Congo (64) Luebo, Congo 1/17/1922 [DCS]

Luebo, Belgian Congo, January 17, 1922

My dearest homefolks:

Since my last letter I have been appointed to several "jobs" here on the station, 1st Librarian, now I don't know just what that work is yet. The Library is our meeting place, so one job, of course, is to keep it clean and keep the books in order. There are papers that come under the name of the Library and I will have to keep them straight. This morning Mrs. Stegall called me over to take over the entertainment stuff, such as sheets, spreads, curtains, slopjars, pitchers and bowls and all kind of things for fixing rooms for visitors. Stegall had appointed me to that position at last station meeting. Now this is quite a big job here at Luebo as there is always someone coming here, perhaps to stay for only a few days, but I'll have to drop my work and fix a room for them. I don't mind the fixing room proposition so much though as deciding where to put the people. The station is so large now--and prospects of it being much larger. There are only two places to put visitors now, the White Hospital entertaining room, where visitors are not supposed to stay--only patients, and my back room, and we certainly don't like to keep people back there at all. Our path to the back yard, toilet, and everything is right in front of the door and it isn't only unpleasant for us, it is for them also. This may seem selfish, but if I have a home, I want it private and not a regular hanging out place for everyone who comes through. I have been appointed as organist for English services, as Mr. Martin is going to leave soon to visit the out stations, or rather itinerary work and will stay until time for him to go home in April. Now I am going to tell you something that I believe will make you glad. I have asked Mr. Martin about keeping the piano in our home. There is no one else on the station who pretends to play sheet music.

Thursday, January 19, 1921.

Will take my letter up with the same subj. The station heartily agreed to my keeping the piano down here. It will help me so much. I believe I play better than when I left home. The little organ is really better for playing hymns, and the piano has improved greatly with use. I have not been able to practice on it much up there, but hope to do better with it here. I have started to teaching in the native school, started this morning, or rather for the first two days have asked to sit in the class and watch the native teacher. Mrs. Stegall is teaching Sankie some, but Sankie has been in bad health, has malaria and has had fever for almost two months now, not much, about 100 each day I believe, and she does not want her to attend school regularly. There is no telling when she will be able to come again, so as they are short of teachers in the native school and Mr. Gilliam asked me to take a class, I consented. Don't know how Mrs. Stegall likes it, as she has been so afraid they would get me in the school, but I did not feel like sitting down and doing nothing when they needed me there, and really I feel that I need something like that pretty bad so as to get on to the language better. I'm picking it up real fast now, but everyone says the way to learn it is to teach. I have the first reader class, but they are not graded like our books at home so some day after I learn more about my work I will tell you.

Kemp and Rowena sent us the cutest little kitty yesterday. The last one we had someone stole and we fear it was our table boys as they don't like for us to have a cat. One thing--they don't always get the scraps, and then she is often in the way; but if this cat goes there is going to be a palaver somewhere.

Continued in next letter.

Lovingly,

Dorothy

Congo (63) Luebo, Congo 1/14/1922 [DCS]

January 14, 1922

Dearest Homefolks:

Someway I can't make up my mind to write you a letter so I'll write you a note. There hasn't very much happened of interest around here these days, at least nothing that would interest you. There have been several changes of houses making room for the Stixruds and the people who are coming with them. The house Miss Larson was living in is called the Stixrud's house and we are looking for them the first of Feb.

You have no way of knowing how glad glad glad I was to get your picture and it is so good of you too. Seems to me if the picture speaks true you are looking much better than when we left. I hope you won't continue to teach school and ruin it all. I was also glad to get the other pictures, too, but you see this is the second picture you have ever had taken that I remember. I hope you will thank the taker of this picture for me when you see her or write to her.

This is a very scratched up and messy letter. I hope no one sees it but you and Daddy. I am writing in a very big hurry. The mail may close before I finish. I want to tell you now if there is a longer space between my letters than usual that we missed a mail on account of change of stamps. The letters were sent back. Notice the difference.

It will be all right for you to make up a letter out of my old letters for the friends. I think it will help very much, as I won't have time to write to them. I have two dozen on my immediate list now. Not that I write to them all the time, no by no means, only owe them letters. I got another letter from Miss Evans in the last mail saying she was to be married soon and that she found her romance at Kerrville also. You might have heard it, but if not, know you are interested. Oh! please give the Livingston people my love; I have been putting off their letter so long, but hope to get at it soon.

All those things you say the Stixruds are bringing are mighty nice and I need the center pieces so badly and the luncheon sets also. I certainly am anxious to see them. The package from Carroll hasn't come yet, but there hasn't been any more packages come since the letter, and didn't any come in that mail either.

B.M. is afraid my letter will get left, so goodbye to all.

Lovingly,

Dorothy

Congo (62) Luebo, Congo 1/12/1922 [DCS]

Belgian Congo, Central Africa

(Via Antwerp)

January 12, 1922

Dear Hickman and Nettie:

I mailed a letter from B.M. to you which should not have been mailed until I got my letter written, but now you will hear from us twice instead of once, and we certainly owe you two letters at least. It seems like there has been so much going on at Luebo of late we don't have any time to ourselves. The Mission Meeting, Christmas, which meant more than I ever dreamed it would mean in the Congo. We had such a nice time. I got several nice presents. A porch swing, one dozen linen napkins from B.M. which I needed very badly, and an ivory bracelet. These were the nicest things, but we got a few smaller things.

I have been across the river to the state post this afternoon to pay my respects to the Commissaire's wife. I don't generally go across to call, but Miss Black didn't want to go alone, so I went to keep her company. The Madam is a very pleasant woman in her way. She is Dutch and her husband is Belgian and it would shock you to hear her speak of how it freshens one's mind to smoke, that when she was going to school she would take a cigarette and could study so much better. And, of course, she drinks wine, but not before us. All Belgians drink wine and when we were there they called us "ducks" because we drank so much water. The Madam is really an educated woman, and is interested in the study of Botany. She has beautiful flowers and always has a good garden. She was showing us this aftemoon her watermelons, one is about twenty inches, and that is very fine for the Congo, as they are hard to raise out here.

I get the "Club" (I guess you know what that is) either next month or March and I am certainly dreading it. It's one of the hardest jobs I have ever done.

James certainly must be a "dandy." I wish he could see my little monkeys. They are surely cute; sometimes I turn them loose in my paw-paw trees and they jump from one to the other; sometimes the leaf, there is only one leaf on every limb, falls and they go with it, but are up by the time they hit the ground and half way up the tree again; they seem to be very tough. All I lack now is a parrot, and they say they aren't very hard to get. I haven't tried yet. I am hoping to bring my monkeys home with me when I come if I find the duty isn't too high.

I have a baby goat five days old that I'm trying to raise, some of the village people have stolen its mother and I am giving it all the goat's milk we get and some canned milk, too. It seems to be getting along fine.

This is a beautiful moon light night and the village people are having a time. They have their dances and plenty of their kind of whiskey is drunk. You can hear them from all parts of the village. Then, too, the children from the two homes, girls and boys, are out at play and they are right at us. Some of the songs they sing are real good and we love to watch them at play.

9:20 P.M. It is late for the Congo, so good night. Kiss James for me and love to you.

Dorothy

P. S. Give Eva my love the next time you see her and that I want to write her a letter soon.

Dot

Congo (61) Luebo, Congo 1/1/1922 [BMS] [DCS]

Luebo,

Jan. 1st , 1922

Dear Hickman & Nettie and James:

As this is New Year's Day, we send you our best wishes for this New Year, and trust there may be much happiness in store for each of you.

Your letter of Sept. 21st came a few weeks ago and it is needless to say that we enjoy your letters. You perhaps can't appreciate just what this means until you have been a good little bit further away from horne, and when you can't get letters any week. So you may be sure that this is one place you write where your letters receive a big welcome. This is beside the fact that we want to know how and what and why about you folks, not to mention James the First.

We have been busy enough during the past several weeks. Beginning the first of December we had our Annual Mission Meeting, which lasted two weeks. There were representatives for all the stations here, and with accommodations for about twenty w~ had thirty-six folks at one time, which means we were crowded. We had a couple in our horne for this period, and an eight year old boy, too. So this kept Dot hustling to keep them fed and so forth.

Christmas passed off rather quietly here, that is compared with the way it is celebrated in America. We all had a big spread together Christmas Eve night, and had a little program with quartets, readings, etc., and some little Christmas sox for everybody~ it was a pleasant evening. The "Missus" was one of the quarters. The biggest affair was that of our little missionary children, there being six on the station, from a few months up to 8 years old. They had their Christmas trees, presents, etc., and seemed to enjoy it.

In one section of our territory this is the season for ants, and the natives are having a big time getting a supply. They find them in big and little hills, from two to six feet high, and dig down to get them. After they get them, when they wish to preserve them they dry them or smoke them, which is when they don't eat them just so. I think this is when the young ants hatch out and are big enough to eat. It's turned around with you folks, I believe, for here the people eat the ants, while you the a(u)nts sometimes eat the people? However, these ants, or "nsua" are quite a delicacy (to the natives, of course.) They are not a stinging species, as they don't eat the stinging ants. But ants is too large a subject in this country to discuss in one letter, or in several letters.

Note that you had fourteen little chicks the last time you wrote, so that by the time you get this letter, they will be about big enough to eat. Hope you have been able to raise them. We have found it a difficult job to raise them here. We buy most of the chickens from the natives, and this is the most common meat we have. Just the other day, we bought a young pig and had pork, spare ribs, etc., which was a good change.

While you are perhaps having your coldest weather we are having our warmest, for January is our warmest month. However, even in this month it does not get as close and hot here as it does there, for it is seldom so hot that you feel the need of a fan when you are in the shade; it is only when you stir around in the heat that you feel it. It is very rare that it is so warm that you can not find a cool quiet spot, which is often the case there in July and August.

Well, let us hear from you again. We are always anxious for a letter from you.

With love to all,

B.M. and Dot

Congo (60) Luebo, Congo 1/3/1922 [DCS]

Luebo, January 3, 1922

Dear Mother, Father, and Aunt Nennie:

We got mail at about 9:30 last evening, the first we have had for a long time, and this was only a scrap mail, I think. We are expecting a big mail on the Lapsley which is expected in two or three days, possibly tomorrow. It came from Lusambo to Basongo about three days run from here to get the Smith and Stixrud party.

I got more mail than anybody last night, or rather we did, and that's unusual as I don't get very many letters generally. I got one letter from you, the one with the clippings about the Dorothy S. [?] and the one from China. I also got a letter from Aunt Sarah, a very sweet letter which I must answer soon. I have wanted to write to her several times but did not know just how to address the letter. She says she is going to send me their little paper. And I got two Christmas cards and B. M. got a letter.

Well the club is here and I'm trying to teach and clean rooms for the expected party, too. I haven't been to school for the past two days for I had to fix rooms; it's just like it is at home. There is plenty of help but so very slow. Cisuana works hard and generally very well, but so very slow on some things. Yesterday we washed window frames, door base board and floor and windows, three of a room, (my back room) where I am going to put Miss Porter, and besides I made curtains for those three windows, not curtains hemmed at both ends but a two inch hem all around. Then we made up the bed and arranged everything. We stopped work at about 11:30 and began again at 3:00. When I think about it, that's not so much time for the amount of work we did.

Today I have fixed up Sarah's back room for Mr. and Mrs. Anderson. Anderson of Lusambo is bringing the Lapsley as Mrs. Daumery is expecting a baby soon and he is afraid to leave. But in this room I only swept, dusted, and made up the bed. It took much longer to do this than you would think, though, as it was so dirty.

I got my package this afternoon, and everything was very nice, but I am trespassing on B. M's ground as I told him he might write about that.

I guess you think I'm a mighty sorry teacher to stop to prepare rooms, but it's too hot in the afternoons, and I can't leave it to the boys. There are always some teachers you can call on as substitutes, and so you don't feel like you are letting everything go to rack as when they have no one.

I was getting started very well in school now, but the first few days I had a time. My pupils are women and girls and everyone acknowledges that women are harder to teach than men. They are hard to keep quiet and don't learn so well, either. I have administered three slaps since I've been up there, which is very hard for me to do, but if I didn't they would never know they had to mind me.

I'm enjoying the piano so much, don't have much time to practice now, if I had had it last month, I would have gotten in a good deal of good work, but now!!! The club seem to love to hear me play, but I’m so out of practice I can only play a few pieces. I don't mind playing before company near as much as I used to, but I suppose it's because they are so much like homefolks.

It's 9:00, our bed time, so as we got in late last night, must say good-night.

Lovingly,

Dorothy

Congo (59) Luebo, Congo 12/25/1921 [DCS]

Letter No. 20

Luebo, Belgian Congo, Dec. 25, 1921

Dearest homefolks:

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you all.

I guess you wonder what we do for Christmas way out here, where you can't go to town to buy things to give. Well, if you had seen the beautiful porch swing that Stegall made in the Industrial School and had put on my porch before I got up this morning, part of the question would be settled at least. He knew how I liked a swing and how I wanted one so he sent it under Sankie's name to her teacher. I certainly am proud of it. Sankie also gave an ivory bracelet made by Stegall's boys in the school.

I thought we decided not to give presents to each other in the Station Meeting the other night, and I was so glad, as I did not bring out a thing in the way of presents. You know I had all I could do to get myself ready to come out here, but things have been coming in all morning. It almost makes me sick to get things and not have anything to give in return, but there is not one of them that I did not tell that I was not going to give presents. I guess I could have made them, as some of the rest have done, but I have had all I could do entertaining "mission meeting" people. You should have seen the nice little Animals Mrs. Cleveland made for the children on the station. She is an artist along sewing lines, in fact she is good along most all lines--reminds me of my mother in that respect. Both the Stegalls and the Clevelands had Christmas trees for their children out of a kind of tree that looks a whole lot like our holly, only the leaves are smooth and it has flowers instead of berries.

We (the station) got to enjoy the Stegall's tree last night. We had a course dinner, furnished by all the ladies, and afterward some musical selections, a talk on Christmas, by Mr. Martin, and a reading by Mr. Gillian. It seems to me that perhaps you and I read that story together, I know I had read it before--where the colored valet of George Staunton tells of two Christmases. One where George met Miss Charlotte, and he also met the girl, Miss Charlotte's maid, that he afterward married. The next Christmas, George has broken up with Charlotte. He is invited to a Christmas entertainment, but does not know Charlotte is going to be there. When he sees her, he leaves the place of amusement, swims a swollen river, where he nearly loses his life. During his sickness, he is always trying to get across that river again to see Nancy and can't. On the last day of his illness, he tells Edinbourer he is going to try to get across for the last time. Charlotte comes in about that time and he's across. I did not mean to tell the whole story when I started, but wanted you to know what it was. I find B.M. has told you about all of the entertainment, so I will only add that we had a fine time. I furnished a duck, pickles, olives, and a piece of chocolate candy to go in each stocking. (Understand the duck did not go in the stocking!!) I also helped prepare the salad, stockings, and popcorn balls for the stockings. Mrs. Cleveland, Wilds, and I did this.

I never did tell you about the other I things I got. Mrs. Wilds sent me a little apron, and so did the Whartons and Vinsons. They also sent a sack of candy. Mrs. Larson sent a can of plum pudding. But I have saved the best til last, at least it is the thing I needed most--some nice linen napkins, one dozen of them. I guess you wonder why I need napkins so badly, but you see, the ones Aunt Hon and Aunt Nennie gave me are rather small for dinner use. They are for tea, and as we have lots of teas out here, when we entertain State people especially, I want to save them for that purpose. They are very pretty since I have the crochet around them. I have only made six as yet. I am going to get me some cheap cloth and make us enough napkins so that we may have a clean one every day.

You need not be afraid we will lose our manners as there is no one who believes in manners more than B.M. does, and oh well! it's just too easy to be good mannered in the Congo, I mean as far as table manners are concerned.

You should have seen me Christmas evening at the English service; I had on my white organdy and my little white cap, my white pumps, and my! I did look swell. B.M. still does not like the white cap, so this is the second time I have worn it since I've been out here, and it was the first time for my organdy in the daylight, but I have worn it several times, about four, at night.

I am practicing up on some of my pieces, it seems the "Shepherd's Evening Song" is the hardest to play now, but I'll get it up all right again. The piano is not so bad as I had expected, and I have not forgotten quite as much as I thought. You see, practicing on the organ has helped me a great deal. As I have said before, when Mr. Martin and Mrs. Cleveland leave, I'll be the only one to play, so I may ask to have the piano moved down there. B.M. does not seem to approve very much as there is not really any place to put it, but I would like to have it close, but have not mentioned it to anyone else.

I suppose you think that we will not get the package sent from Terrell as we got Carroll's letter and did not get the things, but packages did not come in the last mail at all. They do not come every time, but we hope they will come in the next mail. I'm so afraid you worked too hard on my dresses. I never thought of your sending so many. You have always been too good to me, and I know it. This will be enough clothes to last me until I come home. I'm still wearing my pink jacket, and the last time I wore it, I got two compliments on it. Those princess slips certainly will come in fine. I've been planning to make me some as my old ones are in rags nearly. Washed my nice kimono the other day. It did not take the washing very well, several holes came in it, but I can mend them fine, and it is still beautiful. I have always been sorry I took your kimono. It's a shame absolutely. I believe you would have let me have the house if I could have brought it! !! I know you needed it so badly. Thanks, Daddy, for your letter, we both enjoyed it.

I must begin to cut down on this letter. I always feel that I have left out something that I wanted to tell you. I can write you long letters, but when it comes to other people, I fall down.

Love,

Dorothy

Congo (58) Luebo, Congo 12/25/1921 [BMS]

At the top of the letter is written, "Happy New Year to All, from Dot & B.M. You can see from this date, that we can't mail letters everyday. This letter mailed on Jan. 1st.

We have just received your 2 letters of 15th and 20th Oct. and card of 14th (Oct.), but as mail closes again at 2:00 P.M. will not have time to write more this mail. B.M. "

Luebo, Christmas Day, 1921

Dear Mother & Daddy:

If I were there I would say "Merry Christmas" to you both, and as the circumstance is, I write it with just the same spirit in which I would say it.

We celebrated our Christmas together yesterday evening, at which time all of us gathered at the Stegalls, had an Xmas supper and some entertainments of various kinds. We all report a splendid time; everything went off in good order. After the supper (or dinner, if you please), which was at 7:00 P.M., we had a few hymns together, a xmas selection by a mixed quartet in which the "missus" sang alto, a solo by Mrs. Wilds, a talk by Mr. Martin on the Spirit of Christmas, a Christmas reading from Thomas Nelson Page by Mr. Gilliam, and the distributing from the Christmas tree of stockings for everybody, filled with candy and nuts. So ended our evening, which was a very pleasant one for us all. Dorothy will tell you more about the little trinkets that passed around from the ladies, and the various presents the children received.

We are expecting the arrival of Dr. Egbert Smith, of our Executive Committee, about the latter part of January, along with some of our missionaries, probably the Stixruds and Allens, as we have heard that they are both coming and sailing date was fixed, and we feel sure they will be coming out with Dr. Smith. We are all very happy to learn that

Dr. Smith is to visit our field, for we feel sure he will have a different conception of our work, and will give our Church at home a different one, too. I think you heard him talk on his visit to China, and know what a powerful presentation he made of the conditions on that field. Then there are a number of problems that we want to discuss with him, too.

I forgot to tell you about the Christmas we had with our boys. As it is very difficult to make them understand the true meaning of Christmas by giving them presents, which is shown by past experiences, we have made it a policy not to indulge in any free presentation of presents. So we gave them each a small amount with which to get something at their market ,yesterday (the native market is held here every Saturday.) We have tried to encourage them to make a free-will offering for the needy on that day.

We have not had much success with our pigeons so far, on account of the house not being suitable. It was the upper part of our chicken house and was too easy of access for rats; not long ago I shot a fair sized snake up there. But we have just moved the pigeons to a new house, built for that purpose, and are hoping for better success. The young squabs certainly make a nice dish, and the variety adds to the taste as well. Stegall has some rabbits, Belgian hares, but they haven't been doing so well. If we could ever be successful with them, they would be a help. We have gotten to the stage out here when we must begin to prepare for some other meat supply than chicken, for the traders and various companies, as well as the state, have been creating such a demand for them that it is difficult to get them and the price is going up.

The people amongst whom we are working at the Baluba and Lulua tribes, and then at Bulape, (where the Whartons are working) , we have the Bakuba tribe, which is quite a distinct set of people, both in appearance as well as manners and customs. They are most aristocratic and striking in looks of all the people in this section, and realizing this peculiar condition, the State has been trying to preserve this kingdom as nearly as possible in their original state instead of trying to force them to adopt civilization as the others. The result is that we still see one of the old and one of the most powerful tribes practically as it has been living; they wear practically no foreign clothes, only their own native raffia cloth, generally dyed red. These people have a king, and a real "king" in the literal sense of the word. He is now stopping at Luebo, has been here some weeks. While he is one of the most powerful native chieftains in our section of the Congo, still he is a paralytic, and cannot raise his hands, or stand on his feet. He must be carried about everywhere; and it is interesting to see the care his men take of him. He is a very large man, fleshy and has a rather pleasing face. This is the people who have the best organized form of government among these natives. They have a regular Congress, with a Speaker; there is the Attorney-General, the royal surveyor, and so on.

Dorothy is calling me to get ready for our English service, so I'll have to say good bye for the present. With all of our best wishes for you both, and much ,love.

B.M.