Top Heavy with Rank
Tokyo, Japan
Mary dear:
Three cheers for you! I think the news of you in Sallie’s last letter1 perfectly fine. Is there any thing special I can get you for the grand occasion over here? And that reminds me – you know you can get such wonderful Irish lace in China, and do tell me if it will be out of style at home next year, for if so I’ll not get any, but if you say it will still be all right I’ll indulge, for it is certainly a temptation. I bought some not long ago, the inch wide insertion with roses and shamrocks every couple of inches, for 12 cents a yard.
I suppose the Angel has told you that I am contemplating entering the bonds of matrimony. Of course it is a deep, dark secret but I do hope you & Artie approve, and today I had my first blow! There’s been a naval officer who is pursuing me. He was an old bean of mine at Annapolis and now is in the Philippines, where I had rather strenuous times with him. He’s just been ordered to China and still seems to cling to the hope that I’ll marry him when we get to Shanghai. Well today I got a letter from him enclosing a perfectly beautiful Irish lace collar, the long, deep kind and wanting to know my next address here as he had just got me an Irish lace parasol cover, a hat, bag, collar and cuffs, and 37 piece luncheon set! And wanted to send them right on! I don’t know whether I like being engaged, for it breaks my heart to think of losing out on all those things.
Do you wonder? However I guess it’s worth it for my true love is really a dear and I’m anxious for you both to know him. He spends all spare time reading histories and Memoirs of Grant, Sherman, etc. You know my fondness for such studies, don’t you?
Oh! You would revel in the shops here. Never have I known a place where it is so easy to get clothes. The tailor comes to your room, say in the afternoon, you select your samples, give him a picture of how you want your dress made and presto – next morning you can wear it complete, even with hand embroidery over the whole thing. The best of all is the bill, which is so little sometimes I am ashamed not to give them more. I just had a white cotton voile made, elaborately embroidered, about ten yards of Irish lace and the making, cloth and everything included came to eight dollars!
We’ve been here only two weeks but are doing society rather strenuously. So far sight seeing is a mere side issue. The people are lovely. There are a good many foreigners, and the dinners, etc. are quite top heavy with rank – Barons and Baronesses, Imperial Princesses, admirals who won high honors in the J. Russian war, etc. etc. The next week we go into the interior – Kyoto, Nara, and all around there. Will be here about two months, then over to Korea and China. When we get to Tientsin my lover is going to get leave and come up to see me.
I haven’t told you much about the “interesting customs of Japan” have I, but I have to talk about that so much that now I felt I must ramble on just as I wanted to; will tell you that later in my next epistle. Am crazy to hear from you and don’t forget to write right away about the Irish lace or I’ll miss my chance. c/o U.S. Consul General, Hongkong, China from now on. Did you get the waist I sent you?
May 8, 1913 Alice
1 Mary must be pregnant with Sarah Stewart Hinckley
