July 18, 1921
My own dearest homefolks:
I can hardly believe my own mother has been sick in bed two months, that seems such a terrible thing to me, and to think by the time I got your letter, it is likely you were up and much better. Oh! how I hope so. It just seems awful to be way out here and not be able to do something, even some little thing to help. I have found that this is where the rub comes in Africa. You said something about being in bed in your letter before these, but didn't say what for or anything. Won't you write me all about it -- how you feel, what the Dr. says and everything? Don't you think I am just as much interested and ought to know just as well as if I were right there, if not more so? Can you realize how I feel? Mother, please, follow all the Dr.'s directions, a thing which you have never done before very much, for when I come back home, I want you to be in good health when I come home. A big fat lady. I'm so glad James is such a fine boy, wish I could see him right now. I know he has been lots of company for you since you have been sick.
I left out most of the second page. I was feeling blue when I wrote it, and things seemed worse than they really were. Now I guess I'm just blue this afternoon for I haven't said .hardly anything pleasant this afternoon. Speaking of B.M. washing his teeth, I also have the habit of brushing mine every morning and I have not gotten the habit of drinking coffee nor tea, only once in a while, now isn't that pretty good news. You remember you prophesied differently.
There has been a very sudden change here on Luebo station, owing to the poor health of Mr. Wilds at Bulape. Mr. Wilds asked to be changed there so he could receive medical attention from Dr. King, so Mr. and Mrs. Hobson were sent to take their place. They [the Wilds] got here last Saturday and live next door to us in the house the Hobsons had. They seem to be very pleasant people from all I've seen. B.M. knew Mr. Wilds when he was out here before. He is the man who went home with sleeping sickness, was cured, but is a nervous wreck. Nearly everyone thinks he'll have to go home. She is a pretty little woman and has such a sweet little baby about two months old.
Mother, I've been thinking about the way you all have been spreading our letters. Now I'm not getting after you, but there are lots of things in most of my letters that I wouldn't want anyone but the homefolks to see. I have a way of writing every thing I think in letters to you and some of those things would not be very good for me if they were spread.. I know you are careful, but you can't be too careful. Some people are easy to pick on missionaries and say they are getting more than they deserve, and only come out for the trip, etc. And people can't understand unless they were here. Now for instance our personal help. We are encouraged to have a good many boys in order to train them. People would think it terrible to have eight boys in your own yard to help you. Not counting water women and night sentry -- I have cook, cook's boy, sentrys two, table boys two, one house boy, and my wash jack. That sounds fine, but it takes lots and lots of patience to show them over and over again some little thing you want done. I have some mighty good boys under my care, though, and .especially one of my table boys is a smart little fellow.
Mr. Martin left this morning on a long itinerating trip, to be gone at least two months. We all hated to see him go. He's so kind and good to every one. One reason I hate to see him go is that owing to Mrs. Hobson's removal, and Mrs. Cleveland's condition, I will be expected to play for the services, which makes me tremble all over to think of such a thing; they sing in an entirely different song book than I ever saw before and many of the songs I don't know at all.
I can't help but feel that some of my letters from you were stopped at first. I don't suppose there was anything in that letter that concerned them any way, was there, the one they opened, you know?
I think it is likely we will send an order to Aunt Hon, to fill for us, I don't know what we will do about mail orders that we make unless we send them to some one personally.
I must stop now as B.M. has a letter to put in. My prayer is that Mother regains her health and that everything goes well with everyone at home. Love to Hickman, Nettie, and the baby. Father, you have been promising to write for a long time. Why don't you quit promising and write?
Lots and lots of love,
Dorothy
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