Luebo, Sunday
Sept. 25, 1921
My dearest homefolks:
It's too rainy to have Sunday School this afternoon, so everyone is staying at home. I'm sorry to say that I don't generally go to church in P.M., rather Sunday School, as B.M. goes out to where we have church and at three o'clock in the afternoon, it's too hot and far for me to walk. Even at that I go to church more on Sunday than most of the ladies, for they think when they have gone to the English service that's enough. The people seemed to lose interest in the service, out where we go, for awhile; but they have started back again now, and we have quite a crowd, about two hundred and fifty or three hundred.
The elders said the reason the people didn't want to come was because they had to sit on logs and get their clothes dirty; they are like the Indians, put on the best they have on Sunday and it is not so easy for them to get soap to wash their clothes. A good many bring their own chairs when they have any. One of my hardest jobs is to keep the little ones quiet. The native children are not like the Indian children in that respect. The more attention they can draw the better it suits them. There is a bunch now that comes each Sunday and sits in front of my seat and talk, so as to make me call them down. We are going to settle that about next Sunday, though.
One of my little monkeys died this evening. You hadn't heard about this one. I only got it about two weeks ago. Mr. Martin bought it for Sankie, and she became afraid of it and wouldn't have it, so Mr. Martin brought it here as he knew I had a soft heart toward any kind of animals, and asked me to take care of it. It was a very hard kind to raise. In fact you hardly ever see this kind in captivity. I have never seen a large one, but they say when grown are one of the largest monkeys in the forest. I suppose you have heard or seen pictures of the Tombolo. When they are grown, they are black and white, but mine was white all over. I kept him longer than I had expected to, for I had one before that [who] was older than this one, and he didn't live a week. I think one reason he lived as long as he did was because we let him stay with "Belly-belly" (Mr. Martin's big monkey, that we are keeping for him while he goes on his trips) at night, as keeping it warm was the biggest trouble. My other two little monkeys are just alike, and are as cute and playful as they can be. I guess Mother won't be much interested in my animals, but it's my nature to love pets and I can't help talking about them. These little monkeys, especially "Jocko" are the best pets I ever had.
We got our bed from Montgomery Ward in the last ship load of stuff, and my! it certainly is comfortable. Only a mattress and springs is all we ordered, but we have a nice bed-stead. The mattress came in pretty bad shape. Had oil spilled on one side, two rat holes, and several torn places. I think I patched about ten places, but there were only two large ones, and I am going to try washing the grease off with soap and water and a brush. Even with all that, it does not look so very bad and it certainly is good. I am going to make a cover for it as soon as I have time.
"The Club" leaves next Sat. morning, and I certainly will be glad. It looks like at the rate they are going around that it won't be long before they come back to me again. There are three women expecting babies on this station now and those ladies won't want to keep the men when they get stout. Those three ladies are Mrs. Cleveland, King, and Stegall. Mrs. Vinson has been sick for nearly a month now, and continues to have a little fever every day. She has malaria and can't get rid of it.
The news from Mrs. Kellersberger is worse. She got up and they thought they would be able to start soon, but Dr. wrote the other day that he had to put her back in bed, and if she didn't get well enough to leave soon, she could not go. [A note on the side states,"She is better & able to travel OK now."]
I have read several books since I came out, and l'd read lots more if I had the time. There are so many good books in the library. I can't remember all that I've read, but "When a Man's a Man", "The Girl of the Limberlost," and "the Following of the Star" are some of them. My next book to read is "Innocents Abroad." B.M. and I are reading "Our
Mutual Friend" together when we have time, and Mr. Gilliam let us have "Martin Chuzzlewit," one of Dickens I'd never heard of to read.
I think I shall write to Mr. Myres and find where Francis is in school so I can write to her. If you know, please write her address in your next letter. I declare it's a shame the way I neglect my friends. I haven't written to Helena since she married.
Please don't say on your letter, via Antwerp any more, for we might get them sooner, you see they send the letters by the quickest way. If one of your letters got to Antwerp just after the steamer had left, if that letter didn't have "via Antwerp" they would send it to France if they had heard a French steamer was leaving soon. I must stop for today. Our houseboy, the one what was with B.M. out here before, says tell my grand father and grand mother "Moyo" (greetings). He says we are his father and mother, so you are his grandfather and grandmother. He has his faults, but as a whole we like him very much. .
I love you both a bushel and a peck and a hug round the neck. Give my love to Stella.
Dorothy
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