Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-08-19
YocHoW CITY. LOOTED.
Soldiers Take Possession OF
Homes. Miss FirOr Called To
HankOw To Look After Girls.

Homes. Miss Firor Called To
Hankow To Look After Girls
June %, 1920.
Dear Mother.
This morning about 10 O'Clock Mrs.
| Hemric hsohn received a telegram from
Mr.. H. which said sending al girls to
Hankow. City looted. Many outrages.
Marion go make arrangements. Still
SAFE" Which means, of course, that the
soldiers have been attacking the women
in their homes, that our girls were no
longer safe, and that in some way means
of escape has been provided for them.
So, after three days on Chikungshan, l
am returning to Hankow to see what can
be done for these poor refugee girls.
There are two American gunboats at
Yochow, but they seem powerless to do
anything.
NV train is late, and will not reach
Hankow till late night, so l was extrav-
agant and telegraphed ahead to the China
Inland Mission clearinghouse to have
some one meet me. believe would be
safe alone, but it will save worry, and
look better to the Chinese, too.
The train shakes so can hardly write,
and the young Chinese gentleman who is
sharing the compartment with me stares
SO hard that it is wonder my pen does
not get fidgety. From what l have OBJ
served of him, and the remarks that have
passed between him and some trainmen,
| | feel sure he is a detective. They are
not so hard for US foreigners to spot.
If he knew ] was from that hotbed Yo-
chow, he'd use his jaws instead of his
eyes.
June 26, 1920.
After very busy day in Hankow, l
am again on Chikungshan. What JOY
it was on reaching there to find letter
from home. The girls were as glad to see
US, as | was them. | talked and talked
to them and then to Mr.. Hslung, one Of
our evangelists, n splendid, most depen-
dable young man.
will tell you few things they told
me. The people of Yochow threa tened
with starvation. Both Changsha and
Hankow have come to their relief, and
sent rice enough to last them on half ra-
tons about ten days.
On Tue sday, June 20, the Southerners
hadnot yet reached Yochow. That night
Chan Gin Yao's men mad started fires in
the city. These, however, were not near
our compound About 300 soldiers of the
20th division are guarding the compound
against Chang Gin Yao's men. They will
guard it to the finish. but when the
Southerners arrive our folks must pro-
tect them and get them away safely.
Everybody is living in the compounds.
If man ventures to go to his home-all
the homes are occupied by soldlers-this
is what happens. The soldier asks.
"who are you, what are you doing here?'
If the man answers, "this is my house"
the soldier Immediately threatens to kill
him unless he gives them money. If he
says II am servant here" they then
command him to take them to his master
or they'll kill him. If he says it isn't
his place or gives any such excuse, they
promptly pounee upon him, and give him
sound beating for coming where he
does not belong.
One big silk store in the city had a hid
ing place in which to store their goods.
BY taking up some of the tile roofing
they could drop down some of the goods
into the space between the two sides of
the wall. Somehow, the soldiers found
out and of course, got it. They have dug
up the floors in dozens of houses, our own
street chapel included, hoping to find hid
den treasure, mostly however, they want
silver dollars. Several soldiers with
small trunks got on one of the foreign
steamers at Yochow. 1t become whis-
pered that the trunks contained loot. So
a crowd of Changsha students on board
and some Of the Chinese crew bounced
upon them, and took all away. They
found over five thousand dollars. stolen
of course. They called the captain, who
took the soldiers in charge, and on reach
ing Hankow, handed them over to the
police.
We are hoping that the Southerners
will reach Yochow soon, that the North
will refrain from retaking it, and that
Human may have peace. Poor, Cypress
ed suffering people, they certainly de-
serve it.
But now | must write of my furlough.
By mission meeting time l must decide,
and then will let you know. I'm trying
to be guided by another than myself. 1t
is too hard to do alone. There is much
to make one happy. the. attitude of many
of the girls whom | dearly love, and my
classes of boys in the Nurses Training
School. It's not easy to drop it all and
leave. The work is here, and there are
so few of us | do not want to disap-
point you folks, and after looking for
ward so long to 1921, myself, as home
going year. you must know that it's not
easy to relinquish the anticipated joy.
! Poor MIR. Reimert had worried so much
about his furlough. This was due last
year, but he postponed it so as not to be
away from his family so long. The great
question was. should he leave Mrs. Rel
inert and the children in America anc
! come back, or should he stay with them.