Narok,
Masai Reserve, Kenya Colony
East
Africa. June 24, 1935.
Dear
Sisters and Brethern:
I
told you I would write again when Claudon got here and he has
been
here for almost two weeks so I better get at it and now it
will have
to be short and snappy for it is almost 7 P.M. and day after
tomorrow
we go to Kijabe and then on down to the coast to spend a month
having
funs and cap it off with meeting Raymonds which will be the
best of
it tall. We haven’t heard as yet whether they have sailed but
we
hope so.
Claudon
sent us a wire when he got to Litein and we went out on the
road
about twenty miles and met him. It had been so muddy he left
his
motor bike there and Erik and Earl brot him on in the car. So
when
we met them Claudon drove our car and John rode in C’s place
in
their car. When we were within 1 ½ miles from home all at once
our
car refused to go and we had to be towed in. The boys worked
at it
almost the whole next day before they could find the trouble.
We
were so glad they were here for I’m sure we never
would have
found it. When they found they could not get back home we went
to
Narok and sent a telegram to Litein and then went up on a
little
plain for our supper and the boys had their .22 rifles and
were
shooting snipes [Crowned Plovers] when it began to rain and we
sat in
the car to eat but the top leaked like a seive so as soon as
we were
thro eating we went for home and the further we came the
harder it
rained and when we got here the water was almost over the dam
again. The boys and I were up by 3:30 next morning and after a
bit of
breakfast they left for Litein and today we got letters
telling of
all the fun they had getting home. The roads on their side of
a
large river called Mara, were very muddy and sticky so they
slipped
around quite a bit.
We
haven’t had any rain for a few days now. We hope it will rain
more
but as the season is so late it is apt to stop any time now.
Now
Alice, guess I haven’t answered your birthday letter. It got
here
in good time - just a week early - no, only 6 days, to be
exact. Thanks much for it and also thank Floyd for his
announcement and his
note and the snaps and I’ll write them sometime, perhaps after
Raymonds come. There is a big mail in on Thur. which we will
just
miss only that it will come to us at the coast.
You
said you had a great treat with having Miss Slater with you -
She
isn’t very GREAT however when it comes to size. You can
imagine
what she and Claudon looked like when they walked into the
dining
room together.
Milaun,
the man who acted so funny last fall and was put into prison
is here
now. He has finished his term. He seems quite alright and we
are
satisfied the trouble was fever - or cerebral malaria. And if
he
ever gets another spell we will get him to the hospital where
he will
get quinine injections which usually puts them right. Hurrah
for the
lead pencils that are coming. Say, I’ll have to take a week
off
when R’s get here to list and write about all the things you
have
sent. Wont it be fun? Just like Christmas. Come and watch us.
Have
been so interested in Miss Granner’s account of their trip out
as
given in the Miss. World. What awful times they had.
Cora
did you know I got yours written to the Aunts? Well I did, and
have
the two while R’s were there as well. And now Claudon has read
them all too. “Await occasion, hurry never” isn’t exactly how
I live, John would tell you, for I’ve been up stairs and down
cellar - only we haven’t any - but rushing around all day and
will
have to do some more tomorrow if I want the house as I like it
before
going away. Mr. McKenrick has the west room which is small -
and
will be Claudons when we are all here. And Claudon has the
East room
which will be R’s. and it had never been plastered over the
stones
so last week Mrs. Mulungit came and did it and today Claudon
put the
wall wash on so now it is all nice and Wed. morning when he
and Mr.
McK- are packed up we will exchange the beds and then all will
be
ready when we get back.
We
have been thinking for so long about this time that it seems
hardly
(pg. 2) possible that it is here. I get a pretty big thrill
when I
realize that we are leaving in two days and when we return we
will be
a reunited family and the extras in the form of Sara thrown
in. Wonderful, isn’t it? Just like the Good Lord, He has done
much for
us as a family and we praise Him.
Another
step was taken today by two young couples; they had Mr. McK-
perform
a civil wedding ceremony for them. One couple have been
wanting it
for a long time but couldn’t get the father’s consent, and now
he
has given in and they were properly married. They have three
children. The other couple are just married now. There are
several
others who wanted to be married but the affair of the dowry
must be
settled first.
Thanks
so very much for the Chop Suey dish recipe, I shall try it
some time
and thanks for all the details about R’s visit there - you
know how
we appreciate it all, you can’t tell too much and now soon we
will
be returning the complement.
How
very sad the kitten tragedy was - but by this time forgotten
no
doubt. We have one lone little kitty and I always insist it
must be
in the house and John fusses about it. But while we are gone
it will
have to sleep in the kitchen. Lois will take good care of it
for she
knows we value it. The Mother is here still but we can never
count
on having cats very long at a time. We have two leopard skins
ready
to take to Kijabe as Mrs. Davis has a friend who wants several
skins
for a coat. She will send these two and she has two so another
one
ought to do her. Then Mrs. Davis says there were two other
women who
wanted some too for coats. This lady gave $40 for one skin she
got
and $25 for the other. I think Raymond got the money. We like
to
get the brutes killed off. There has recently been a maneating
leopard killed several people and injured others. One man was
brot
to the hospital with his throat so badly bitten he couldn’t
swallow
anything and tho he seemed to be better for a bit yet he died
this
last week. We wish some one would get that leopard. He isn’t
so
very far from here.
Thanks
for all the enclosures Cora and clippings all very
interesting. Am
using those pretty mottoes in many ways - some as gifts and
some on
the walls.
Since
Mr. McK- is here he has received word of his daughters
wedding.
The
oldest daughter, Grace, was two years old when we all came to
the
field in 1905. She has been married for some time and lives in
Penn.
has three children. The youngest also married some time ago
but they
always hoped that Beth the middle one who has a fine nurses
training
would come to the field, but for some reason the home Council
did not
encourage her much and I guess she got tired waiting til they
made up
their minds to let her come so she married. In a way it is
nice for
her to be settled and yet is a bit of a disappointment not to
have
any of them out here. There is another daughter out here with
them
for this is his second wife. The mother of the three girls
died in
‘18 I think, of cancer. She is buried at Kijabe. Wed. is
Florene’s birthday. She will be 14 I think and so he is glad
to be
getting back to help celebrate. He is much better than when he
came
but there is still room for improvement. Because of him I am
sorry
we are leaving, but perhaps with this rest he will be able to
go a
bit slowly and so build up gradually. They are hoping to get
home as
soon as possible. They are the home makers in R.V.A. Mrs. McK-
writes that the Shaffer children have come back to school full
of
fever. Harry D- was quite ill and Roy David too. They don’t
have
fever at Shaffers but at the R.R. Station where they sometimes
have
to sleep as they wait for the train.
Everybody
is in bed and I must get there too. Claudon is kept pretty
busy
these days fixing things. John has a nasty cold and it is
hanging on
so long it makes him feel miserable. I think Mombasa is going
to be
very good for him. It’s only lately that he has gotten
enthusiastic about it.
Will
write again while we are down there if I can get up enough
ambition.
Hope
all are well. We are, but are glad of this rest time.
Love Flo.
Kijabe. Had a lovely trip in - Going on
tomorrow. Scudders are here &
also Miss Grindley.
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