Please return [added by Abby Turner; evidently she passed the letter around to other people to read]Boone University
Wuchang, China
Your Birthday
1922Dearest Abby -
I wonder how you will spend your birthday. I've been thinking of how bitterly cold the day often is in New England. To-day is what some New Englanders call "raw." It is raining and generally unpleasant, but the thermometer is not at all low and everything is budding and showing sights of life. The forsythia is almost ready to bring into the house. We've had lettuce from our garden all winter and indeed had green peas up to New Year's. Don't delude yourself, however, for it's often mighty horrid weathr for humans. There was one month when we just couldn't get warm no matter how we urged on the fires and piled on our clothes.
Wasn't I lucky to have Miss Woolley a guest in my own home for more than a week? You know, I never had really known her at all. Of course we all fell in love with her. She's a wonderful woman and an ideal one for that commission. We are all hoping great things from that commission, by the way.
Laura Lies is back in Hanyang. She has changed a great deal since I met her at South Hadley, but seems quite unspoiled. She's settled down to helping in her father's parish in a true missionary way.
Miss Law (Grace?) was with Miss Woolley in the commission. She had tiffin with us one day. She also made a very favorable impression everywhere.
In January I had the ever-useful "Handy" box from you. I was more than glad to get it, as E- [her husband] has always grabbed any others that have come this way and this one I am hanging on to. You can scarcely guess how useful such a gift is here where so often it is impossible to buy little conveniences.
I had wondered and worried a little about the bags I sent you and Miss Smith. I understood that she was at Berkeley and sent the two bags and one letter to her there, asking her to choose one and send the other to you. In January I had a letter from her saying she wouldn't be at Berkeley till some time after Christmas. I've been uncertain what I ought to do in the matter and so have done nothing! I suppose the best thing is to write to her at Berkeley again. I "designed" and made the bags myself and hence especially wish you to have yours and Miss Smith hers.
Events have recently shaped themselves so that we are now definitely planning to sail for home in June 1923.
We finished paying for our Kuling place last September but we at once proceeded to make some alterations and with the increased cost of everything we feared we couldn't get it all paid for in time to take our furlough in 1923. But I've agreed to act as housekeeper at the Kuling School this coming summer and that enables us to rent our bungalow at a good rent and thus clear off the debt. The school is turning itself into a summer boarding house because it needs money so badly. The head-master (a friend of ours) is to be the business manager; all I have to do is to manage the servants and the food. In return the school, in giving the four of us our "board, and keep" - only alas the Bishop says I must turn the board money into the Mission and only accept the rooms. It's a very senseless quibble, but it's his ruling.
Mrs. Kemp (my near neighbor and friend) and I started industrial work in the fall with the two-fold object of employing needy women and earning money toward our daughters' college education. The project has succeeded beyond all expectation and the Bishop says we must withdraw our educational allowances and invest them out of the country. He is going to secure American capital for us. We've worked like slaves on the enterprise because our capital was so inadequate, but when we get this American capital we can take things a bit more easily and hire more help in the way of fore-women &c. It's awfully fascinating work. We have already sixty women on our books. It's a pure cottage industry and carried on by the piece. Miss Woolley bought three of our sets to take home.
The friend who was teaching Marian has left Wuchang and I have to teach both children now. It adds materially to the day's busy-ness, but Marian is a dear sweet thing and I'm glad to have the chance of working with her in this way. I've actually had two jaunts this winter. Mrs. Kemp and I went to Ch'angsho on a linen-buying expedition and had a lot of unusual experiences, - sleeping in mail-cars and jaunting in day-long locals and learning so much about linen that we consider ourselves quite expert.
During the recent China New Year vacation eight of us went to the iron mines at Ta-yeh. We were gone five days - one protracted picnic. We took along cots, bedding, a cook and our food, and again had interesting times.
How are you anyway? Eyes and back and everything? I hate to think of you as only half-well! You always have seemed to me so untouched by the years.
I am awfully well these days, but of course often dead with fatigue, for as always I try to do too many different things. I'd blush to tell you half the offices I hold.
I have heard of that hospital in Tientsin, but only vaguely. I really know very little about the medical work in China except as it touches this centre and Kuling.
How'd the new Lab? Coming on?
Ellen Yates sent me the letter Anna wrote her describing her wedding. It did not sound one bit like the girl I knew so well a dozen years ago. She must have changed tremendously. I do hope I may see her on this next furlough.
It's time for dinner and after dinner we are going to finish "The Glass of Fashion" and I must take accounts with the cook and order to-morrows meals, so I'll say farewell.
Much love always from
Lucy Fish