Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-09-02
News From The Orient.

Chikungshan, June 80, 1920.
Dearest of Aunties:
1t has been so long since I've written
to you that decided to write and see
what the sensation would be like. But
there Is one consolation about not writing
! to you that one seldom has, the assur-
ance that you really understand why do
write. and do not necessitate my going
thru a category Of the many reasons for
delay.
No doubt you have heard from mother
before this that am q refugee. Posi-
lively. I am getting 30 usod to the bang
ing of rifles. the wing of bullets. and
running for my life, that life would seem
strange without It,
Being refugee is funny in some ways.
You find you have parts Of several dresses,
and no whole ones. no pencils or pins, or
any of the little things one SO needs. one
washrag and towel which you have to
keep washing out every day, oh! all sorts
of crazy things you don't need. and 80
few of those you do. And then, when
ever you wish very hard for something,
you must console yourself with the thot
that you must be glad you've saved your
self
Mother ond Ruth have written me the
home news. How sad / feel, so many
folks who will be missing when come
home.
had such an interesting experience
last week. / was on the train bound for
Hankow and was in compartment with
a young Chinese detective. Towards ev-
ening the lights came on, and stayed on
for about half an hour, then suddenly
went off. and stayed off an hour. 1t was
a moonlight night, so not pitch dark, but
surely felt fidgety. He had stared at
me so hard and absorbingly, that had
beg I'm to think he was getting to chop
me open and examine the inside as well.
No, auntie, not this bad. but really there
no stare On earth to equal that of
Chinese. IN try to practice up on it and
how you hen come home. Sometimes
| return a stare Chine Sc fashion but this
ow, l guess if the truth could be known
he was more afraid of sitting il the dark
with "fOreign devii'' than the foreign
d, vii" was of him.
This summer had planned to do two
things cut side my school work. To learn
the ''touce" syst. m on our new school
Underwood. and to make sweater of
Chinese wool. The wool is in Yochow,
and will probably be moth eaten by the
time get back, and of course, when one
gets out in as short time as we did, he
doesn't stop to take typewriter along.
Such are the vicisstudes of life.
June 3Oth.
Dear Little Brother:
Mother has written about your sum-
mer plans. How fine it is that you have
those weeks near Boston. After | have
seen the dsgrac eful way in which most
of the Chinese soldiers act it gives me a
positive thrill of delight to think of the
real thing in America. What do you
think of general, who is both civil and
military Governor of province, who,
while the enemy is still miles away from
the capital, buns his yamen and beats it
to the next stopping point? He leaves
one Brig adler General who dares not to
disobey. to control the situation. His
brother and son who hold strategical
points, following their brothers. exam
pie, take to their heels and join him at
the place of retreat. The provincial cap
ital, then being taken by the opposing
forces of Southerners, the Northern
government at Peking repremands the
aforesaid Gen. Chang Chin Yao, where
upon he Immediately throws all the blame
upon his brother and son, and asks the
central government to punish them for
leaving their posts, not taking into con-
sideration the fact that he left his first
Having taken his stand at Yochow and
allowed his troops to take the lid off
hell' he shows his great courage and
bravery in this fashion. He spent his
time on private launch out in the lake.
After the killing of Mr.. Reimert and 9TH
err abuses of foreign property, on the ap-
pearance Of foreign gunboats he imme-
diately takes up his abode in the military
vamen in the city, where he is surround
ed by soldiers who stand constantly with
loaded revolvers in their hands. The
Southerners advanced steadily and eau
tlously, and still he must stay and pre-
tend to defend Yochow. But when the
Southerners reach the town some miles
outside of Tochow, there is sudden ex-
odus of general and troopers, all flee be-
fore the invisible host. Such is the cour-
age of these brigands who go about loot
ing, destroying, numbering.
July 4th.
Dear Father.
How much enjoyed the letter which
mother said you were ''going to write"
l noticed a most striking resemblance in
style to some of those write-perhaps
l do take after you little! Enclosed are
some interesting newspaper accounts.
wish | could hear you folks pronouncing
Al.