but feel I must still spend much time on my back. My doctor met me on the campus a couple of days ago & we had a great old friendly chat. He was pleased with my appearance. I shall go for another exam before I start for PTH. This week we were invited to hear a visiting minister talk of his experiences with Oxford group. He went over to England & had a time there. We enjoyed his talk. May 29, 1934 A few cays ago I gave Mrs. Menzies a couple of pongee shirts for you; Also a piece of pongee silk for Jay. Mrs. Menzies knows where to get Jay & will phone her. I think it would be nice if you two could call together for these two bundles. We have had two awfully windy days. One evening there was a big dust storm. The cloud rolled along very quickly after we saw it & we had barely time to get windows closed. All ran & did quick work or we would have had it inside. Then a few drops of rain fell. It has been cooler since then but today we have another wind. It is weather like this that makes us all nervous & sleep stays away from me. Dad is not well today. He has been indulging too much in strawberries & fresh peas I fear. He is cutting down on his diet & is better than yesterday. Tomorrow is the annual congregational meeting & when that is over others will take his place. That will relieve him of a heavy piece of work. Yesterday it was decided Mrs. Struthers & I leave here on 7th. Helen would likely reach there the morning of 10th. I wrote her the final decision and added that if she wished to go earlier to wire & I would send cook & his wife earlier. The cook could meet her if I had not arrived. She could not manage alone for the coolies are so rough. They lay hold of people & insist on carrying the baggage & the rickshaw men urge you to ride in their vehicle. It is very annoying to find one of your children has been carried off & set in a ric while you are looking after something else. 4pm: Word came since the letter was written this am. Helen cannot get off till about the 14th. She wants to get exams off & there is a big clinic on. She takes the children's work. I shall likely remain here till 13th though Dad is not anxious to have me do so on account of heat. But I do not want to pay board in Tientsin & he pay it here. So for economy's sake think I can manage to hold out another week. If not shall go to cellar for the middle of day. Mo do you think Jay is a burden to Mrs. Armstrong. Mrs. A. is not well, Jay has written. I know she would hate to leave there but we may not get home till Spring of 1936. However Dr. Armstrong's coming away on this long tour may make it so that Mrs. Armstrong would not want to be alone & Jay would be company for her. Now adieu for this week. Much love from us both. Lovingly Mother. Jennie H. Mitchell ---------------------------------------- Changte, Honan, July 1st, 1934 Dear Folks, When mother and I separated a fortnight ago it was decided that she would write the letters at this time, as she would have the typewriter with her, and would perhaps be not so busy as I. But as the letters I am getting from her are still in handwriting, and there is no word that the machine which was left in Tientsin for repair has yet reached the coast, I shall write, and let you know the aspect of things from my place of abode. .1 am using Bill's typewriter, and although I am not quite so familiar with it as with our own, yet it is doing better work than ours was lately. When last we wrote, mother was contemplating going to PTK shortly. At first she had arranged to go on June 6 with Mrs. Struthers, but Helen said that she could not get from here at that time. Then mother was to leave on the 13th with Mrs. Cady. The latter took sick, and it was to be thel5th with Mrs. Stanley, Eventually Mrs. Stanley one of the Cady girls, and mother left on June 15 in one compartment, while Bill Djang and I were in another. We had completed our examinations, the closing exercises were in the afternoon, a meal of graduates, staff, and board of governors members. From that we got off to the train. Mother and I got off at Tientsin where we spent the Sunday. Mrs. Stanley and the Cady girl went on to PTH, while Bill Djang went to Peiping to come here. On Monday I left Tientsin at 9 for Peiping, while mother went on at 11.30 for PTH. I got in my first appointment with the dentist at 2.30, and went to the Union Church to the funeral of Dr. Ingram. He is a member of the American Board who came to China 47 years ago. Has been prominent in missionary circles in Peiping and Tunchow, in connection with the Peiping Union Medical College, and with the Language School. He and his wife and granddaughters went to his house in the hills west of Peiping for a day to get things which they were intending to use at Peitaiha. That night the house was entered by robbers holding flashlights and pistols to the heads of his wife and the children. He tackled one of the robbers, and was shot and kil1ed. There was a very large funeral, as he was so prominent a man. I was in Peiping till Friday night, staying at the Methodist compound, and getting dental work done. While there, I met the Struthers and the Thomsons on their way through to Peitaiho. On the same train with me from Peiping, were Mr. King and Miss Shipley on their way back from the meeting of the Cheeloo Board of Governors; also Miss Dinwoody who had been up to the PUMC for an examination. As Miss Shipley got off here, Mrs. MacKenzie got on to go to Shanghai to meet her sister who is on her way on furlough from India, and coming in here to visit her. When Miss Dinwoody would get off at Weihwei, Mrs. Ratcliffe would get on going away for a vacation. She had asked for leave to go home this summer but when she found that her furlough was coming next year, she withdrew it. Since I arrived, here, Mrs. Warren asked for three months leave of absence to go home. I expect she is sailing today. The C.P.R. and the Dollar line are having a rate war the present time, and the ocean travel is astonishingly cheap. It arrived here on Saturday the 23rd. Found Bill and Bill Djang the only ones in the house. The latter had a letter from the Board of Governors of Cheeloo , asking to be one of the members of a committee to approach Dr. Jimmie Yen to be president of Cheoloo. He got a telegram on Thursday to go, and got off that night. Djang had been taking New Testament work with the senior class. I did not begin teaching until he left, when I take Old Testament work in his times. Really, my subject this year is "Between the Testaments." The pastor of the Union Church in Tientsin has broken down, and Mr. Hugh Mackenzie is responsible for finding supply in the meantime. He asked if I could take a Sunday. I said I would consult with Bill to see if I could get off to pass there on a Sunday. So I am to teach here till July 13, leaving my examination papers behind. I shall leave about 3.30 in the morning, and get to Peiping that night. A visit to the dentist in the morning will allow me to go on to Tientsin in the afternoon of Saturday. I shall go on from there to PTH and arrive the evening of Monday July 16th. I expect that by that time the women will be glad enough to have a man about. Helen reached PTH two days after mother did. I met her in Peiping and saw her across to the train for PTH. She came in at 7.00 and had till 8.15 to get the other train. Having a through ticket, her heavy baggage was all checked through. We just put the baby's carry and the hand baggage into my rickshaw and walked across. From the entrance of one station to that of the other is only about a quarter of a mile across the square in front of the Chien Men. The children did not make strange with me although Bobby was very quiet. He trudged along silently holding the hands of two of us until crossing the street when a streetcar passed. He jerked away his hands, wheeled about and pointed to the car. It was the first thing that seemed to arouse his curiosity. When we got settled into the train I told Helen and Miss Preston to go and get something to eat. Bobby was all right with me but Mary Evelyn did not seem to want to sleep in her cory. She cried all the time. Miss Doyle here seems disappointed that I don't rave about Mary Evelyn like most of the folks do. I tell her that certainly the baby has good lungs. She is a sweet little child. As ther is no second-class sleeper on that train, Helen took a first class and would have a very good trip with only herself and the children in a lovely compartment. She reached PTH junction a little after six. They would be home at east cliff in time for a late breakfast. As to the classes here: There are nearly 170 in attendance. There are about fifty in the senior class. The junior is divided into three grades. Some of the lower grades hardly out to come up to this class at all. What struck Bill Djang was that they could get that number to come together at their own expense for that length of time to study. Those from the other stations hve their railway fare paid. They have five to six hours of classes a day. I am taking two hours a day on my work. If I can't finish up I may perhaps take a third hour toward the end. Some of the subjects carry through the whole time, but others are intensive; a couple of classes a day for a fortnight. Bill is dean of studies. Pastor Wang is the chairman of the committee. Bill is terribly busy with a whole lot of things. He is the mechanical minded man of the station and electric light, building and other problems center on him. Then people come from the city to get him to fix up their expensive sets of radio, which they cannot work and he cannot afford to buy. The old set we had in Toronto is still gracing the dining room out of its case, having been rebuilt several times since then and still in the process of rebuilding for long and short waves. Radio has quite taken China. Our cook bought a crystal set and then made one himself. He can get the things in Tsinan. Monday morning. Bill is just preparing to go off with Faris to Wuan. They will have five hours on train and a dozen miles by bike. Bill just called attention to some golf hose I bought for him in Peiping. Of two pairs, each pair has one fancy top and one plain one and the two fancies are different patterns and colors. I looked only at the feet and the general color and saw the plain tops. But they will do for country work ok. A letter from Jay some time ago said you were finishing your exam on May 26. I hope you were highly successful. But we are only guessing what exam it was. Now it is over, can you find time to drop us a line and let us know something of yourself? The other evening I got Faris to show us the moving pictures that he has taken. In fact he was showing them to the class. In stepping down the voltage from 220 to 110 Bill managed to blow out a tube for him. The Honan contingent seemed to show that they were not quite used to appearing in movies and had not much of an objective. But the pictures were rather good. It was easy to make out you towering over the rest but Jay was not so evident. We had a nice rain in t5he night but I do not think that it was enough to stop the men from biking. We are in need of rain here. In some places they are beginning to fear floods but we have not got to the state of wanting less rain. it has been fairly hot weather the last week but really we have not had much to complain of in June. Two weeks from today I hope that I shall go on to PTH from Tientsin. I expect that Mother and Helen will not object to having some man about the establishment. Bill is not going to get away at all in July and August, but is hoping to take a short vacation in Tsinan in September. Thy have not been there since the first year they were in China. Love Dad, Robert A. Mitchell Though late, best wishes for a Happy Birthday on the 12th, Dad ---------------------------------------- Peitaho July 5, 1934 Dear Folks I never seemed so hard to pack & get off to the coast as this year but after several changes in dates & plans we left Tsinan on June 15; Mrs. Stanley, Louise Cady & I in one compartment, Dad & Bill Chang in another. June 15th was the closing of Coll of Theology. The ceremonies in church finished we went to Coll of Theology where Grads, Faculty & Members of the Board of Coll of Theology had a feast; Then off to the car & station. It was a bit of a rush but it seemed the best plan we had; made before. Sickness in one family compelled some changes & we had to leave some who had planned to travel with us behind in bed, in the heat, but we brought the children along. We had a cool night & arriving at Tientsin the party separated. We went to Mr. MacKenzies & had breakfast. In the pm Mrs. Mack & I went out to see a milliner who is making over a hat for me. We had tea with Florence & her husband & saw their pretty home. Sunday Dad went twice to church; I only in the pm but I had a good rest. Monday early dad was off to Peiping & I two hours later started for this place. Mr. MacK. took me to the station & I got a very comfortable seat. The train ws crowded till we reached Tangku where a number got off for a boat & from there on I had the two seats to myself. Up to that point my traveling companion was a young German woman. She spoke good English & we had several chats before she crossed the aisle & sat with her father. At the junction again we were together & on up to the Beach. We came to the East End & she & her father the West End. The cook met me & managed very well. I had little worry. He had the baggage over Sat the 13th for we checked through. The house was open windows cleaned & beds aired. I got out sheets & blankets while he was getting my simple meal ready & then off to bed. I had dreaded the trip & settling but it was over & only a few little finishing touches to put on Helen's room hanging the curtains. On morning of 20th the cook & I rose before 6am of off two miles to meet Helen & the children. They came down on the night train. Dad met them in Peiping transferred them to the Beech train. They had sleeper & the children slept fairly well. But Helen had about thirty hours continuous travel. Up to Peiping Miss Preston was with her but they had poor accommodation & were crowded in the compartment. It was a hectic day. Bobby was so excited & Mary Evelyn was somewhat upset with the trip. This year Bobby traveled well & had no trouble after his arrival but poor little girl was miserable - diarrhea & stomach upset. One never breathes freely for a week or more after these trips out for one never knows what disease they are up against when traveling. Roulston's children both came down with Dysentary a few days after their arrival. They stayed a week in Peiping. One girl was really very sick but both are recovering now. Letters have come out from Dad & Bill. It is hot in there but both were well. When last we heard Bill was on his way to Wuen. It is hot weather for such trips. He thinks he cannot get out this summer & will take this holiday in Sept in Tsinan. Helen & children will go down with us & Bill come from the South, I expect. Bill Chang was in Changte with Bill for several days before dad arrived - a week. Then the three had a time together. The "two Bills" had some great chats I think. They probably settled a number of the world's great questions. Dad will get out here on 16th. He preaches in Tientsin Union Church on 15th. Their Pastor has broken down nervously & been sent home. Mr. MacKenzie of our Mission is the man getting supply & Dad thought he would help him out. He really is not getting up here any later but Bill has arranged that he give a few extra lectures & he then gets away a day earlier. It has been real cool since we came here. I have had a woolen dress on several times & only once have worn a voile dress. Have had on thick cotton dresses with a sweater in the evenings. While the friends we left behind are finding it very warm. In many places the thermometer remains around the 100 & over. Shanghai ha had several deaths from heat. We will have it warmer but the nights will remain cool. This time last year we were waiting in Peiping wondering when we could get through & it was hot I tell you. In Tsinan several homes found the thermometer 98 in their rooms to begin the day. That is always had. Mrs. Faris has been invited to come over with her two boys this pm. All is ready but they have not arrived. Helen & Bobby are out to meet them. It is Donnie's birthday & we have a cake with four candles all ready. It is also bill's birthday but he will not get back from Wuan till late tonight. Too tired for any celebrations. Helen is afraid I shall be overcome by the noise of the three lads when they all get together. Bobby has gown a lot. He is very bright but does not much at talking yet. He tries to talk but will not wait often to be shown how to make the sounds. When he gets older he will cooperate better. He gets cross sometimes when he tries to talk to us & we do not understand. He can make most of the initial sounds & I think will speak fairly clearly in time but with nasal sound. Some help may be had when they go home next year. Helen has a book on defective palate speech teaching & she has done wonders with him. Mary Evelyn is a pretty dainty little thing. Just as much like a little girl as Bobby has the marks of a boy. No one comes on the verandah & calls the baby a boy or is uncertain about her sex. We gave our first tea yesterday. Had nine guests. It went off ok. We had two Chinese friends among the number; I have not been down to the shore even to look yet. It has been so cool. We have a lovely view from the house. Helen & Bobby have been in a couple of times. She goes with him lest he should be afraid but thus far no sign of fear. Morris, Dr. Lang, his name is Kuo C'hen. Surname Lang. Dr. K.C. Lang from Tsinan has gone to The Sick Children's for a year & is in Dr. Wishart's Department. He is the man who did my nose & Antrum Ops. Meet him. Hunt him up & take him out for a ride. He will be lonely when he first goes. His English is not the best but I think you will have no trouble in understanding him though the vocabulary will be limited. This year should make a difference in his speaking. Your birthday will be over ere this reaches you. We will be thinking of you. We have sent two shirts for you, which will arrive a little late, but they will wear the longer into the next year. Tell me if you like them & I can take some home with me for you. Best Wishes for a good year in HPT & we hope you get your exam. Wish you would write us sometimes so that we would know from you what you are doing & not the merest news from others, or the "varsity monthly". Much much love, Mother Jennie H. Mitchell --------------------------------------- 310 East Cliff Peitaiho Beach August 15, 1934 Dear Folks, Mo I am just half a month late in starting this letter. At the end of June both mother and I wrote you but this past month I seem to have put off from day to day finding something different to do. I finished up work in Honan a month ago and left Bill there. I was part of a day in Peking to let the dentist look at his work and then on to Tientsin where I took the service in the Union Church. Then I came up here on Monday, July 17th. This summer has been one of intense heat in China as in some other parts of the world. The highest Bill's thermometer showed in Change was 106 but there are reports from various places of 112 and over. I noticed this morning an estimate that 10,000 people died of heat in our field of North Homan. At the same time the rains did not come. I think that it was about July 24th before the drought was broken. The farmers would probably be able to get a crop of millet after that but I expect that their cotton crop was ruined. Out here the reverse was true. They were having more rain than they wanted. Our kitchen is a basement kitchen on the slope of the hill. The drainage of the hill seeps through so that for nearly a fortnight there was water lying on the floor and boards had to be put down to walk on. We had one big rain after I came which brought on the same condition. I spent a large part of one morning chopping out a drain in the brick and cement. But it is cool here now at nights and we sleep with sheet blanket and quilt over us. When I came out I brought from Bill an extra saddle for the bike. In Tientsin I had a clip made for fastening it on the frame. As soon as I arrived I fixed it up for Bobbie. Now, when the bike comes out he considers that he is going. I had not the cyclometer on till July 24 but since that time I have traveled 130 miles and probably well over 100 has been Bobbie's. He is thoroughly at home. Yesterday we took the longest trip we have had at one time. There were a few little side trips off the direct road but our cyclometer showed about 11 miles. We went to the extreme west end of the Beach Road and back by the central Road. That shows that from Eagle Rock by direct road to the West End the settlement is about 5 1/2 miles long. If one were to follow the coast line I expect that it would show from eight to nine miles of varied sand and rocky coast in the settlement. We are the farthest North East of our mission. Menzies are farthest west, being 3.6 miles from us. Mrs. Menzies has got quite a houseful there. Jean's husband has had typhus and is convalescing there. Then Miss Robb and Miss Hutchinson arrived from Toronto. The former is far from well. Georgia and Miss Brodie are there also. Now this week Isobel and Gordon Brown and his father arrived from Canada. Bobbie and I dropped in there yesterday morning. All but the Stockleys had gone up to the top of Lotus Hills for their breakfast. We are to go there for tea this afternoon. I have not done a great deal of studying since I came up. A couple of children in the house make a difference in the time one has for such things. I ws to re-write a lot of my O.T. notes here. I have not yet finished the introductory chapter. Just a couple of hundred yards from us the Murdo MacKenzies are living. With them are Dr. Fleming from India on her way home on furlough and Mrs. Fleming and Rheba who came out from Canada. Last week we were at a tea to meet Dr. and Mrs. Myers of Hartford. He is a brother of Dr. C.A. Myers of Toronto. She also is a Torontonian. They will probably visit Tsinan just after we get back. During the past week there has been a good deal of excitement here among the young folks because of the tennis tournament. It finished up yesterday. We went to see the game. Dr. and Mrs. Price of Tsinan won. They took the first set 6-4 but then seemed to go off color and lost the second set 0-6. However they pulled together again and got the third one 7-5. Last Friday night there was a fine concert here given by Dr. McCandliss. He is a wonderful singer. This Friday the Choral Society will give their second concert of the season. Such things are usually put on two nights in succession once here and once at the assembly hall at Rocky Point. For people from the interior these are welcome opportunities to hear good music as well as to renew their singing practices. Last week our P.T.H. Fellowship had a series of four days meetings led by Mr. Sandy of the English Methodist Mission at Tang Shen. They were very good. I missed one of them because of rain when it was at Rocky Point. We shall be returning to Tsinan next week. We shall leave here Thursday morning, taking train about nine thirty, changing at the Junction about 10. We reach Tientsin about 4p.m. and leave there again about nine at night reaching Tsinan about 9 the next morning. Helen and the children are coming along with us. Bill has had no summer vacation. Until a few days ago he was busy with the summer school. Now he is at a young people's conference at Hui Hsien, west of Weihwei. He will finish there on the 22nd. and then will start for Tsinan. I expect that he will get there shortly after we do. He will take this vacation there. It will be a change to be about the university and get a new lot of associations. Bill spent two months with us there on 1930 and then they took the Xmas vacation there when they were in language school of Peiping. I wonder if you have yet heard the results of your examination? I hope it was O.K. It is an anxious time while one waits. What is the next step? Do you have to go to London for it? We had a letter from Jay the other day and she said that she had had you up for a bridge party on your birthday. In one of my former letters I commended to you Dr. Lang who was going from Tsinan to take up work in the Sick Children's hospital. It has turned out unfortunately. There seems to be a great deal of trouble getting into various countries nowadays. They thought that they had things fixed up properly from this end but when he arrived on the other side they would not allow him to land. It appears that he was supposed to have a certificate that he was on the staff of Cheeloo University which has a Canadian charter. This was lacking and so he was turned back. Dr. Struthers, who made the arrangements will be disappointed and Lang won't be increased in friendliness toward the Canadian government. I have just stopped to make a change from shorts to longs as it is chilly and raining. I see Bobbie along with his mother enjoying blowing bubbles. This is one of his exercises to increase his control of breath. He sometimes practises blowing out candles. He is beginning to be able to blow a horn a bit. At first he could only hum into it. But there is lots of patient work ahead before he learns to talk normally. He has a determined will and is full of ideas but he has difficulty in getting them across. It does not tend to improve his temper any. A physical abnormality certainly has a good deal to do with a child's disposition. This cool weather makes one feel like getting back home where he can work more normally. A week from today we go, and home will look quite good to us. Love from us both, Your loving father, Robert A Mitchell