The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1895-06-07
LAND OF CONFUCIUS.
Miss Fanny Meyer Writes About the
Land of the Almond-Eyed.
CHAPTER Y.


hills and mountains look father away
than they are-just the reverse to
Wyoming and Colorado, where tine at
mosphere is so clear. We are within
80 Ii (about 30 miles) OF Chung King;
by this evening We will be within 30 or
90 Ii, but as We do not travel on the Sab
bath We shall not reach there untils some
time Monday. We have made the jour
ney in an exceptionally short time-the
way only three weeks and have not
travelled Sundays; We have truly had
favorlng breezes." We spent over week
on the river on the steamers before We
reached Echang, from where We took
our house boats. | think | did not tell
you what our boatman did on starting;
they beat on a drum and when We an
killed. the blood on the prov Of the boat
and buried incense; they do this TO oh
tain the favor Of the "Wang- weh"-the
river god, that they might have safe
voyage. Sometimes after crossing tie
swift rapids they would fire off lunches
OF fire crackers is their way OF ex-
pressing their thanks to the river god.
Sunday night while We were having a
prayer service and testimony meeting,
We could see from our wisdows paper
beats with light frame work Of bamboo
all lighted and floating down the river;
this is done every year for the benefit of
the spirits Of the departed sailors. They
float along until they take fire and are
burned up.
We have our organ out where we can
use it and enjoy the music SO much.
Mrs. Lewis, Miss Ford and Helen are
all good singers. The Chinese seem to
enjoy hearing US sing. Mrs. Lewis tells
us it will not be long until We can sing
IN Chinese. We bought our organ at
Shanghai for our Deaconess Home. 1t
folds up in a box; 1t is a FIVE octave
Estey organ and is aclImatIzed; it is
much larger and has a fuller volume
than what they call the baby folding
organ. The Blackstone money not only
builds our home, but furnishes it also.
Besides the organ we bought some furri-
ture at Shanghai, and will have the rest
made at Chung King. If the Chinese
carpenter has pattern to go by he can
make very nice furniture. Mr.. Lewis
could not rent Chinese house for US,
30 We shall have to board two and two
at a place until we can rent house or
our house can be built.
Dear Carrie, l hope you Nina and
Nellie received the tortoise juirikisha
and pits they are not much, but l
wanted you to have something from
Japan. they are from Nagasaki, the great
tortoise shell place.
1t has been long time since have
received home letter-have not
had one since arrived at Shanghai,
Jan. 3lst, and 1t was written just few
days after left home, so I don't know
anything about your Christmas, New
Yaars or what kind OF winter you have
had. l hope to find letters from Wyom-
ing and Missouri awaiting me at Chung
King. Helen has had two home letters
since We we're at Shanghai, besides the
one she received there. This is the
eight (Sth) letter have written to you
home FOLKS, besides the one from San
Francisco. 1 hope you have received
them all. 1t will seem more like we
are in communication when we CON-
mence to &c. replies to the letters We
have written, but it will not be very dir
ect, as We will have to wait nearly four
months for reply. l have written no
other letters except one each to Nettie
Prather, Mrs. Huston and Mrs. Proctor
and the G. T. s. class letter. shall
have a number to write when l reach
Chung King. haven't even read very
much when one is travelling and con-
stantly seeing new scenes, it is difficult
to settle down to anything.
Perhaps you would like to know what
We have had to eat on this trip. 1 think
1t is remarkable that our cook manages
to cock so much on the little stove he
has; 1t is small low heating stove with
two holes; he is a very patient man and
seems very anxious to please us. We
serve our meals in courses so that while
We are having one he can prepare the
other. We have had chicken, ham, eggs,
goat, mutton, ported ham, baked beans,
fresh peas, fresh fish, Jour butter and
canned goods are from San Francisco
and also our oatmeal, cracked wheat
and flour.) When we get to house keep
ing We shall order most Of our groceries
from San Francisco We shall have to or
der in July to receive them by Christ
mas. We have oranges nearly every
morning; our cook bought some the 9th
er day for less than one cent piece, and
that is dear, as they are scarce this time
OF the year. Oranges are very nice and
80 are apples. I wish We could divide,
but you will have to be satisfied with
the apples and with the oranges. Miss
Ford just said, we'll these Cinnamon
take the cake" for making a noise, they
can make the most noise over every
thing they do. As rule, it seems to
me, they are pretty good natured, but
when they do get angry it IS simply terri
BILE the way they make the words fly.
Mrs. Lewis says it is awful to have to
listen to them; their talk is SO impure
and when she is where she cannot help
but hear it, it Is one OF the times when
she wishes she could not understand the
language. The other night when We
were anchored all alone, the other boat
did not get up with us, and 1t was before
Mr.. Lewis came, our driver, who seems
to be such vicious man, got into fuss
with some OF the others; they finally got
l. l.