Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-03-22
CHAT

lust see what a nice lot OF letters L
have been giving you this year hope
that every one OF the 500 now on our
roll will send in letter on the subject
nearest his or her heart
I knew that Our Household was read
IN the Philippines. in CuJa and Canada
hut we may now claim a dear one In
China, and Chat is going 10 give way 10
Fayette today because that letter will
Re on A subject dear to so many hearts.
/ wouldn't boast for anything. but l
don't believe that there is another
Household that gets so many letters
from foreign countries. These are ad-
Marriages that we should appreciate and
do our very best to pass on TO others
~ Dear Miss Thomas:
1 have been reading Lor some months
the Household letters in the Semi
weekly Journal which 1 receive even In
rar-away China, and have certainly en-
foved them Ihey are written IN q
very different spirit from so many cluo
letters and ought TO make even pes
sfmfst feel a little better about the
worid. and not think every one is going
down hill Just because he is Your
comments are always so interesting and
helrful and IL has maze me feel desir-
Gus OF knowing you better 10 read what
you have TO say. Do you think the
Household can stretch little and take
n one more member
some weeks ago one OF my papers got
torn. ana that part OF a letter contain
ing the signature was lost, and l have
wondered ever since who the writer
could have been. She. or he, will be
sure TO recall the letter as II contained
= description of life in China and men
ton was made OF my daughter in Chi
ma We found that very interesting
% ms and recognized many OF the Gus
foms but were led to think that the de-
r~rsntion came from north China, while
we are in the Yang Ste valley The de-
ecrfptions were mostly OF the poorer
classes. so I thought ] would like to
show the other side and describe nome
where 1 recently went to visit
Years ago the man of the family spen'
about three years In Europe, in the chi
resa locations there, and came back
home with a little foreign furniture and
: GOOD many foreign ideas. / suppose
hut his home and family are typically
Chinese We were met at the door oy
the young grandson and escorted 10
small reception room. where we were
served with tea and candies. and then
Ne were asked II We did not wish TO go
~~er the house and garden BY this
time the whole family was trying TO en-
tertain US. from the grand mother down
70 some little girls about years old. and
III were as nice and cordial as could De.
I'D by the youngest son. and the grand
-oo We first saw. Both were about Is.
and were our principal guides and enter
tanners. We were led through room after
room. and court after court. all surpris-
fnxlv clean for a Chinese house. but
simply furnished. and finally reached The
Room. II was a large oblong room with
an aIcove about half as large Al the
FAR end of the alcove was raised dais
with a settee placed on IT This Is the
highest seat and the most impOlite thing
q guest could do would be to sit down
there On either side Of this alcove were
large mirrors which, as I remarked 10
enc OF our ladies. ''any one Of us would
Re very glad to possess. but could not
afford one half so large" and all around
Us set against the walls in true Chinese
styIe were smaller chairs and tables
where we sat and chatted and drank tea
This room was very bright and airy and
hooked out on the. to my mind, most
charming spot in many miles. the flower
rarden OF this mansion
We were at length led to this by way OF
many covered passages, some of which
we discovered were bridges crossing little
streams which ran out from the central
JAKE In the garden. and through several
summer houses. any one Of which would
have been a 10y to me in America But
the garden was a work of art. II was
winter, so we saw no flowers. but none
xere needed, as tn espot could scarcely
lave been improved In the center was
4 small lake on one bank Of which was
q pile Of rocks fully 30 feet high. so ar
ranged as TO form a very artistic mound
with a large space on top. from which
we could get a view OF the entire city.
All around were fruit trees. and little
streams running of from the lake max
ing 3 place which few in our American
cities can equal
we were finally led 10 the gentleman's
study, where he himself met US and told
rs about his life abroad and showed us
. picture of Queen IntOna- IL was an
experience which I shall not soon forget
and which shows that the spirit of China
II changing. for the wealthy doors be-
ctr TO open to let the foreigner In We
hope that the gospel Will at last make
fts way into the homes OF the rich and