Ottumwa semi-weekly courier., 1903-09-24
JULY 4 In CALCUTTA
CELEBRATION is SIMILAR TO THE
CUSTOM IN THIS COUNTRY.
DESCRIBED BY FORMER OTTUMWAN
Miss Susanna stumpf, Missionary
From Main Street Methodist Episco-
pal Church Writes to Her Sister,
Mrs. Wilhelmina Eakins.

Mrs. Wilhelmina Eakins.
The Fourth of July as observed in
Calcutta, India, is the subject of AN
interesting letter received by Mrs.
Wilhelmina Eakins, 1011 Wayne street,
from her sister, Miss Susanna Stumpf,
who formerly resided in this city at
the home of Mrs. S. G. Cushing, 153
East Maple avenue. Miss Stumpf was
a member of the Main street Metho-
dist Episcopal church and last Feb
ruary she was sent out to Calcutta,
India, by the Des Moines branch OF
the Woman's Foreign Missionary So
ciety Of the Methodist Episcopal
church. Since her arrival in Calcut-
ia she has made great strides and has
been most successful in her work.
Miss Stumpf's letter was addressed to
her sister and was mailed in July The
following gives a graphic description
of the celebrations in Calcutta July
Fourth and also tells of several occur
rences in the field to which Miss
Stumpf has been assigned:
Miss stumpf's Letter.
Il should have written you long ago,
but was too busy. sent you last
week a lesson leaf that used in my
Hindustani Sunday school and some
coins and few other things l have
your letter of June 5, also the Cour-
ier telling of the high water. What
awful times you are having! We
have awful rains here, but the people
are prepared for it. Ottumwa must
have had, some lively times with the
flood, Wharton meetings, Epworth
| League convention, ETC., all coming so
close together. The rains here are
more like cloudbursts. Every time it
! rains, it floods Dharamtali street with
water from six inches to two feet deep.
1t is funny sight to see men, women,
children and animals wading out in
the street in the water. The street
looks like river I stand on our
porch sometimes and envy the nativ-
es wading in the water The temper
ature has been up to 155 degrees and
one day it was higher, but | didn't
learn the exact degree. 1t is, now a
little cooler owing to the heavy
rains.
Has Prickly Heat.
~ have not turned brown yet, but
have turned red. / am broken out
so with the prickly heat that ! look
| like beefsteak and it smarts like it
was salted and peppered ready to fry.
The people out here say it is a sign of
good health and if didn't have prick
/ ly heat, j would have the fever. There
| is as much consolation in that as when
one has boil and the statement is
hot ic,, iva InIlo
Now | must get started on the India
news or / will not get it in. will
begin with the Fourth of July.
The Fourth of July.
early in the morning woke up and
realized for the first time what a
Fourth of July was without fire.
| cracker. / began by singing our ma
| tional melodies and was bound to make
| the most of it. AT 1880 a. m. went to
an American missionary meeting at
| the Methodist Episcopal church. will
here give the name of those present:
| Bishop, Warne, Rev. Stokes, McCown;
Messrs. Robinson, Hendrixson, Lee,
Beacon; Mesdames Stokes, Smith,
Lee Misses Maxey, Smith, Sampson,
Henkle, Pyne, Eddy, Graydon Meyer,
! duu lily BILL WI. DSoScbi 10 ~ -
Englishman converted in America and
Miss Graydon is a Canadian supported
| by United States society, SO OF
| course they both have claim. The
meeting lasted until 10 o'clock, the
/ time being taken up in prayer, testi--
mony and singing. think every one
present received a great spiritual up
| lift. After the meeting we had our
breakfast, after which we spent a little
| time putting up American decorations.
had two pictures of flags, one elk and
four Indian heads, and picture of
| Martha and George Washington. tell
you, I made things look quite Fourth
4 of Julyish' in a little while.
Visits Rich BengaIi Woman.
/ "After lunch went with my pundit's
/ wife to visit rich Bengali woman. On
| our way there we met a funeral and
a wedding, both very interesting, but
| will not stop to explain. When we ar
i rived at the house ! was surprised to
/ find how elegant it was. 1t was three
stories high and was built so that the
4 rooms were around a court, no matter
which floor we were on, we could sec
1 the first floor. The drawing room and
library were furnished with lovely
4 English furniture, carpets, rugs, etc
/ and looking glasses, vases, and brio
1 a-brac. were everywhere. / found tho
woman we were in quest of (the eldest
sons wife) in her private room, takins
i a music lesson. She was also study
4 ing English and could read quite wei
in the fourth book. She could speal
it well enough for me to understand
her. There are fifty or sixty people liv
ing in the house.
Is Given an Ornament.
"While they were showing me about
happened to admire little ornamen
made of unshelled rice and cowi
shells with looking glass in the Ger
ter, and when / got ready to com
away the lady gave it to me. 1t is yer
unique. | had delightful time an
! they sent me home in carriage wit
two horses, quite an unusual thing on
! here. Well, I expect you are wonder
ing where the celebration is comm
. in for now it is after 6 in the even
( ing, but just wait. We had dinner a
1880 and then had plenty OF time t
IA IN ~ IL sfak tI mn