The Wrangell sentinel., 1923-12-13

November 2, 1923. My dear Mother:
 I am home after one of the mos marvellous trips I ever hope to have Truly my trip to Peking was won derful and thrilling and I hardl! know how to begin to tell you abou it.
 When I left Shanghai for Peking was pretty we'll Tagged out ant tired as could be with the monotony of things here. had not had req vacation since I came out here, so was ready for one.
 It is a thirty-six hour trip to Pc king and had rather dreaded going up alone on the train but when l goi to the station I found MT. and Mrs Whitman who are among my best friends here. They went almost as far as Peking. MT. Whitman is head of the Asia Development Corpo. ration, and this company has just completed one of the biggest engi- neering projects ever attempted in China, that of diverting the channel of the Yellow River. So was not alone on the train, but had a nice time. The train out of Nanking (where you change for Peking) is a very fine train-wonderful Ameri- can coaches, and almost unbelievable service for China.
 Arrives in Picking
 Helen Van Sant, the Seattle girl I came to China with and with whom I stayed at Peking, met me at the sta tion. She and three other girls have their own house. Most foreigners in Peking live in similar Chinese houses. They are most attractive, huge rambling places with open court yards containing trees and flowers. The house the girls have is perfectly huge and they have fur nished it very attractively with Chi nese furniture. So even living in this Chinese house was an experi- ence for me. They are very comfort able. Helen works in the laboratory at the Peking Union Medical College and the other girls are secretaries there. They are all fine girls. Helen is a peach. have never known a girl with more friends. She has hosts of them. Every one likes her and she is considered about the most popular girl in Picking. The people in Peking are among the finest people I have ever met and it surely made things delightful for me because they did so many nice things for me. There are so many fine people connected with the Peking Union Medical College Rockefeller Foundation) which cost seven and one-half million dollars to build. Some very eminent doctors and university men are connected with 1t. For example. Dr. Holt. the famous baby expert, Is featuring there this winter. Then the American Legation has many fine people in 1t. Peking has all nationalities, of course. because of the Foreign Lega- tions-interesting people, too. And the whole foreign community of Pe- r; to hfUhar and the people entertain in a more dignified way than elsewhere in China. I never saw such hospitality.
 Picking a Wonderful City
 The first few days I was in Pekine I was absolutely thrilled with the city itself It is truly a Chinese city. I had the feeling that I never wanted to leave 1t, and when I did leave I did so knowing that I would see it again sometime. Of all the capitals of the world. Peking can boast oi being the capital for the greatest number of people of one race. II was a capital for glorious empire and now it is the capital for this ex- perimental republic. It contains the landmarks of the old civilization in the form of beautiful palaces and buildings. and its huge city walls seem to crowd so many interesting things together which one wants tc