A Letter written on Sep 9, 1926

Sept. 9, 1926

Dear Miss Turner,

Life is very exciting! This morning I attended a Hindu wedding - one of our students - (her father said she would be back at the end of three days to take her term examinations!) It began at the auspicious moment of 8:24 A.M. with a terrific din of wierd [sic] orchestral tom-toms and with the placing of the gold charm by the bridegroom around the bride's neck. She had also received a similar one from her mother early in the morning. The two then joined hands while the priest, naked to his middle and face besmeared with ashes, poured water over their clasped hands. The shy & trembling little bride was supported during this ceremony by her father, and the bridegroom big & tall & sophisticaed looking, rather handsome too, appeared quite calm & unconcerned. The father's costume was a sketch - blousy pantaloon effects with what looks like a European man's collarless nightshirt, tails and all, on top, and white turban on his head. He looked so undressed and immodest for such an important occasion. There were many other rites performed, the lighting of a little fire & the leading of the wife by the man 2 times around it. That signified that she would follow him for always - even after his death. Toe rings were placed on her feet, priests droned out Sanskrit blessins, and at intervals rice & pop-corn looking things were thrown at them. And always the band playing, people handing out flowers and sweetmeats, bananas & coconuts to the guests. And the colors are beyond my feeble powers of description.

In fact color and a vague "mysteriousness" seem to be the chief elements that hold one's fascination in this country and her people.

The other day Miss Wells and I attended a church sale walking the two miles home afterwards. It was fun to be right in the narrow streets and going slowly enough to see the tiny naked babies, the women making the lucky signs before their doors, the shopkeepers squatting or sitting crosslegged amonst their baskets of grains and fruits, and the clay houses with cows chewing their evening meal on the piazza before being taken inside the house for the night.

And the college compound is a beautiful place. Just to-day I looked again at the whiteness of the Science Hall against the blue of the midday sky and the brilliant blossoms of an orange "flame of the forest" tree splotching one corner of it with color and decided that its inscription "The whole earth if full of Thy glory" was most appropriate.

The girls are so shy and lithe and gentle they are quite a contrast to our American college students. They are very friendly & Eleanor had told them enough about me so that they were simply consumed with curiosity. My 1st Sunday evening I was deluged with callers and I was glad of my college snaps in which Eleanor figured largely & I had a chance to get back at her a bit.

The Science Hall is a joy to work in with its spacious labs, lecture room, and office. Miss Dederer would be green with envy if she could see my office which would hold two or three of the one she and I shared.

And the Intermediate Physiology class is a joy too. One has a chance to teach there and the girls respond to it - some of them. One of them actually jumped up and down in lab. the other day when her digestion experiment really did I wish I could be as enthusiastic about the Invertebrate and Vertebrate. I'm simply devouring Parker & Haswell in chucks [sic] and in getting the details myself, I have no time to organize it and get in much of human interest - as yet. I'm cogitating however.

Reports from Eleanor do not sound too good. It seems to be being blamed now. What is the child going to have left when they finish extracting her various structures? I do hope the teeth will be her last trial & that she won't attemp so much work as to lose what she has gained.

And how is Isabel enjoying her first job? I am keen to know how she is liking "us."

It is nearly time for our Gormal [?] Club - Science Students - tell Isabel C.C. students must get their Science Club going & not let the Indians beat them out.

My love to all my friends at college,

Much love to you,
D. Elizabeth