Letter No.2.
Luebo, Feb. 20, 1921
Dear Mother and Father:
Have gotten better settled than when I wrote you last, and like my house even better than I did. The boys are fairly good workers, but need a good deal of training, most of them. My cook makes things taste good, but uses lots of grease of which we are not very well supplied until our order comes, and he is not as neat and clean as he should be, but he seems willing and ready to learn, so I have hopes of training him better. He learned what he knows by cooking for the state people across the river, and I heard that his employer over there made several threats to try to keep him. This means that they consider him a good worker. You see, some people try to frighten the natives into doing things. I have a fine table boy, one that Mr. Martin has trained and prizes very much. The house boy is fairly good. B.M. had him last time, so of course knows a little about housekeeping. We have a very good wash jack but haven't found a single one that would press the pleats in my white linen and checked gingham dress without my telling them. I forgot to mention the cook's boy. He's supposed to get the wood and help the cook in the kitchen. This is the way they train their new cooks.
Feb. 23. I have gotten my curtains put up in the front room and it certainly improves the looks of the room. If I don't forget it, I want to send you a sample of the good I made them out of. It is certainly a good thing I got plenty of curtain goods as my windows are so tall they take lots of cloth. I haven't made the curtains for my dining room and bed room yet, but hope to get at it soon. I had the boys scrub the front room and dining room this morning and had it so nice, then a storm (wind storm first, then rain) came and the rain blew in the dining room and ruined the floor again.
Talking about wind storms, we certainly had one this afternoon and they come up so suddenly out here. I was not even thinking about wind, when all at once the wind started to blow and before I could get the windows closed, things blew off the table, blew the door to the cupboard, where I keep my dishes, off. I suppose the boy had left it unfastened. After it was all over, they told us that the church and also the school shed had been blown down. Nearly everyone was glad for they need a new church badly. The thing is, where are they going to teach and have services until the new one is built?
Mrs. Cleveland entertained us with a George Washington birthday party last evening. She played the victrola, then we played games until refreshments were served, then came home. There is somewhere to go nearly every evening, but I don't like this, for we hardly ever have an evening to ourselves. This is prayer meeting night. (Wed.), but it is raining so they did not have it.
I have been intending to mention my clothes for some time but forgot to. I like all my clothes and have had all I needed. My smocks have been about the most catching thing as five or six people have gotten the pattern to make some. I have only worn my organdy once or twice since I left home. Everyone likes my pink gingham that you made for me just before I left. In fact, several people have said I just like all your clothes. It seems like I had lots to tell you along this line, but I can't think of them now.
Today has been such an exciting day for us. A boat came in this morning bringing mail for the mission. We got our usual papers and three letters--two from you and one from Stella. This is the first time I have heard from her since I left, but the ones I enjoyed were from my "own" dear mother and daddy. O! how happy I was and am. I am so glad you are all well, at least you were when you wrote, and I hope still are.
And so George Barnes has at last gotten put in the pen. That is just fine, but I only wish it were for a longer period. I am surprised at Douglas and Mr. Elbert. You did not say what side Edd was on, but I suppose he was neutral as usual.
It's time to go to bed, but I want to tell you about the addition to our family -- don't get excited or let your mind be disturbed by fears -- for it is only a little monkey. It's about as large as a little kitten, and just as cute and playful as can be, but it is very young and will take a good deal of care to keep him. This is the way we wanted him though, so we can train him.
This is about as much as I should write in one letter, so when I write more, I'll put it in a separate envelope. We had a chance to mail some letters yesterday, but had only a half hour to prepare them and didn't have any quite ready, so we missed one mail. I was very sorry. We are preparing another letter on the typewriter and are going to make several copies; in fact we've already done it, to send around to people who may be interested in us. We will send one to Aunt Lutie and Aunt Dora together, to Uncle Kent, Aunt Hon and Aunt Nennie, and to you. You may send yours to Grandmother if you think she is not too angry to want it. There are more but can't decide who to send it to.
Dorothy
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