The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1908-07-08
Tang Tan. Hal Tang,
April %, 1908.

Tang Tan. Hal Tang,
April %. 1908.
My dear friends at Dow City:
Among the many compensations of
life. one of the sweetest
is the host of friends. whom we have
never seen. and whom we have done
nothing to win. whose friendship
is simply the free gift of the Fathers
love. as we would write to thank you
my unseen. God-given friends at
home" for the beautiful flag that
reached it's destination in Han Tang.
a few weeks ago. How beautiful it
is. Our girls and women have seen
and admired it and some have already
heard how the red says Be brave
and the white says BE pure and
the blue says ''Be true" You may
be sure that its pretty folds will not
only brighten the Missionarv's home
and the remembrance of the moving
thought that prompted the gift warm
her heart. but that it will end the
GROWING touch to the decorations for
many special day in our Kings
Heralds' school. Truly l cannot ex-
press my thankfulness to you. 1t is
useless to try. 1t makes me feel un-
worthy and ashamed to have SO many
induigences. but l trust that the
thought of you at home. who are
standing 'back" of me with your
sympathy and prayers may help me
to give my best service in the days
that are to come
OF course you would like to know
something of the Hal Tang into
which your kindly thought has come
and of our work here. We have
twenty eight girls in our boarding
school at this time. am sure that
you have never seen a flock of buster.
happier girls or more winsome ones,
than you would find. if you could
some day open the door and step into
our building. Perhaps you would like
to know just how our girls spend
their days.
The rising bell rings at half past
SIX. If you We're to step out into the
long hallway five minutes before the
ringing of this bell you would find it
very silent place indeed. but FIVE
minutes after. all is changed. Our
school world has wakened into life
and every little maid is busy
with her simple toilet. The most
particular part of which is the dress
ing of the abundant glossy black hair.
that is the pride of every Chinese
girl. Girls in America wash their
faces first and comb their hair last.
but the little Chinese sister reverses
the order and it is only after every
hair is in its proper shining place
that she descends the back stairs with
her gay red lacuered basin to be
filled with the streaming hot water
that is to make her so fresh and at
tractive tor the day.
At ten minutes to seven the first
breakfast bell is rung and six of the
girls go down to put the steaming
bowls OF rice and potatoes on the
tables. When bowls and chop sticks
are in place. the last bell rings and
the twenty eight girls troop down to
the dining room. When all are seat
ed. at a signal from "'Sister
Bertha. every head is bowed, some
one says grace and after the ''amen"
in which every voice is joined. chop
sticks and fingers begin to flying until
every one is quite satisfied. At
another signal each girl is off about
her appointed portion of the house,
hold work. Needless to say there is
q great deal of sweeping and busting,
washing of dishes and tables and
floors to be done in such large house
and for such big family but many
hands make light labor, and with a
little work cheerfully done by each
girl every thing is kept in shining
order.
At eight O'Clock the work is in
spected. Often times a girl is called
back to dust an overlooked chair, to
rewipe q carelessly done table or to
sweep O. neglected corner, but she
does not resent the correction and
think tries to be more careful next
time. At eight-fifteen. the girls are
called to the school chapel for their
"quiet time. "Sister Bertha s."
Christmas gift to each of the girls
was a nice new red edged Bible aid
no one ever forgets to bring this
treasure with her to the morning
watch. At this time the chapel is
perfectly still except for the sound
Of the turning Bible leaves and the
occasional rustic as some one kneels
or rises from prayer. This "quie,
time" is followed by the morning
hymn and prayer together and the,
the girls separate into their RESPECTIVE,
classes to be as busy as bees al