The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1931-07-23
Missionary on Way
Home From Japan
Margaret Burmeister Begins
Trip Home After 5 Years
Absence in Orient
The Oriental Hotel, Ltd.
Kobe, Japan


June %, 1881
Dear Folks:
Well here I am on the first stage
of my long journey. l am not stay
ing here but have been here most of
the day comforting with Cooks, so,
l thought I'd take advantage of a
nice cool writing room and comfort
able chairs.
| can't begin to describe the last
two weeks to you, but if you remem-
Der when l left home, then multiply
it by about dozen, you'll have some
slight idea of the rush I've been in.
The week before last, we were out
almost every meal except breakfast
and ate every kind of thing under
the sun.
Last Monday, told you I went to
Yatsushiro. That evening we had
chicken nobe and it was very good.
The workers took us all to that. l
certainly must be getting old and
rheumatic, because ever since one of
my knees has been almost stiff. 1t
may be just the long hours I've had
to sit on them lately.
Tuesday, 1 taught in the morning
workers in for ice cream and cake.
and in the afternoon we had the
Eloise and l made the ice cream, it
was banana and very good if do
say it. We bought the cake, and that
too was not so bad. In the evening
we went to the Schillingers for sup
per. Had chicken and ice cream
again. Of course several other things
: besides those two.
l forgot to say that Monday eve.
l got telegram from Cooks saying
that the Yosukuni was delayed two
weeks. That surely is mess be-
cause the N. Y. X. boat that is going
is much smaller. l telegraphed Vera
this morning. 1t may be, we will go
on a French boat instead, because the
cabin they gave us on the Halrone
Moru is surely poor one, inside
with no air. The French one is fine
and big and goes day early from
Singapore, and several days earlier
from here because it stops several
days in French Indo-C China. Of course,
I take it from Singapore. l start out
all right tomorrow from here on P.
and o. boat, the "Kashgar."
Well to continue with the schedule.
Wednesday, I got my big baggage
off at noon and Ella came in the af-
ternoon. We played our last round OF
baby golf and had dinner at home for
a change, then had the church fare
well. Quite good crowd but not as
. many as came to the station to see
us off. They gave me lovely black
houri with an old rose lining and Ella
vase and Eloise an Obi. OF
course I had to say something in
Japanese and / had it all written to
learn but no time to learn it and no
head either. So / just said a few
things and almost cried so / quit and
sat down.
Ella stayed until Thursday after
noon. Friday / paid the workers and
tried to get moneys Strengthened up,
but had lots of interruptions, people
coming in all the time.
Saturday noon / had my farewell
at the school and they gave me that
lovely Kayano San kimono (mailed
to you) then. The boys, over a
thousand in all lined up one behind
the other until the room was packed.
A boy from my typewriting class
made a speech in English and pre-
scented the gift. Then l replied in
English and it was over. They surely
have always been most considerable
and kind. The only female" around
the place, I've never worked too hard
for the money l got.
Saturday afternoon, Miss Finlay
came. Saturday we had long line
of callers, nd l was very tired. Sun
dy, Eloise and l sang a duet in
church and everyone praised it, l
guess, just to be nice at the end. We
had to get our baggage off that af-
ternoon. We broke the Sabbath in
more ways than one that day. 1t
poured rain and people kept coming.
We were only an hour late for foreign
church.
Next day went to the train 80 min
utes early, even that wasn't enough
time to speak to all the people who