Dear Mother:

To you shall be my first letter of the new year. This morning we were very busy getting the parlor fixed for callers. Now we are ready to receive. We went to Chemulpo yesterday to meet our new ladies. Dr. Ernsberger¹, Miss Pierce, Miss Paine, myself, and Mr. Cable² and Mr. Swearer.³ Mr. Moose⁴ of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, too was with us. He was looking for a lady from Baltimore to join their mission but she did not come. We took the 8:25 train getting into Chemulpo at 10—Before the train stopped we could see the steamer coming around the island. We took a little oar boat and went out for the ship anchored in the outer harbor. There was Mame the dear girl, and two ladies from the New York branch. Miss Estey and Miss Hammond,⁵ both very nice. They are to board with us and one is to work at Mrs. Scranton’s and the other may go to Pyeng Yang when the river opens in the spring.

January 2

Callers came and shut off my writing and we had a very pleasant time. I begin to feel launched into the new year already. I cannot wonder what it holds in store for me. I have had two letters from you lately up to Nov. 22. I ought to have a later one soon. Miss Paine had a big mail yesterday, no night before last, but I got nothing but a letter from the Moody Institute which I had to pay 20 cents to get. One of your letters brought me another dollar bill and the one before, one came which I do not think I have acknowledged. Altogether I think I have received four. Do not rob yourself altho’ they are very convenient to have.

Have I asked you how much coal you use and what it is a ton. I fear I did not allow you enough. Do be comfortable! I suffer so with chilblains. I never had them at home but almost every year here I am troubled. Miss Paine & I are Page 191 →not saving on coal and wood we believe in keeping warm, yet my feet suffer. We are having beautiful weather the thermometer is 37 degrees today.

I want to get over to see Mame Hillman this afternoon.—I do hope she will like it out here. Her mother does not love me very much for she says if it had not been for me, Mame would not have thought of coming out here. She is with Dr. Harris and Miss Lewis. Miss Lewis goes home in the spring.

I enjoyed Georgia’s nice long letter telling me of her visit in Columbus. Tell her I am very interested to know where that gold belt is. I’ve never received it. Did she send it by mail when she sent her letter. I would not have it lost for anything.

I shall try and get some more money off for the loan soon. Have not yet received my salary and my bank book is not worth much at present.

I think we all feel the same about the selling of the house. Who are your renters—you said a long time ago the upstairs room was rented for $3.00. I found a letter from a little girl in Georgia’s letter. Have you a family in the room or a lady and a little girl? I am curious to know.

January 3

Two years today brother Grant was buried⁶—How full the years get of sad anniversaries! About the Equiole⁷ - save me a few boxes 1/2 dozen say. I am using the first box out of the dozen he gave when I was home. So you need not send it. Is it true the prescription is lost? I should not want you to make it but if we had the prescription we might have it made. If I should stay home with you—we must find some

[The rest of the letter is missing.]

[Labeled Saturday.]

Dear Mother:

A flag is on the pole and I am looking for the post man every moment but he comes not. I have a few spare moments while I oversee the sewing woman so will begin my weekly letter. This is Saturday, the day I usually write to you. I spent about an hour over the girls’ clothes, giving out patches for their clothes, needles, thread, bath and washing soap, fitting two new girls with clothes to wear. One girl of eleven came yesterday, one fifteen-year-old day before. We let two of our girls who have been with us a long time go home with their Page 192 →mothers. They will probably go into the Southern Presbyterian church and I hope will make us proud of them. We let them go before marrying because neither of them have good health and we prefer to have the parents take the responsibility of marrying them. Then we buried one of our girls who would have been 18 at New Year’s time. I was glad to see her go she has suffered so long with tuberculosis. We had such an experience getting her buried. We bought a piece of land 8 or 9 years ago and we have buried eight or more girls there. We always according to the law send for a permit to bury. Our servant went back & forth all day from office to office but no permit was granted. We sent for the Am. minister Dr. Allen and the next day through the Gov. of Seoul we received the necessary paper. While we were burying the girl 9 policemen came upon us and said we could not. We produced the permit which they said was no good etc. We went on burying our dead never the less.

January 14

The Koreans are still making trouble about our burying ground. The country is so full of cheats, that no one believes anyone else. I think probably the land was sold us by someone who had no business to sell at all—it being government land. Our Minister Dr. Allen will straighten it out. You don’t know how much of this kind of work we have. A few days ago I went to get a woman out of her own house where she had been locked in a cold room without food. Her son had deserted in the army and as they could not find the boy, they locked the mother up for witness. We took her with us for the night and then the next morning she went to Chemulpo where she is nurse in a foreigner’s house.

The next night I had a scare about the girls. It was week of prayer and some of the evenings the services were at the South Gate (Mrs. Scranton’s). I had 9 girls with me and I lost three on the way, think of it! I don’t yet understand how except they dragged behind & then turned the wrong way. They rarely ever go out & never alone. I was so frightened for no Korean woman is safe in Korea. They inquired of someone the way & after a long hunt for them I found they had gotten to the church.

So the days go—Dr. Avison⁸ of the Presbyterian Mission is very low of typhus fever. We look every moment for news of his death. It seems as if we could not spare him. But God knows best always. He is in charge of the Gov’t hospital under the control of the Presbyterians. Has just gotten money for a fine up to date hospital which he is planning. Has a wife and six children, all young.

Our new ladies are pegging away at the language and declare it terribly hard. They are so very nice. Mame Hillman dear girl is out at the East Gate and Page 193 →I see very little of her. I presume she too is studying too hard to spare time to come.

I am sending you in this letter $12.00. It will pay one month on the loan. Miss Paine and I have just sent off an order to California which took $240.00 and makes us both a little short as we haven’t had our full quarter’s salary yet. You haven’t told me yet what was the expense of father’s funeral. I feel as if I’d like to hear that if I can. He gave me my education which I very much appreciate. I never considered it a debt to him for I think it is the parents’ privilege to educate their children if their means allow—& for the same reason I did not offer to pay my board at home last summer. I thought we would all feel better if I didn’t but let me help now to pay the taxes, the loan and the funeral expenses. If you have not told me yet when you receive this, you will I am sure. The gas bill you mentioned in your letter I will keep in mind and if I can spare something for it I will but I can’t do it now. The coal too I am sure when I sent you money for it I did not allow enough. What is your coal bill for the year? I just know how you have to scrimp to make ends meet, and it just makes my heart ache. Please don’t keep anything from me.

I had a nice letter from Minnie on the last mail—that is my last mail for two have come in and brought me nothing. Again last night I was disappointed. They always come in time, two or three at once sometimes, but it takes patience.

Your birthday will be very soon now. Wish I could be with you. I do so want to see you sometimes more than ever now father is gone. I dreamed I saw him last night coming up the walk at home, dressed in Korean mourners’ clothes. How strange!

Give a kiss to Georgia for me & imagine one for yourself.

With much love—

Lulu E. Frey.

Dear Mother;

I must write you a little before I go into school. We look for a mail today. My last letter was finished Jan 1st. Miss Paine got a letter from her mother since then but it was dated only two days later Jan. 3^rd.

Everything goes on as usual. Last evening Mame Hillman came over and stayed all night with us. We do enjoy talking over old Delaware⁹ times. She has Page 194 →been a little home-sick but I think is beginning to throw herself into the work and will make a fine addition to our force. The other two girls are dear to us and we will miss them so when they are gone for the Methodist wheel will send one to Pyeng Yang and one helps Mrs. Scranton, going to live with her as soon as rooms can be fixed for her over there. All three are studying so hard on the language. I pity them for I know what work it is and how long it takes to learn to say anything. I have a woman’s meeting again today.¹⁰ I wish I was equal to teaching them as they ought to be taught.

That was quite a novel money-making scheme—combining that with New Year’s custom. I want to know what was made. The only thing we have by way of diversion is the Seoul Union. We are having quite nice entertainment, one a week—Last week’s was quite elaborate. Mr. Sands,¹¹ who used to be the U.S. Sec. but is now King’s advisor spared no expense to make it nice, and I am sure the costumes for the children cost no little amount, embroidered satin etc.

This week we are to be amused by a Japanese jug[g]ler.¹² Miss Pierce and Mrs. Scranton are on the Committee with others; some thought it wicked to get up such an affair and refused to have anything to do with it. I told Miss Pierce (who was in favor of it) that such entertainments were on the lecture courses now days, that it was becoming scientific—ask George for me if you do not remember what the modern word for “jug[g]ler” is. I was so sorry not to have seen that one, but Georgia wrote me of it. So they reconsidered and the tender consciences have had to withdraw. Next week we come on with our entertainment. I think we will have a program of music, readings, etc.—appropriate to the 22 of Feb. By the way tomorrow is Martha’s birthday. I must write her for I did so enjoy her letter & want her to write again.

I am finishing this letter on the 13th. Yesterday was such a very busy day for me. School in the morning & a meeting in the afternoon is about all I can stand. It is very hard to work through a foreign language all the time and such a one as this is! I am so tired and nervous I can hardly wait till vacation which I am thankful to say is no farther away than next week.

I wonder what you and Georgia are doing. I always think of you as bearing up for each other and therefore very happy. I ought to be sending you some money but Miss Paine hasn’t anything on the society account and therefore has not been able to pay us our full salaries yet. I do hope you will not need anything before I can get it to you. Miss Rothweiler said she would be glad to help you in any way she could but I had hoped you might not need to call upon her.¹³ However I would prefer that to you borrowing from the bank, for then Page 195 →people must know you are hard up. A bold front goes a long ways—You like me are one who does not care to have everyone know your business. Time will get us out of our present difficulty. We can’t do all at once but let us plan to do the most important things first. Had we better not paint the house before the funeral expenses are paid in full. From principle I’d like to wipe the debt out first, but the house does so need the paint. I don’t see how I can do both the spring quarter.

We still look for the mail steamers to be in from Japan one today & one tomorrow & one next day, surely one out of the three will bring us good letters & money too we hope. Of course we look for our mothers’ letters first. By the way, Mrs. Paine inquires in all of her letters for you and Georgia. Wonders why you don’t write her. I think Georgia ought to do so.

It is so bitter cold now. The Koreans call it spring but it certainly is not spring weather. So long as this weather keeps up just so long it will be before we can get our building finished. Then comes the awful thought that just as we finish the King may want it. He has bought the Presbyterian property across the street which is low in situation while we are high and will look down on him which he can’t stand.¹⁴ The property to our left is his also. We are quietly thinking if we have to build again we will move the school to Chemulpo where we will have the sea breezes for ourselves & the girls. However it may be years yet before it comes to it, but we have fears. We will sell at a good margin but that will not pay for the work and worry.

Dr. Avison has recovered from his attack of Typhus fever. We feared we would lose him.—Mrs. Scranton seems a little better but is failing fast. She so wants to live until the doctor’s wife comes back.¹⁵ She is in Switzerland with the children and wants to stay until the oldest one graduates which is two years yet I think. She still has her hands on the work and is so glad to have Miss Hammond to help her. Miss Hammond has a beloved in school at Oberlin O—and she has promised to serve the Society 5 years then be married. He hopes to come to Korea.¹⁶

I must close and go to work. In my next will try to send you some loan money. In April the money to paint the house and in May the June taxes. That makes more, I’m afraid, than I can do the Spring quarter but I can borrow at the bank here—I mean overdraw my account if necessary & pay interest for the few weeks till my next quarter’s salary is due. I’ll be so glad when the house painting and the debts are off our minds. The summer quarter I’ll try to pay the funeral debt, then the taxes and loan will not be so bad to carry along. Tell me Page 196 →all you can about the loan. Perhaps someday we can begin to pay off faster than $11 a month—I do so regret I did not inquire into it when I was home, but of course I did not anticipate this emergency.

With much love I am your daughter—

Lulu E. Frey

Dear Mother:

Just a year today by date of month since I landed in Chemulpo, really a year yesterday for it was Thursday. Today is Friday. We came down Wednesday morning took dinner at Mrs. Jones’ and then came into Chemulpo where we have been resting at the Japanese hotel. We don’t get all the luxuries of home here, but there is no one to interrupt in any way no need of visiting with anyone. We had “Alice of Old Vincennes”¹⁷ to read and nothing else to do but eat & sleep. We go home this afternoon. Really two days is all one wants of that kind of rest but there is nothing quite so quieting to nerves as a little change and absolute rest.

We have one more week’s vacation. I hope I may be able to accomplish something in it. I begin to feel rested, I must pick of the threads of my work and do some visiting among the probationers and write some letters which have been awaiting my inclination for a year more or less.

I feel so thankful whenever I think of Georgia’s success. You can apply father’s verse again. I hope we may never be left to beg. As for work, I’m not afraid of it—prefer to feel I am earning my own bread and butter—Georgia will feel so too. It is different with you you have long ago earned all you may ever get from Georgia or me. I am all the more anxious for home letters, to know how she will stand the steady strain of teaching. She teaches more hours than I do but she has no responsibility of the children after she leaves her school room door at night. But it will be a strain on her to stand so much of the time. See that she gets proper rest. I need sleep I find, & if I don’t get it at night I must sleep late in the morning. She can’t sleep late in the morning so she ought to go to bed early. This is some more of my “grandmother” advice which Georgia doesn’t enjoy.

I am hurriedly writing this for we take the two o’clock train home. I hope a letter from you awaits me for a steamer came in from Japan this morning. It is only a Tacoma mail, but I often get your letters that way so I am hopeful.

Page 197 →I am starting in on another year—so four more years and I’ll be due home again. What is in store for us all in the meantime—God only knows. He has been very good to us in our troubles—I do not complain.

It is so strange—as I look forward to troubles it seems as if I never could stand this or that, but when it comes I find I have strength to bear it.

Write often. Tell me all about yourselves—that is the most important news to me—after that news of the town etc.

Will write soon again if I find a letter from you—but for fear there is not I’ll get this off to catch this outgoing steamer—

Hastily but with love—

Lulu E. Frey

Dear Mother:

Your letter of Jan. 22 came yesterday all by itself. I had two home papers in which I enjoyed the news. Don’t you think for an instant that the newspaper will take the place of your letters. I have been reading for some time of your library lawsuit¹⁸ and wondered why you did not mention it in your letters, and so with other things.

New Year’s festivities close with today the 15[th] of the moon, but as it is the middle of the week the girls won’t be back till Friday or Saturday and school begins Monday. We have had about 35 girls with us during vacation.

We spent a few days in Chemulpo and there I wrote you a short letter and mailed it before I came up. We read in the papers of the sinking of the “Rio Janeiro,”¹⁹ so one of my letters will be missing—I wonder which one. I have only sent you one letter with money in—oh dear me, and looking at the date I [bought] the check from Miss Paine, I see it would have caught that steamer. I only sent $12 gold that time anyway. Let me know if you got it or not. The letter was dated probably the 12th of Jan. Hope you will get it all right. We are so afraid our Smith Order with money enclosed was on that steamer, nearly $200.00. We can get the money back in time for it was a C.D. on the Mission, but we want our flour, butter & other eatables we ordered and are depending on for spring and summer eating. When one thinks of the lives lost and the friends waiting for the passengers which were on board whom they will never see again, these little things are nothing.

Aunt Anna said to say if there was anything I wanted for myself and she Page 198 →would see I got it. I can beg for the work but not for myself. I would like a few things to come out in the box, & I will give you the order and you can buy and send over to Sidney. You will have to buy them soon—enquire of Aunt Anna how soon the box starts on its journey. You will notice they are things I want for next winter’s wear, as the box will not get here before fall.

March 6

This is brother Grant’s birthday. The years are filling with sad anniversaries. Three more days & I’ll be 33 years old, and wrinkles and grey hairs coming fast. Georgia is getting old too. I felt awful old when I was 18, I remember. Where will she go to Normal school—if she selects a cool comfortable place she can combine comfort, pleasure and work. It will be very lonely for you all summer without her. I dread to think of you staying home alone. Wish you could spend the summer with me. I am so very thankful you have your pension.²⁰ That will be sufficient for your clothes and club, church dues & necessary little things. Perhaps the proceeds of the Equiole will board you. $48.00 yours & Georgia’s together is quite enough to comfortably keep two board, clothes, fuel, lights, etc. but it will not pay the extras on the house—but I know now you need not suffer for anything and need not go into debt. By degrees we will get out of debt and then we will never go in debt again, will we? I am so sorry but I dare not send you anything yet. It is on my mind & you may be sure I’ll get it off as soon as I can. Funeral expense, house painting, June taxes, and the loan for 3 summer months if possible—it staggers me to think of doing it in six months’ time with a present bank account of $40 and last month’s board bill unpaid. I’m not complaining only planning. The next quarter comes in the first of April. As soon as money comes we will get the balance of this quarter, some of which is still due us. Miss Paine got $900.00 a few days ago, but as the bank here is only a branch of Japan National Bank the drafts all have to go to Japan and be sold before we get the money here, so as soon as the banker hears from Japan we can use it. If I thought you were in absolute need of money I would borrow, but I’ll get the paint money & tax money there in time—but I am afraid the funeral bill will have to wait till fall. It always seems disgraceful to not pay doctor’s and undertaker’s bills but we are coming out all right, and I believe God will spare me till it is done. You will write me about the loan if we can pay it off any faster if we choose, & what that interest (?) was with which you paid last June’s taxes. Was it the amount which would have been deducted making the debt that much smaller than last year. I confess I do not understand the loan. I presume a part of each $11.00 is interest on the loan and a part is applied to lessening of Page 199 →the debt. I only know that the sooner the house is yours without any claims to it, the better it will be for us all. Please ask at the rate we are paying how many years it will be before we have cleared it. I can’t bear to think of 12 to 13 years of this bondage & according to my figuring I make it that long. Wouldn’t it be nice if it could be done by the time I go home again? I am expecting Georgia to pay the loan from now to June & I’ll pay the summer months. Her help so soon was quite unexpected to me. God is good to us. Must go to bed.

Thursday, March 7

This is—no tomorrow is Frank Dickinson’s birthday. So Mrs. Irwin got a pension at the same time you did. I did not know she was a widow. I know the family well. So Mrs. Beals has another consumptive husband—Sorry to hear it and about Helen too—I doubt if Cal[ifornia] does her any good, for it has not been the climate of Ohio which has caused Helen her trouble.

Why doesn’t Georgia ride her wheel back & forth from school? The North building isn’t so far away but she could come home to dinner in good weather. She ought not to stay in the school room all through noon—she cannot feel fresh for afternoon.

You always speak of the “lady and child upstairs”—haven’t they any names? Is she in the house all day or is she too away all day?

I am glad you have escaped the grip—Hope you may altogether. We have 14 lovely Calla Lily buds. The 7th of April is Easter this year & they will be in their glory by that time; a few of them past perhaps but they open slowly. Just a month from today—I was with you last Easter—Don’t you remember my first speech? Do you think father enjoyed my visit home?

I will try to send you the paint money for I feel it ought to be done not later than May anyway. I can only send $100.00. If it takes more than that the painter will have to wait for the balance till later if you and G. can’t give it. Make arrangements as soon as possible. I’ll try to put the money in the next letter. Am hoping for another letter today or tomorrow.

Lovingly Yours—

Lulu.

Dear Georgia:

Your letters and one from Mother came a few days ago—the day before my Page 200 →Birthday, and by the way on the same mail came a book inside of which was—”with love from Mollie.” Who is Mollie? Can it be Mary Miller is calling herself Mollie in these “latter” days? I do not know who to thank unless it is she—No letter came with it. There was two little bits of gold which I guess was intended to put on the ends of ribbon or some neck wear. I am so delighted for any bit of new style but instructions should always accompany it or I may make a guy of myself. Do you remember father telling about that girl in Florida who was a witness or gave him some clue on a case when he was inspector & he wanted to give her a present, so the next time he went there (in the back woods somewhere) he took her a blue sateen corset and she thought it so pretty she wore it outside of her dress. The book came from Ed Cowman’s and the writing looks like Mary’s but I have not heard from her for so long that I almost forget what it looks like.

I have such an awful cold that I have to lay down my pen every few moments and attend to my nose. School began again today. I had a good rest during vacation and would feel all right if I hadn’t taken this cold & I know how I got it. Saturday was my birthday—(33—think of it!) and I went over to the East Gate on a wheel. Miss Paine gave me a cyclometer and I wanted to try it.²¹ I so enjoyed the ride over but coming back was slightly up grade and I had to face an awful strong wind so that I was in a perspiration when I reached Mrs. Scranton’s on my way home, & sat down & fanned myself.

I got several such pretty presents. A lovely Japanese lacquer waiter²² which I use as a plaque, a cup & saucer & a little wooden shoe from Switzerland, a box of candy and the cyclometer & this book from America and another little booklet.

I wrote mother of my trip to Chemulpo but saved a little bit of it for you. While we were at the hotel, Mrs. Jones came and took us to call on Mrs. Deshler. She is a very pretty little Japanese woman, between 25 & 30 years old. Her husband is about her age but American, in fact his mother is Gov. Nash[’s] wife which makes him stepson of Gov. Nash.²³ He came to the East as so many young men do, was captivated by the sweet pretty face & gentle ways of this little woman & so lived with her secretly. When he went back to America a year or more ago he put her in a convent in Yokohama, Japan. While at home he was very sick and the thought of his sin preyed upon his mind. He promised the Lord if he ever lived to get back, he would make it right with her; so he came back and made her his wife. They have a most beautiful home—I wish you could see it—like a little city home & the grounds are like a little park. Everything in the house—table linen, silverware, furniture, everything indicates Page 201 →plenty of money. The doors, windows, inlaid wood floors etc. all came ready made from America & were set up here. You could not imagine the little woman being bad; at heart she surely never was but the Japanese girls are reared for this very thing and it is not their fault so much as the fault of their parents. He is a handsome young man they say, I’ve never seen him to know him. He mingles very little with other foreigners, is satisfied with his business and home life—is self-conscious I presume because of his sin. In the bedroom was a little raised mat about 6 ft. square with a little Japanese table, little “fire pot” with tea kettle on it in Japanese style. In the midst of this foreign grandeur was this little bit of her old home life. This was very pathetic to me. There was several rooms besides these which were purely Japanese style to entertain her guests.

Our wallpaper came today so we expect to begin to paper before long. We so want to be fixed up by Annual Meeting time, in fact before for Mrs. Hall is coming down for a rest before Annual Meeting and we look for Nora Seeds²⁴ over to spend her April vacation. Mother remembers Miss Seeds with whom she talked once in the depot. Dr. Martin²⁵ too (one of the China refugees—one who was in the Peking siege) may come also. O yes, and as Mrs. Follwell²⁶ also expects to come with the children, she will stop with her sister Dr. Harris a few weeks before Annual Meeting and Mame Hillman will come over here to put the “licks” in on her language study so as to pass her first year’s exam at Annual Meeting. So thankful I have none to look forward to. Nothing worse than an annual report to write.

Tell Mother that I’ve tried to scrape together the $100 for the house painting but cannot do it. I’ll send it surely by the first of April so she can have it by the first of May, which will be just the month to paint. Don’t let her put it off; engage the man for the second week in May and unless the ship goes down or there is some unforeseen misfortune the $100.00 will be on hand. My second quarter begins with April 1st.

I guess I’ve rambled quite enough. O, I always forget to tell you that Mr. Swearer’s²⁷ sweetheart went back on him and never gave back the Korean gold and the pearl, either. He was very attentive and it is said he is engaged to Alice Appenzeller,²⁸ a girl of 16, who has gone to America to get her education. If someone else came along to charm he might not want to wait so long. I rather think in her school life she may see someone else who suits her better altho’ he is a very nice young man.

Do I ever dream? Yes, I often dream of Nettie, Grant & Father but nothing so horrible as that you tell of only of seeing one of them and always thinking or saying I had thought they were dead but am so glad it is not so. To me Page 202 →these deaths have no horrors, perhaps, because I did not see any of them dead. I always think of them as having gone away to a place where I shall surely go, too, and where I shall see them again.

You will have vacation soon & I suspect you will be glad for a little rest. School teaching will keep you quite strait-laced you can’t “gad” so much can you? But I’ll trust you to have a good time out of it anyway.

If Uncle George gets a position in Sidney will Aunt Anna go to Chicago too? Our relatives are getting very few. So many are dying and none are being born. I lay awake the other night thinking of you and mother, if one should die, what would the other do? I have always felt I did not want to receive a cable gram but I’ve changed my mind. Every letter I read from home cheers me but I wonder how you are now always, for I realize that you might die a thousand times in the time the letter is crossing the water to me. If you promise to cable me should one of you die, then I’ll know as long as the cable doesn’t come you are both living—. Don’t you see the comfort? Should it come, it would give me five or six weeks more time to decide what is best to do. Just the word; & particulars in the letter following which I would anxiously await.

So I must close and go to bed—

Do inquire who sent me the book & ornaments & how I am to use them. Write often and I’ll answer often.

With much love—

Lulu E. Frey.

Your picture is a great comfort to me. I kiss it sometimes—Is that too sentimental?

Dear Mother:

Your letter & Georgia’s came together. I wrote her last Monday and intended sending yours a few days later. It is now Saturday. Mail came in yesterday, bringing me two home papers & a few others but no letters—I read the papers with a great deal of interest. The Commercial Club and the “Carrie Nation”²⁹ discussion to be in M.E. Church. Personal items of interest etc. By the way, I see McElden Dun & family continue to find their names in the paper weekly.

I told you the Presbyterians are going to build new houses. The King has bought their property just across from us for $24,000 and ground in equal Page 203 →number of acres. He is looking at us up on our beautiful hill too—He will never stand it to have us look down on him, so he will want our place also. Our hope has been as long as the American Legation is where it is that we need not go but now we hear there is talk of the King buying that so we come next I fear. O—how dreadful if we have to build again. We’ll have one summer anyway on our cool verandas. Of course the Presby’s do not move away until their new buildings are finished. They have sent for an architect so I suspect they will have some good buildings. We have done the best we could and we really think we will have a comfortable, convenient building if it is not elegant. I lie awake at night trying to fit the furniture we have into so many new rooms. The Society gives us no money to furnish our house with, only a private study and bedroom each. Our dining room, parlors, halls, spare bedroom & kitchen furniture must come out of our own pockets. We have ordered our paper from America & it came a few days ago. Cheap but very pretty—19 cents and 24 cents a roll, I think window curtains & wallpaper & a carpet are the main things in a room, if they are pretty the chairs & tables etc. will come in all right. They are plastering now & putting the woodwork on as fast as it is dry then the doors & windows & a few other finishing touches & we will be ready for the painter. Inside painting I mean, for the house is brick. I do hope you are not disappointed that I cannot send you any money now—have patience it is coming. I am as anxious to get the house painted as you. It ought to have been done three years ago. You will see to it as soon as the money reaches you, won’t you?

Where will Georgia go to Normal school? In Columbus? It is so hot there—I’m not familiar with Summer Normal schools.³⁰

It has been too cold to get our garden planted yet. Miss Paine hopes to get the peas in this afternoon. It is a little warmer but not thawed except in the sun & there I guess not very deep.

That was very funny about Frank Blessing—the whole affair was very amusing. One word I could not make out, when Grace asked him “whose kids” what did he say, something like “restar——-ers” the letters in between I could not decipher. I want to ask too who this Miss Miller is whose place Georgia takes in school and if she gave up school to be married or why?

I have had a fearful cold for a week, a very uncomfortable one—I don’t call it grip but if I had not had to be in school I’d have taken it easy on my couch, but it seems to be the rage and I guess it will wear itself out before long. I’ve been very well up to this time. I’m so glad you keep well & Georgia must too, take care of herself.

Page 204 →Two children waiting for a dose of medicine so I must close. Time to get our letters off besides.

With much love—

Lulu E. Frey

Dear Mother:

I hardly know how to write you, for mail came in yesterday but there was no home letter. I hope it is nothing more serious than that you missed the steamer. I had a long letter from Miss Rothweiler. She spoke of stopping off to see you on her way somewhere. I hope she did for I want you to meet her, also Dr. Cutler, both of whom I think a great deal of. Miss Paine had two shirt waists come in the mail from her mother. I asked Georgia to remember me with one—I want it particularly for the style of making. Each year the changes are slight. I hope you got the list of things I wanted for winter in time to send them in the box if you did not never mind they can come with our fall order—I’ll let you know the time if you do not get them off. Let me know.

How nice and warm it is getting—the buds are showing on the trees. Yesterday was your wedding anniversary. We are awfully busy I wish you could see us now. I counted fifty men at work on the place yesterday. Carpenters, painters, masons, stone cutters, men digging & carrying dirt & making walls. We are grading now. We are so anxious to get the grass seed in soon. Think of watching all this work & even having to take shovel & hoe to make them understand how we want it. Well a good time is coming, surely. Mrs. Hall is coming tomorrow and the spare room not done now, but we will put her in a cot in our room till we can get the windows in & painting done & furniture set up. Miss Estey and Miss Hammond are in our present spare rooms. When Annual meeting is over then we will have to part with them for Miss Estey goes north to help Dr. Hall & Miss Hammond to the South Gate—Mrs. Scranton’s work. Mrs. Hall is not at all well, and is coming down to have a little rest before Annual meeting. She will be here with us until then & then go to the East Gate with Dr. Harris & Miss Hillman. We will entertain Mr. & Mrs. Jones and may find we have some others on our hands.—I learn Mrs. Hall will stay in Chemulpo a few days and then come up here some time next week so that will give us time to get ready for her.

Page 205 →April 11

I began this letter yesterday in school, writing with the copy book pens which the girls use, which accounts somewhat for the scratchy appearance. I am finishing it in the school room again, while my class are having a written examination. I am so happy that I shall be able to send you the promised $100.00 to paint the house, it will be one thing off my mind when I know it is done. Let me know your plans. How soon does Georgia go to school and how long will she stay, where will she go and how can you get along without her. I wish it was so I could spend my summer vacation with you, but alas the cheap swift ships are yet to be invented, something left for the 20th century to accomplish. I hate to think of you alone—oh—I forgot about the lady in the house with you. You never have even told me her name, and have only spoken of her incidentally so no wonder I forgot about her. So I won’t worry if she is there. I wish it were possible for you to get a family in the house with you but as long as our money is so short I presume it is wise not to cut the doors, however you would soon make it up in rent. Mrs. Jordan (Lewis’ mother) had harder work to make a double house out of their house than you would have. I wish I were home I’m sure with my building experience, I could manage it.

We are having our terraces, walks & steps remade. We have three terraces, about 10 steps each in the three flights so you see we are quite high from the road, and on our second story we have a beautiful view of the city and I’m sure will always have a nice breeze; so it will not be so bad to be shut in through the summer as we have to be with the girls. I am looking for a Moody school friend, Dr. Burnham,³¹ a Presbyterian from China to spend June with me. She cannot go back into the interior yet. She would have come last summer but was caring for (nursing) English soldiers for two months during the war. I suspect has had some very interesting experiences. Miss Seeds³² has failed us again she has been coming to see us so often, something always prevents.

Today is Miss Hammond’s birthday—Must close; school is out and other duties await me—I’m glad to be busy. Those who have little to do are usually the ones who mope over life’s trials.

With much love—

Lulu E. Frey.