Narok, Masai Reserve, B.E.Africa. Oct. 7, 1918.

Dear Ones around the globe:

        When will we know just where we all are, perhaps never again be sure until the war is over. We who are far away are always thinking and wondering - not worrying, just where our letters will find Warren or if they ever will find him at all. Somehow when he first wrote that he thot he would enlist it just made me feel sick to think of his going to war, but after he got into it I knew I could do nothing to hinder or help but I could pray and that was all and after committing him to the Father’s keeping I have felt quite free from any worry about him. I think we must keep him surrounded by our prayers and with the different ones scattered so there aren’t many hours go by of night or day that some of us are not thinking of and praying for him. I have quite a number of his letters here now mama and I will send them back to you as you asked me to just as fast as there is room. I was going to start this last week and when I opened the machine a little bolt dropped down and such a time as I had to find where it came from and then to get at it.

        I am sending this to Alice as a birthday letter, wonder how near I will hit it. Last week one came from Father S mailed July 8, so it took it almost three months and if this goes the same there will be no time to spare.

        Yours, mama, written at Lora’s is the last from you and then you hadn’t heard from us yet. And two from Cora lately dated July 2 and July 21, so you see yours come quicker than the home ones do. I wrote to Warren in my last but didn’t know whether he was really married or not so I may put another into here which can be sent to him any time some of you write. I can’t be sure I know Mattie but John thinks it very strange as he remembers so well when they were at Hooppole when we were, and it must have been that last night we were there and surely no one can blame me much for not remembering well, for that last night is like a great muddled dream. The only way I can be sure that I met her was that I remember wondering if she would have a very fine hat since she was a milliner, and also remember how plain and neat it was but can’t distinctly remember anything else, only she was tall. You certainly had pictures didn’t you? Be sure and send us some of everything that is going for I certainly get hungry to see you. Did you take any the day of that picnic? Would like to see what her people look like too.

        Now I’ll take your letter first, mama, altho Lora began it and it certainly made us guess at first as it was written on the typer and so couldn’t tell by the hand writing and it was headed Hooppole. That was some wedding, you have had almost every kind possible now haven’t you mama? Was mine the only church wedding or were you married in a church, Lora? Makes me smile to say mine was the only church wedding and if Elmer had had such a place for his pigs he would have been planning for a new building. But it looked pretty and served the purpose pretty well and I guess the business was done alright for it has held over 12 years now. But wasn’t Warren’s unique. Why didn’t some one say how she was dressed - Warren was in uniform and I imagine looked very nice. How nicely everything worked out. Now if only he can do his duty and then return and settle down in a little home of their own; we will hope for that.

        How did you work it that Alice did not suspect or was she in it too. Say can you get pimento seeds? If so send me a few some time as so many of the recipes call for it and anything new is acceptable. I must be getting slack in my cooking for John seems to be getting thinner, tho I don’t think he is just exactly pining away still his trousers are all of 6 inches too big and were snug and rather tight at home. He is well and works like a trooper and gets very tired but rests well. The men we have now finish their work next Thur. and then we are going to get on without any help for a while - and I imagine it will be only a little while too, but we will try.

        What a nice time you did have mama, You couldn’t have been much busier and called it a rest, but it must have been pleasant to meet all those of whom Lora has written so much, seems almost as tho I know them too. Am anxious now to get the sequel - the Fourth picnic and whether Lora went home with you or not. Expect when you got home you found my letter, for I mailed it the 6 Apr.

        Had a nice letter from the boys again today. This week they are having vacation and so they wont write. They said Mr. Bell was going to take them out for a trip, how extended they didn’t say but they were anticipating a big time. Every one writes from there that the boys are growing so fast and are getting fat, if Raymond is it will be the first time.

        It was awfully good to get a letter again in your hand writing, Lora. Well I didn’t think that the sciatic had gotten into your arm but I did think that you might be too ill to write. I know you are busy and have many calls on your time but I can’t excuse you from writing at all only don’t worry when you don’t get it done as often as you would like to. If you folks aren’t getting a raft of letters it isn’t my fault for I write almost every two weeks. I write much oftener than we get foreign mail only sometimes I get two at once like this time from Cora.

        That German’s explanation of the cause of the war - via Bert - is pretty good and would be a good explanation for many of our actions. I got a sample of the material of that dress but no butterflies, but the goods was very pretty, and I am sure you will make good use of it.

        Just here John wondered why he was so sleepy that he couldn’t keep his eyes open and then remembered that our Lieut. friend had called before he had his nap and so he didn’t get any, so we went right to bed and to sleep and it was not more than 8:30, very unusual for us. He seldom plays any during the day so likes a good play at night and then he is working at a vocabulary and by the time he gets something done at each we find it 9 oclock and then get into bed and read a little so that very often it is 10 before we go to sleep tho I fight against it as being too extravagant. So this is Tues night and the man goes with the letters tomorrow so I must finish.

        I wish you had said, Lora which picture I should keep of Mavis but I think I will return the one with the hood as that is your gift to her. They are both very cunning and I can’t just make out that she favors either one entirely, used to think she was all Minch. How far could we go in our relationship to get 64 at a picnic. Twould take babies and all I think. Glad you got some fruit done up. We transplanted a tiny fig tree from the garden to the hill here and it has not done a thing but stand there and stay green but now I see it is sending out a new leaf and I am glad it has decided to do something. We may some day have figs. I want John to bring some more of the little trees up here for the birds will be awful troublesome down in the garden and I think we can watch them easier up here. Our one big tomato plant, the only survivor of several John planted when he first came over, is finally blooming altho it is only about two feet high. But if the animals don’t hinder we will have plenty for I have set out at least 30. Our PEAR trees didn’t blossom this year so I guess we wont have any. I had tapioca and stewed dried apples for dessert last Sun. and our guest seems to like them very well. Glad to hear that Bert is so much stronger and hope he will be perfectly all right soon. Wonder what the France project will come to. Would you go too? I would like to write to Warren’s with this letter, I will see if I get time tomorrow morning. Thanks Bessie for the picture of Mavis. How I wish we could see her. Are you ever going to take her East or are you afraid she will be kidnapped. Twould be quite a risk - the only girl in the relationship.

        Cora, as the boys aren’t here I will answer their letters, I mean I will answer what you ask them. A baby paa is a little deer. They don’t get big, not more than two feet and so you see a baby is very small. How many times I have said what wouldn’t we give if we could pick up that house in Wisconsin and put it down here. My that would be living again. Please don’t think things go fast out here, where do you get the idea. John was growling this morning that it seems things will never get done. It does go so slow when we have no men and yet it is work that workmen can’t do - splitting and putting on the shingles. If we ever build another house here I think we will have to have lumber from Kijabe for roof as the work is very hard and it is to be found out yet if it is satisfactory or it it will leak when it rains. Now we have the tent fly over it and can’t tell. If you see the “Inland Africa” for April, I think, you will have the names and addresses of most all. We are quite a bunch. No we have no bicycles - yet, I’d [corner of page missing] … mule, I think and a little ricksha then we could drive thro to K- … d be easier than riding a wheel and then too we could use it in … among the people too where there is no road. But perhaps the war will … over and then we can buy a Ford pretty cheap. No we need no steady … at all only to make it more comfortable we have them morning and evening. … is lower than Kijabe and perhaps we wont need as much fire as there, we haven’t been here a year yet so don’t know. I must tell you how I got paid for laughing at you. The letters came just as we were ready to take the supper to the garden as we did for several evenings as John wanted to work as long as he could. That evening it was cornmeal mush and Miss S- and I were sitting on the bench that we generally put the wash tub on and the mail was in the little wagon in front of us and I spied your letter, Cora, addressed “Naroki” and I began to laugh and reach for it and at the same time my plate began to slide from my lap and to save it I caught it with my arm and got my elbow right into the mush. I had on the white waist that you made from Edward’s shirt and the sleeves are short but not short enough to escape the mush. How John and Miss S- laughed at me. I had only a few steps to the stream where I washed it all off. That was your Aug. 16 one. Thanks so much for the Christmas present of tatting. Before I read the letter I said “My, Cora has been doing lots of tatting, she must do it very fast”. I guess you did that pretty fast. [written in margin: “(I got. it at Kuling.) (Cora)”] Don’t know just what I will use it for yet but you may be sure it wont lie around long. Such a lot of it. And so fine and pretty. Yes I have a picture of Oneida in the snow. I just can’t think that she is gone, can you? There is scarcely a letter from any of the home folks that doesn’t mention something about her and yet as soon as I read it I forget the fact that she is not there. So you are back at Nanking? I think I addressed only one letter to Kuling as I had an idea that you would be back to Nanking or to Tungren by the time my letter got there as I sent all to Nanking, except that one. Thanks for the old letters, I have to smile when I think of that medicine and how religiously I took it while there and then either forgot to bring it along or packed it where I have never found it since. Then too, thanks for the little poem. I used to have it in a different form than this but I got out and forgot where to get it again. I like to have some on hand as they often come so handy.

        And Chas. is with a threshing gang - not now of course, but surely he works harder than he did when in the store doesn’t he? Pretty good he can trust his wife with all the home interests.

        Did you have in any of your mission study books, Lora a chapter called “Wait-a-bit”? I read it in some book and brot some in one day intending to stick a piece in a letter so you could show the women and I have always forgotten and now I don’t know if I can find the book. I’ll have to wait til tomorrow and look for it in the trunk.

        Two of the soldiers came up this P.M. to see about going to school and they will come whenever they are off duty while they are here. And some Somalis want to come too, they want nothing but english, these soldiers want swahili but Miss S- (Miss Simpson who lives with them. Her mother lives at Naperville.) is good for anything for she doesn’t know what to do with herself most of the time. She is so helpless about fixing her own things that when she does do anything one wishes she hadn’t. But she is good at teaching, not a good teacher but she keeps at it until they know something even tho it may not be as much as another might have taught in the same time. And if these come any time of the day or night she will give them all the time they will stay. She understands very well and has a pretty good vocabulary but speaks very poorly. Does better in Kikuyu than in Masai. 9 oclock bugle has just gone so we must soon be to bed. We said today if some of these fellows are helped we wont feel so badly about the wood they have cut.

        I do hope that the next letter I get from any of you americans will tell that you have received some of my Kijabe letters. It gets more interesting when I think you are getting what I write. Must stop now if I dream something or think of something else I will add it in the morning. Guess Miss S- will write you a note Lora, she has wanted to every time and it is always too full. Goodnight, and sleep good all of you altho I am about ready to get up when you go to bed.

        Yours on the Siabei River

        Florence

        [reverse of (3) pages changes from typing to handwriting in pen then in pencil] Now it’s Wed. morning Oct. 9. Guess I’ll have to use the pencil as the pen catches. Now I’m sending this to Kuling but fear you are gone long ago.

        Those two letters came in same mail. but yours usually make better time than mama’s do… Wanted to say our annual Conference is Jan. 21-26, 1919. You can think of us at that time. We hope to go.

        How I wish you could have spent that time in May & June when you felt so badly, with me. I’m sure I could have helpt you to forget it for of course it was only in your mind.

        John is here near the door working at the wall of the next room & found a piece of an old shoe of his & put it into the mud of the wall to bring “good luck” he says. Am so glad the mountains helpt you and hope you will continue to feel better. I know one usually feels somewhat punk most of the time but not right down miserable as you did in Chicago.

        You understand by this time that we aren’t so far from the boys & if we can only get either bicycles or a mule we can get back very quickly if necessary. If we had gone to Congo we would not have left them yet. Perhaps later.

        Didn’t tell you did I that Hetzes lost their oldest boy - Sept. 29. He was just 2 years old. Took cold Wed. before which went to croup & died early Mon. morning. A darling light haired blue eyed plump rosy boy. Had always been so well. He was gone almost before they realized he was sick.

        How I wish you had some of the nice flannel I have. It was in Congo stuff - a roll of things folded in a piece of old muslin - a piece of fine white material enough for a long dress and then two pieces of flannel. One very nice & fine. If you would use it I might try sending it. I’ll never use it myself -. will give it to someone else sometime I suppose. I wish I could use it myself - but I guess we’ll ring off along the family line. But I’d like - if we were at home or were in work where we were more independent - I’d like two girls. Wouldn’t that be a fine family?

        This is next morning & its trying to rain. Just such a morning as is lovely to sit around the fire & knit. Jno wanted to put shingles on but it just keeps drizzling enough so he’d get damp. We are a little concerned about Tagi. He is not well & looks very thin or haggard. He is inclined toward lung trouble - says he doesn’t feel sick anywhere but is very tired all the time. Has had spells of it before - he needs milk & eggs & has neither. A somali has come this morning and perhaps he has cattle & we can get milk from him. The boys have been working very hard and Tagi can’t stand it. He has two old women - wives of his father - who are all crippled up with rheumatism. He builds for them & takes care of them. He keeps a workman too - and there are many visitors who need to be talked to & sometimes fed. Every once in a while one of the boys kills an ox and that helps out along the food line.

        My afternoons have been taken up with helping the girls sew. I cut out & baste & do a little on Miss S’s hand machine but they do most by hand.

        Whew its coming down in earnest now [corner of page missing] … we are glad for it. It has been terrible … so long.

        The children have this week as vacation and then 6 weeks more of school til they come home. I don’t know who is more anxious for vacation they or we. I know I shall be very glad to have them home again. Then when we take them back we go to Conference & it isn’t so hard to have them go as if they left us from here. Only the coming back is very lonely. I am almost afraid Mr Hurlburt will ask us to stay there. Fear the work is pretty hard for Agnes - but he will have to get some one to come here & thats no easy matter. I believe this is the most discouraging work in our field. People so scattered - and they can’t be used to help with the work on the station for they wont work. It is even hard to get a small boy to do kitchen work - they are so independent. If I can find it I’ll send you a clipping frm the Nairobi paper what a settler has sent to have printed - and it’s about true too. They ( Masai) don’t care for a thing but cattle & sheep. No clothes, no money, no education, no civilization & least of all no gospel. And yet when one does get one they are fine - like our boys here.

        Now I must stop. The rain has let up too it seems. Have been having a hard time with yeast bread. Yeast wont work. Works between times when I dont need it & when I want to bake it has worked so hard all week it is weak. Want to start bread again today. Early so I can see what it is going to do.

        Keep well. & “happy” - as the boys say - & thanks again for your Christmas gift.

        Much love Flo.

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