Narok,
Masai Reserve,
Kenya Colony, East
Africa
May
3, 1934
Dear
Ones all:
I’m
trying to realize how long it is since I wrote you - evidently
my
last to Cora was sent about 4 wks ago. O me! O my! Well, one
can
hardly reckon by days when there’s a sick one about - but
easier
done by temp. or lapses of fever - or some such.
This
is vacation month for schools but since we began so late we
aren’t
vacationing. But I don’t worry much - the teacher is steady
&
dependable. I go to my class when I can. Please don’t judge my
success with them when I tell you one has just been taken to
prison
for stealing!!! He & another youngster have been taking
corn
from gardens. Not only a few ears but 70
from one garden.
They
hide them
in the bush & when they go herding they roast what they
want. One of the men heard some one in his corn last night -
breaking ears
off & he wanted to find out who it was & the fellow
struck
him two or 3 times & then made away.
But
that’s not what has been taking my attention so much - it’s
this
man o’mine. He gets better & then worse again. We went
to the
Dr. at Narok & he gave him a quinine injection so if
it was malaria ‘twould be finished - but it isn’t malaria
but
just a very stubborn case of flu. but he gets so discouraged
for he
doesn’t get his strength back. He gets hungry & eats for
a few
days then all at once feels weak & nauseated - and his
hands &
feet are cold & one would expect sub normal temp. but it
is
usually up a bit but never goes very high - around 100 - is
all. but
he is just generally miserable. For about two wks. he
couldn’t
keep any thing on his stomach. Sometimes even a drink of
water would
come right up. and then he’d sweat so hard. For a time I had
to
get out about midnight & change bedding & clothes.
Then he
got the injection & felt a bit better that eve but had
to have
his clothes changed twice that night. He was so weak the
next
morning he didn’t care whether school kept or not. but he
hasn’t
vomited since then - neither has
he
changed his clothes at night until a night or two ago he had
some
trouble but not so much for he didn’t call me. He is
stronger than
he was a week ago. and last Sun. he preached, but not very
long. He
types a bit some days but today has just sat out on the
veranda - too
tired to even type. Typing makes him rather nervous. it’s
quite
confining & puts him into a sweat. He reads quite a bit
but that
loses interest too when that’s all that’s to be done. We are
glad it is not malaria for I think when he gets stronger
again then
he will stay well. tho it’s taking all the patience he can
muster
just now. When we were at Aba two of the men there were down
with
flu & I think that is where he picked it up for he was
tired then
& we had a hard five days til we got here - so he just
didn’t
have the resistance to thro it off. I’m sure he will soon be
O.K.
(pg.
2) Now as to the weather - 3 wks. ago we had an awful storm
- not so
much wind as a hard down pour so that the pond was way up
but didn’t
break the dam. Then there was nothing until last Sun. it
rained a
bit during the day & all night - a lovely slow rain
every drop
soaked in - & Mon. all day there were showers - and
since then
nothing but it may work up
again.
That was more like a real rainy season than any thing we
have
had for 2 yrs. only if they are beginning they are 6 wks.
late. but
if we’d get 6 wks of real rainy season we’d get some sort of
a
crop. However no one is planting now except where it can be
watered. We had a few lovely radishes for dinner & there
is some lettuce
that we can use but I want to set it out to make heads. John
got the
seed sown but hasn’t been able to do anything else so I’m
trying
to. Natives are so dumb at weeding tiny things. They know
corn &
potatoes & that’s all.
We’ve
had one letter from Claudon. Then they were on their way to
his
station - Mr. Bell was with him. Agnes was at Aru visiting.
He thot
Mr. Bell would stay with him for awhile & help with
buildings -
then he would return & bring Mrs Bell there and they’d
stay
with him til Erik Barnetts got out. Then he hopes they will
do the
station work & he can get out to the Pygmy “camps” they
call
them. But perhaps he has written you - but since I know how
hard
writing is for him, I thot I was safe in telling you about
him. If
this is ancient history then just forget it. The boat
crosses the
Lake every 2 wks. so we haven’t any occasion to look for
letters
any oftener than that!
I
don’t quite know what has happened for I have 2 letters from
Al. That’s unheard of. The latest letter is yours Cora - a
birthday
letter - only 9 days late - with Aunt Lorenes & Lois’s
enclosed. I’ve
sent
Loises on to Claudon - and will send yours when I have
reread it. Loises was good - so girlish. I just can’t think
of her as grown
up and on her own. She makes me think of Claudon in some
ways -
“Just can’t find my stockings” and “the jacket of my suit is
here but not the skirt”! etc. Mrs. Barnett says “Claudon
needs a
wife like his mother: and he would make a very good husband
too but
he needs some one to look after the details.” He is really
very
thotful of others - thanks to Mrs. Westervelt but it is hard
for him
to look after his things properly. He’s so apt to leave
things
when going from place to place. I guess he is put
& will stay put for awhile. He loves the forest. & I
don’t
blame him - it is wonderful. We are eager for his (pg. 3)
next which
will tell us about his location. But I must get at your
letters -
all so good and interesting.
Say, before I forget -
do any
of you ever hear from Warren? It’s awful - I almost forget we
have
such a brother. I wrote once some time ago but he never
replied, so
I don’t know if he got it or not. Is he still near Minocqua?
Lora,
I’ll take yours first. Thanks for the one from Mrs. Peter -
‘twas
nice to hear about their family - and all their ambitions
&
experiences. I thot of their Hollis & his bicycle trip
thro Eng.
etc when I read that article in the Geog.
where that young fellow walked thro Eng. I
seldom read a whole article but that was very interesting.
Thanks too for the
sample of
your pretty dress - the tan & brown. “Twill be very
becoming
I’m sure.
You ask for the name of
Claudon’s Steamer - it was the “Watussi” of the German Line.
Yes, wait til Raymond comes out before sending me more shoes.
Only
some time if you can get white ones - canvas is alright - but
not
fancy. I prefer like oxfords. & not too high heel. I just
give
you this hint for sometime. I don’t wear white very often but
mine
now are getting very shabby - ragged - so can’t wear them away
from
home. but I brot ‘em out with me 6 yrs ago - no wonder.
Tell
Cora Beth thanks
much for
the strip of very pretty lace. it’s so fine & pretty -
I’ll
surely find some use for it.
I think I mentioned
having
received the S.S. papers. Thanks for them. Some I gave to
Mulungit
& some I sent over to R.V.A. & I’ve kept some myself.
And
while I’m at it thanks too for the last Am. & the digests
&
the 5 little books. My they are lovely. I’ve already used one.
Sent it to Mrs. Probst for her birthday this next Sun. She’s
been
so good about sending fruit for John & she sent me the
cutest
birthday card - you’ll see it later, Lo. Then Grandma Myers
always
sends me such nice cards too.
Here
is Claudon’s address now: Km. (kilometer) 116 Beni Route,
Irumu,
Congo Belge via Mombasa East Africa. That is Bell’s address
and I
think that will be the way he will get his mail.
Yes,
Bells are A.I.M. now tho at first when they started work
there they
were with Paul Hurlburts Mission - Unevangelised Africa
Mission -
then they left him & were independent for a time &
later
joined up again with the A.I.M. and if Harry’s come they
will come
under the A.I.M. too. I
wouldn’t be surprised if Paul & his co-workers joined up
too
some later time - if Mr. Hurlburt should die. It is he that
withdrew
really - & Paul’s staid with him. It’s too bad that such
things happen among Christian workers. There
was
fault on both sides. We feel the Home Council should have
been
more lenient & patient with Mr. H - On the other hand he
got very
bitter and made it hard for them too. We feel so sorry for
Mr H. as
the (pg. 4) A.I.M. is really like his child. He built it up
when
there was almost nothing left to build on. It was his very
life for
years. He still feels he was put out of it and resents it.
He isn’t
very happy to those of his children who haven’t left. Chas.
the
older son who died out here never left us.
It’s getting bed time so
I’ll continue tomorrow or another time.
Now
it’s tomorrow night - or Fri. and when the boy brot the mail
your
Mar. 26th
letter was among others - and here I haven’t answered your long
one yet - (filled pen) But first I must tell you of the
happenings
of the day. Jno got up as usual about 9 A.M. & said he
was
feeling pretty good - tho he didn’t eat much breakfast. He
decided
he’d take a good dose of castor oil - he has been using
pills but
thot castor oil would do better work. He kept it down for 2
hrs. or
so but just at noon then got so sick he had to vomit &
at once
his temp came up - almost as high as it has ever been.
(Hurray! it’s
raining!) and he felt so weak & undone - then some
natives came
from Narok & said Mr. Dawson was coming over to ask what
we knew
of the thieving shauri. Well, he came about 5:15; he didn’t
stay
very long but when he went offered us his car & driver
to take
John to Kijabe. ‘Twas
very
kind of him and when John keeps getting these sick &
fever
spells - then we wish we were where some one could help him
but we
don’t want to go to Kijabe nor anywhere unless we really
need to.
Your “depression”
economies, Lora, are what some of us have done all our lives -
at
least all our missionary lives. I always save the light
wrappers
from magazines etc for the children at school to use - the
class I
teach uses pens & ink to do Arith and every thing so I
even tear
open used envelopes that are white & wrappers from the
papers too
- if they aren’t too dark. In fact I like your “depression”
paper very well. and wouldn’t mind being “depressed” myself to
such paper. Your long letter came the day before my birthday -
also
one from Ray that day for my birthday.
Glad you finally have a
car
there. should think it would be quite necessary. God bless the
folks
that help other folks to have these conveniences.
Thanks
for the “Fellowship in Prayer” booklet. I’ve not yet
finished
reading it all but what I’ve read is good. There were 2
“Fellowship” booklets of Murrays - so I sent Mrs Probst one.
I’ll not dispose of them til I read ‘em. That’s the way I
did
with those books you sent last year. only I’ve read all but
not
given all
away.
You
criticize Cora Beth on the thing I tell our people to do -
the extra. Our people want pay for every time they turn
around. I tell them
they’ll never
have any reward in heaven if every thing is settled for
here. That
when they are God’s children
they ought
to do some thing for Him & then they’ll get their pay in
glory. Perhaps that’s the way Cora thinks when she keeps
doing those
extras that are really other folkses work. Well, I’m not
afraid of
shortage when it comes to reward for her. I wish I could be
sure of
as much for myself. I do hope she gets that trip East. How
lovely
if she could see her mother again.
I’m
sorry my letters have to go so far around to get to all of
you &
perhaps it isn’t fair to always send them to Chas. first -
so this
time I’ll send to you, Lora, & you send ‘em backwards -
just
that you all get them. What ever would (pg.
5)
I do if I had to write each one separately. You wouldn’t get
one in 6 mos. I’m afraid.
I
didn’t know Earls have lost their place. Do you mean they
couldn’t
finish paying for it? Did that tumor affect Nellie’s eyes? I
mean
Nell Fehlman. and will they get better. I wrote Becca about
Xmas
time so she is owing me, & I’d not heard about Nells
operation
but only that she was losing her sight. Thanks
for
all the news from JoJos letter.
You asked if Jno is
still
translating. Yes, & it makes him very impatient that he
can’t
even be at that - tho he did work at the typing several days
it makes
him rather nervous & I tell him he must leave it now. Mr.
Westervelt has printed Ruth & Esther & Daniel for us.
and
Kijabe press is doing Psalms. They’ll soon have them ready -
then
the next thing to be done is a new song book.
I heard about that
Carveth
Wells and his climb up Ruenzori or Mts. of the Moon. Bertha
Simpson
copied a number of pages or took down his talk over the radio
&
sent it to us. I didn’t think much of his description tho. We
have a Mission Station just at the foot, so close up you can’t
see
the high peaks. Mr. & Mrs. Uhlinger are there &
Claudon
spent a week with them while Bells were away. We had thot some
of
going there but the time was too short.
Yes, that is Masai
alright &
it’s translated right. I think it may mean this: They lie on a
ox
hide & they often have one as a ceiling - especially if
its
raining & the roof leaks. So they may say “I have two
skins
which are alike - that is the earth is round & the sky is
round -
at least they meet on the horizon so are alike.” See?
No,
your letters haven’t been overweight at all, so just
continue to
write long
ones on
depression paper. You could often write on both sides - that
would
leave room for enclosures.
And
now it’s 8:30 & I must not tarry at this longer for Jno
is
trying to sleep. He felt so miserable I made him a cup of
beef tea
to see if his stomach wouldn’t be more comfy & I guess
it is for he has lain quiet so long that he must be asleep.
I
have a pile
of
papers on the window sill
to read. My bed head is against the sill & I keep my
reading
matter there handy. That last roll of Ams & Digests
& your
roll Cora of odds & ends & what nots, whew what a
wind fall. I read news & light reading after dinner
& at night I usually
read S.S. Times etc. Thanks so much Cora for all the things
you
sent. I read quite a bit aloud to Jno - Bennie’s note book
etc. I
read that Grandma Story in the Crusader too. How we laughed.
for it
was so true to life. Several times when Claudon was
here I did exactly that that she did only it wasn’t so funny
but
I’ve made just as foolish remarks some times and I feel like
she
did that I’ll never again try
to take part in a conversation - but so often there is some
one here
that it is hard for
John
to visit with & I try to help. Well, I do remind myself
of
Mother quite often in that way - I mean with my poor ears.
but the
other day I came in to see if Jno wanted any thing before I
went to
school & I guess I had been unusually busy that morning
but he
said “You are just like your sister Lora - rushing about
that house
in San B. up stairs & down. always so busy.” I said
father
used to say of Mother that all you could see of her was the
flip of
her skirt as she chased around the corners. so if Lora &
I both
move fast it must be because we are daughters of a fast
mover Mother!
Now Good night shlafe
wohl -
ya du auch.
(pg. 6) Sat. eve. I’ll
try to finish this eve. I’m very much afraid we’ll have to
pull
for Kijabe on Mon. I only hope it wont be necessary to go
tomorrow. Jno’s temp. was up again this P.M. but not quite so
high as
yesterday - but we’re practically doing nothing. he eats a bit
of
soup & a cracker & drinks tea or postum - and today
hasn’t
vomited - but course, running a temp. every day doesn’t allow
him
to gain much strength. So we will likely go to Kijabe and if
necessary then on to Nairobi - for Dr. Davis is still in
U.S.A. and
only Miss Stevenson is at Kijabe - & she may not want to
tackle
the case.
Well
Alice you next. Yes I got your letter posted at Beverly
Hills, &
as I’ve answered it you will know before this gets there. It
was
marked taxed & I wanted to pay Mrs. Probst but she said
she
didn’t pay any thing. It had a 2¢
stamp on.
What
lovely dresses those are. I’m dead struck on the red and
also the
hemstitched tan - but I have very little occasion for such
dresses. Do you remember that blue silk embroidered in blue
you had it almost
made when we got home & you gave it to me - has big open
sleeves. I still wear it sometimes. & the black crepe
with beads on long
waisted belt? So
stylish, don’t you know! I
sometimes wear it to Mr Clarkes. That petticoat you sent me
had me
guessing how to finish it til I discovered Fs and Bs then I
got it
right. It seems a pretty good pattern.
If
I had as many “doings” as you seem to I’d “ferblatz” I
think. I like to be by ourselves & have regularity. We’ve
certainly been by ourselves since we are back. Major Dawsons
call
yesterday was the only time any of them have been here. and
one day
Mr Andersen & Earl & Mr. Hotchkiss came in for dinner
but
staid less than 2 hrs. & that’s all we’ve had - only Jno
being ill there’s not been much regularity.
Thanks
so much for that unique birthday card. It’s very good. Mrs
Probst
sent me such a cute one I’ll send it to you some day to see.
&
perhaps you can copy it for some one else. She copied it
from one
that Miss Trusdell gave Grandma Myers. That was a wonderful
trip to
Boulder Dam. What a wonderful piece of work that is. Man is
almost
at the point where he can create
things but not quite. It takes Almighty God for that. We
read about
the Dam in the papers occasionally so now ‘twill be even
more
interesting since we have this picture. I’m afraid you’ve
given
yourself a severe strain - to write 3 letters to me in only
4 mos. or
so is pretty much! I do appreciate it all.
How
very nice you could have Aunt Lorene there so long. I’ll bet
she
could have staid another year & seen new things all the
time. Thank Byrd for the pretty flag & man etc. They all
help to
decorate the walls of guest rooms.
What
rot, as English folks say, to think that there will be less
drunken
drivers as they get accustomed to beer etc! Some body’s got
another “thot” coming to him. That “Rats” is good. Must
make some folks think
surely.
Yes,
Co. guess I thanked you for the parcel received since we are
back. Sent little dress & extra bloomers to Mrs.
Andersen. also one of
the larger dresses. The other I sent Mrs Shaffer with the
red
material - I think that red is beautiful
& such a dead match. I’m sure she will be tickled. By
this
time she has it as the children got home today from school.
I’m
using the corn stuff & it’s good. That’s such good
stickum
around the cork.
Yes, Cora, there are several young men much like Tagi. among
other
tribes. Kuyoni is as good a Christian but he hasn’t the
brilliant
mind - nor the place in the estimation of the people. He is
part
Kikuyu. Cora you see where my
letters go to too - I have 2 “Loises” pulling at my time.
Did
you call at Harry’s? & how are they & Alberts. We
never
hear from any of them. Please don’t forget & let them
see your
copy of the trip & the pictures. Thanks for the very
pretty
card. It will get used alright. You just please keep my
glass dish
til I do call. I’m so glad its there & safe. I’m
enclosing
a bit of one of Grandma’s sheets, hand hemmed & “O” sewn
in. It has finally gone to pieces & I’ve used the best
part
for under slip on pillows. So Dr Diller is gone! Yes, I’m
53. -
Remember 1881 - that’s easy. Ask Lora about “Thames”. I only
remember the name. Haven’t received any letter from school yet. Mulungit isn’t here just now
any way - but I’d write for him if
a letter comes. I mustn’t take another sheet. I’ll add on
the
margin if we go to Kijabe. I have some pictures to send too.
So
very many thanks to you all for every thing.
Very
much love
Flo
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