[Some paragraph breaks added for ease of reading.]230 London Road, Tientsin, China.
My dear Miss Turner:
Probably you have read something about hostilities now. This is just to let you know although we experienced some aerail [sic] bombings near our hospital but nothing has happened to any of us. As mails are being censored so you will just have to read between the lines. To make the story short actual fighting started July 28th at Tientsin in Chinese city. For two afternoons aerial bombings did damage to most important places. Among the places damaged Nankai University has been burned to the ground by Japanese aerial force. Air bombs were also used to blow the police station which was very near hospital but God was most merciful to us. At the time of fighting I was not so afraid of actual death but I was in fear for our patients.
We had no messages from outside of the hospital until 3rd of August. Mr. Joyner of British Municipal Council sent a note to Japanese consulate inquiring about my safety. The Japanese consulate sent a gentle man to see me. I made a request to have some patients moved from our hospital as some were on the point of ner vous [sic] breakdown. The same afternoon Mr. Joyner sent an ambulance to take our patients. I did not leave the hospital as I felt duty bound to stick to my duty. On August 4th. Mr. Joyner got me a military pass from the Japanese military headquarters so now I can move back and forth from hospital to my home as a free person.
Suffering is indeed great. Ofcourse [sic] you will know by this time about fighting around Shanghai and Nanking. China does not want war and cannot afford war. We are still hoping for peace daily. War is bad for both Japan and China. Both countries are poor and both will be bankrupt after the war is over. American government is thinking of evacuating her citizens. This is a wise step. War risk is worse than investment risk. Great Briton [sic] is doing the same. I guess finally other powers will for in line for evacuation of their nationals. If Japan would consider withdraw of her soldiers to her country now China would be more than willing to talk about peace. Military ambition is ruination of a nation.
Our hospital has very little work now for people are afraid to go near that section. There are too many soldiers so people have fear. Japan has gotten Tientsin and Peiping. She has also Peiping Mukden Railway. But to my mind she has lost much business. Trade is more important to Japan than her military expension. [sic] She is spending too much money for military purpose. In the long run this war deplets [sic] her national purse. You have no idea of the suffering of our innocent people. During those fighting days many babies were born on streets. This is rainy season so many have to stay outdoors as thier [sic] homes were in fighting zones. The greed of the human heart is the root of every evil. I cannot undertsand [sic] why people cannot live harmoneously [sic] like good friends. We poor people have nothing to say about war or peace. I guess this is true of the people in Japan also.
Our nephew Sik Vung has sailed for America on 14th of August on President Taft. He will be near his sister at Michigan. The older boy who [is] at Tsing Hua would have no college to go this fall as Tsing Hua is outside of Peiping. Just now mails are so irregular and we cannot get mails from Shanghai. He went to Sanghai for sending his brother off and now he is detained there. Often it takes half month to get a letter from Shanghai. There is no train service and there is no boat service just now to Shanghai. So you see I am isolated as if I were in Africa. These days my people at Shanghai are experiencing aerial bombs. The noise is something terrible.
Dr. Brown of Peiping came to help me at hospital not so much for work but to have a doctor living in hospital. I have an office here on London Road and I am very busy here. I cannot be two places at the same time. There is practically no income coming in from the hospital so I must work at this end in order to keep the hospital intact. Rich people have all ran away but the poor is in need of our hospital just the same. Our ward is full of people who have no better place and they need medical help. I have never experienced wartime but I hope this is the last. During th[e] world war I heard people talk about war but nothing like to see it in actual practice. War is too destructive. The nervous strain is something very hard on people. We are living from day to day. I am unable to make any plan for the hospital or for the nursing school. This uncertainty is taxing.
We did not go to beach at all this summer. With Mary Jean and Abby they can go to school as they have primary education. Nankai University and high schools had twenty five hundred students so this morning meant all these students have no school to go. There are three large universities at Peiping cannot open this fall so thousands have no place to go. Education is very important for our youths. If condition should continue we would be forced to get our college boy to America to finish his course. He is a junior this year. But you can understand how our parents feel toward the education of thier [sic] children. There are thousands who cannot afford to go away for higher education.
I have not heard from you since your vacation. I am wondering if you went away this summer. This letter may not reach you for six or eight weeks for mail is irregular. Even I do not write so often to you I do think of you often. Your picture is on my desk and I can look at you daily. When you write to me next time you better address me to my home 230 London Road, Tientsin. Thru my nephew I sent you a silk winter cover for cold days. It is light and warm and it is made of silk wool. I have saked [sic] him to get his sister Vung Yuin to mail it to you as he is a stranger in America. He is just a high school boy and is like all boys of his age neglecting his duties at times.
This is sent with much love from all of us. I have had very little time to help Mary Jean and Abby with their English. They read fairly well but they just cannot speak the language. This year I shall try to get a tutor for them as It [sic] is getting impossible for me to do anything extra. My mind is under strain and that is why I cannot do much. Do not worry over anything here. I will only remain as long as I am allowed to do good work otherwise I would leave the city. But I would not leave for fear for poor patients always need me. With much love.
Yours lovingly,
M. I. Ting.