Rumuruti,
Laikipia. B.E.A. Sept. 25, 1910
Dearest
Mama:
See,
here we are. Arrived last Wed. so awfully sunburned I fear
I’ll
never get my natural color again. But we had a dandy safari.
Enjoyed it so much. You see we took a long enough time for it.
Went
up on Thurs. train to Gilgil & left there Fri. A.M. Took
it
rather slow and camped on Sun. of course, and got here Wed.
noon. We
had a horse a mule and a donkey besides Raymond’s bed in which
he
was carried most of the time.
Miss
Slater came back with us, she had been visiting at Kijabe. she
was
used to riding so rode most of the time and part of the way
had
Raymond on with her. He enjoyed it - but liked walking most.
He
seemed to enjoy every minute so much. In the first place he
was
crazy about the train and kept us hooting most of the time by
his
excitement and funny expressions. He was so excited all the
way to
Gilgil that sometimes he scarcely knew what he was about. Then
every
morning before he was dressed he’d ask “Going byebye today,
Mama?” and seemed to enjoy the birds & trees and to notice
the
butterflies & flowers so much. He likes it here too tho’
he
doesn’t know how to play with smaller children nicely. Karl
Barnett is only a year old and of course as fast as Raymond
builds up
a house of blocks Karl knocks it over and R. wont stand for
such
treatment. Wish you could have R. around for a few days. He’s
heaps of company now. Just at this minute he’s sitting on the
floor with a little book reading and there’s never a pause - a
continual chatter. John bro’t the little organ so he’s at that
and it’s already after 7 and R. is gaping so I’ll soon have to
stop & put him to bed. We bro’t the phono along too. Were
very undecided at first whether we should or not and finally
tho’t
we would and it hasn’t hurt it at all so we are glad we did
for we
do enjoy it so much and the people here both black & white
like
it so much. We have been thankful so many times that we got as
good
records as we did for we play them so much and enjoy them more
all
the time. We decided that that would always be our Christmas
present
to each other. Each get a record or two for the other but no
matter
how long before Christmas they came we could never play them
till
Christmas morning. We aren’t planning any for this year
because of
our unsettled condition. Perhaps something even bigger will
turn up
before next Xmas - but then those are our plans now.
We
expected to hear about the wedding in this last mail but no
doubt it
missed the boat & we’ll look for it next mail. We get mail
only once a week now and can send but once.
I
have put R. to bed but you’d never know it he’s having a
picnic
on “daddy’s bed”. We have the small room - which was our guest
room and which Miss Slater has been having since she is here
and she
had one of those couch beds that can be pulled out & made
into a
bed - that she has insisted on our taking so we didn’t bring
our
big bed up only the camp beds. and R. uses a small camp bed
which
they had fixed up for Karl and which we take down every day.
Miss
Simpsons ¾ size bed is here and we will no doubt use that in
Jan.
We
don’t just know when we are going down river fishing. Mr.
Barnett
leaves
[here
a two-sided page is missing]
and
pajamas those days. For after such a sweat everything but
mattress
had to be changed. Was glad to get a few hours sleep before
the rest
got noisy. The Dr. was very much surprised when she came next
morning expecting to find us in the midst of it and found it
was all
over & John was resting very nicely; he has had none
since. Dr.
took a specimen of blood & examined it & found malaria
what
you call-em plenty but thinks if he is careful there need be
no
repetition of it - so he is taking 5 grs. of quinine a day.
There
are malaria mosquitos here but he thinks he got his in German
East
Africa.
But
it’s getting bed time - most 9. and we want to get out early
for
Mr. Barnett wants a fairly good start in the morning. I’ll
finish
later.
Wed.
A.M.
The
mail goes this P.M. I tho’t I’d get this finished and some
more
written but the time goes faster than ever before.
Things
are much changed here but still we’d know it’s the same old
place. Every body has their own way of seeing and doing
things.
I’m
in all sorts of unusual work these days. Baking bread today.
It’s
come out fine. Am making 7 loaves & a tin of biscuits. Not
such
large loaves as you make - and then too a queer thing I’m at
is
knitting. J’s socks shrunk so that they are too short so I
raveled
the toes & am knitting them longer. It’s lots of fun. For
dinner we’re going to have mashed potatoes, stewed rabbit,
lettuce
salad, fried parsnips & cornstarch pudding. What do you
think of
that for poor missionaries in Africa and we had oysters the
other
night - just think. They tasted good too. But I must go now
&
help to finish things for dinner.
Now
it’s 2 P.M. & we’ve had our nap. Raymond’s still at it.
John has to go to his class & I will finish making a loose
light
apron. Then I intended making another one or two of plain
unbleached
muslin but Miss Slater brot out something that looks almost
like
linen - she calls it “Holland”. I’ll make that up, I think. I
have so few big loose aprons. All have been wearing out so
fast, and
I don’t have much suitable stuff to make up - but I’ll have
all I
need now & by another time I’ll get more made - should
such a
time ever come.
I
found, among some old stuff in the old house one of the dolls
Cora
bo’t & dressed for me the first time I came out. I have
put it
away for Christmas for Raymond.
There’s
a lot more I wanted to write but I’ll have to wait ‘til
another
time. As you write Cora or Alice tell them we’re well &
I’ll
write them very soon. I have so much sewing to do & I
wanted to
get it fairly well out of the way before we go down river.
They
have my old machine here so we are like old friends & get
on
fine. I’ve not tried my new one and do not know how I’ll like
it.
Wish
you could see R. as he lies there stretched out on the bed
sleeping
so soundly. I have his shoes & stockings & suit off.
It
gets so much warmer here than at Kijabe. He has grown so
much
since you saw him. I’ll write again before long. J. has just
finished one to Monroe. Hope you & they had a nice time at
Campmeeting & that your plans carried out.
Heaps
of love.
Florence.
[insert]
Prayer.
The
weary ones had rest; The
sad had joy
That day and wondered “How”
A
plowman singing at his work,
had prayed,
“Lord bless them now.”
Away
in foreign lands, they
wondered “how”
Their simple word had power?
At
home the Christians, two or
three,
Had met to pray an hour.
Yes
we are always wondering,
wondering how?
Because we do not see
Some
one, unknown, perhaps,
and far away,
On bended knee.
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