Luebo, December 6, 1921
Dear, dear homefolks:
I have so much ground to cover this time and so many things on my list to tell you I wish I could write with a pencil, but you know what B.M. thinks about that, so I'll do the best I can with a pen. Have just finished reading over all your old letters--about seven in all--and making notes on what you asked me. You see, I don't keep your letters any longer than to answer them and you know how hard that is for me as I always kept all my letters, but I hardly ever read over them over [sic.] and have no plan to keep them. That is, I mean after the first few times, I don't read them over.
My first topic naturally is on the mission meeting, as that is the big thing going on here now. Everyone has all the entertaining they can do and many interesting things are discussed, while some subjects are far from interesting. The delegates from Lusambo are Mr. and Mrs. Bedinger, Mrs. Anderson, and Mr. Daumery, who runs the steamer; from Mitoto, the Smiths and Mr. Shive; and the Whartons from Bulepe. The Mc [???] came from [???]. The Edmonstons (colored) have just come from America and have not been placed yet. Understand the Edmonstons have been out here before, and Mrs. Edmonston especially is a very smart woman, having written a grammar in the native language which is to be printed soon. They are my special guests and very pleasant people. They also have their little boy (age 8) with them. The changes at Luebo after mission meeting we are expecting to be great, as ours is a large station and the others are wanting more people. The ones we are expecting to lose sure are Clevelands, Gilliam, Kings, and the Mission treasurer is almost certain to be moved to Lusambo sooner or later, but the subject has not been voted on yet. I haven't time to tell you much that goes on at the meeting, but these sessions are held morning, evening, and night.
The women have been having meetings each morning, but our problems are nearly all dispersed with. The most interesting subjects at our meeting were education of missionary children, appointing ladies to publish a book for new missionaries consisting of customs of natives that will help them get into their work and understand the natives more quickly, also the question of whether the ladies should come to doctors or doctors to ladies in confinement cases (expectant mothers.) The first subject (missionary's children) was settled by asking or deciding to ask the committee to send teachers primarily for teaching these children, but also using her spare time in working with natives. At present, this question is to be brought up at each station and one lady appointed to teach those children that need attention at present. I suppose this means that I continue my work with Sankie, while I feel I am not able to do her justice. On the last subject I feel you won't understand all. You see there is only one doctor on the mission at present, while we are expecting Dr. Stixrud soon, still the condition at present is hard. There are seven of our ladies pregnant at this time and Dr. King is the only Dr. to look after them and they are on different stations. The Dr.'s wife being one of them. I sympathize with the Dr. to some extent but I think it's wrong from him to expect these women to come to him as hard as a hammock trip is and as dangerous [sic.] I know the way he looks at it, "if I were in that condition" I would certainly not call on him unless I had to, and that's the way most of the ladies feel. I'm so glad Dr. Stix is going to be our Dr., though they tell me he isn't as good as Dr. King along those lines. The meeting has been expecting to close (Thursday) day after tomorrow, but there is so much to do we don't know when they will get through.
Our box of books came up on the Lapsley and what we thought was our cedar chest, but it turned out to be Stegall's honey extractor; now we have had no word from it since it got to New York, but we are pretty sure it got that far as the box of books came. You can't imagine how disappointed I was, but they tell us there is still some chance of getting it, especially if it is at the White Bible Training School at New York. We don't know just yet how to go about it, but something should be done right away. I certainly was glad to get my music and domestic science books, especially. I can't tell you yet whether I've forgotten all my music or not, as there has been a man in the room where the piano is and I hated to go in, at least two men most of the time and not our missionary people either. I am so anxious to try. The natives seem to like the songs in the Midway book, it's "kinda jiggy" and attractive to them. I may try to teach Sankie to play, as you know I brought my first book. I don't think the next term I try to teach the Dr.'s children from across the river, as that makes three children in three different classes and I can't give Sankie all the time I'd like to.
Mrs. Wylds my next door neighbor has a good voice and has taken some lessons, I don't know just how much she knows, but she has an invalid husband and besides her four months old baby and one of the hardest native classes, the class of teacher's wives. Women are very hard to get to learn. Mrs. Wylds told me the other day that after she had taught them the word "kusumba" (elephant) for a whole week, on Monday morning, she asked them to spell it, one woman spoke up and said, "If you teach us, we will know." Just a sample of their denseness.
I hardly ever play on my "uke" any more, the organ takes all my time musically. Mr. Martin plays for English service and plays well; he is to leave soon, though, then I hope Mrs. Cleveland will be able to play for church. They are the only two who play besides me. When the piano was talked about being put in the shed, Rowena was here and she plays songs, but that was only in the Educational meeting it was passed and the station, rather Mr. Martin, refused, so that was dropped before she left. We never said anything about it, but the Hobsons and we did not get along very well, not that we had any words, but once or twice, but we had entirely different ways and opinions. We feel that it was planned by God that they were sent to Bulape, for as it is, we write to each other and are on good terms as long as we are not thrown together all the time. We sometimes think that possibly it was because we were both just married and thought too much of ourselves. Everything is all straight now and we are good friends.
Mother, I hope you don't try to teach too soon, and I know you should not teach this year, for you are not strong enough. I know, though, how you feel about letting someone who does not know anything about it teach. As to the house, there will never be another place just like that one to me, but I feel that if you can get a good price for it now, it is the time to sell, for you can't live out there all the rest of your life. As far as B.M. is concerned, he likes it out there, but he is going to have to study up on the printing work if we come back. I'm afraid to say anything much either way, for you all will have to do what you think is best for yourselves, not for us.
I hope Hickman's arm is better now. I got a nice letter from Nettie in the last mail, and I certainly would like to see James, from what Nettie says he is as big talker as the rest of the family. We also got a letter from Frances Chambers, Miss Louise Evens, and Ester Davidson, she used to be, all just as sweet and nice as they could be--makes me wish I liked to write letters.
Yes, our kodak is in good fix and we have films. We want to take some more pictures soon, can't print them though as our paper is bad.
Of course, I'll be mighty glad to get some new dresses, my dresses are wearing out pretty fast, you see we have our clothes washed more out here and that makes them wear. I don't have any place to wear my organdy much and hate to wear it for nothing, but I have plenty of time to wear it yet. I fixed the yoke like you told me to, for Oh! I need things like that so badly, and I fixed it just in time for mission meeting.
I was surprised to death about Miss Dora, it seems to me that's a very good match. I can't remember hearing anything very bad about Dee Moye, and I know he is certainly good looking. I don't remember anyone by the name of Mr. Victory. I guess he just heard of me and wanted to make like he knew me. Where are Miss Dora and her husband to live?
You are not much ahead of us on the corn meal proposition, as we have ordered us one from the Mt. Gomery Ward [sic.]. Ours hasn't come yet, and there is no telling when it will. I have been doing a little cooking myself here lately. I'd made a cake all by myself and the cake part turned out real nicely, but the icing sugared and I didn't get it on quick enough. I have also made bread several times, and Mrs. Cleveland has helped me, but I haven't perfected it yet; however, it's much better than my cook can make.
You spoke of sending some shoes, well I certainly need them, but Mr. Stegal is making me a pair in the industrial school, and he. has a new last that is very nice. He has already made one pair for me, number threes, and I had to pass them on to another woman because they were too small. Surely hope this pair will fit or I'll have to go barefoot pretty soon. You would be surprised at the shoes they make here--almost as pretty as shoes you buy at home and real leather, too.
Mrs. Cleveland is expecting her little visitor in six weeks, and I have not made here a single thing yet. I have made Sara enough tatting for a little dress, and also some tatting insertion for just above the hem like Jo Carroll had, and Sarah and I together made Mrs. King a little dress. Sarah made the dress and I gave the tatting. It's certainly not because I don't like Mrs. Cleveland that I have left her last, as she and I are neighbors and good friends, but Mrs. Cleveland knows how to sew so well and she tats, and I just can't decide on anything.
My! my hand is so tired, but I decided I just must write you a long letter. After I started and had all the material ready, the boy came in saying mail left this afternoon, so I had to hurry.
I just love you, and love you some more.
Dorothy
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