Stick to what he started
British India Steam navigation Co. Ltd.
S.S. Edavana
Sallie dearest:
When we got back to Singapore from Java there was a lovely letter from you waiting for me, but it worried me dreadfully to know that you had been ill, and I’m more than anxious now for more news and saying you’re feeling fine again. Am hoping for mail in Rangoon.
About my engagement you know much better than I do, but it seems to me that since we won’t be married for so long it is better not to say anything about it, and since I’m not there quite unnecessary. I did tell Marie and Margaret Ross1, but you can do just as you choose about anyone else. Oh! Yes and Miss Ligget. I had to because she saw my ring, my daily letters while we were visiting her, and then she and her sister came in to spend the day with us in Peking just before they left for Japan, and of course Lover was with us then, so she met him and told me she heartily approved.
He, by the way, has been asking me what I’d think and how I should like to have him get out of the Army and go into business. He and a classmate of his who is now in Tientsin too have been working over a scheme that seems quite promising. I can’t explain yet very clearly, but it has to do with exporting the various goods from the Philippines, Japan and China into America. They are looking into the matter carefully, finding out the demand for certain things, prices, other concerns more or less along the same line, etc. and seem to think there is a wonderful field, but it would mean about two years of hard work, many discouragements and set backs. However, he feels that in the end he would have made more of himself and counted more in the world. Usually I think a man should stick to what he started out to do, but under these conditions it seems alright, and especially since unless success is assured, they won’t go into it. Nothing definite will be done for nearly two years, in which time they can weigh every side and phase of it, so I feel quite safe in giving my approval, but wonder what you think of it.
Sallie dear, knowing that you have my interests at heart and love me, also that you’ve been through the same thing yourself and so will understand, and because I want you to know Lover better, I am sending you his two last letters I received just before leaving Singapore – in order to give you some idea of him, for I hate to feel that you don’t know him at all except what little I have told you. Needless to say, these are far from being love letters, since he was so taken up with his new schemes that his whole letters are filled with it. You are the only soul in the whole world to whom I would show them, so I know you will keep them a secret. Such things sound silly to outsiders anyhow.
We had a very gay time in Singapore for four days this time, then took this boat for Rangoon. Yesterday we stopped at Penang for a few hours, but there is very little there to see. We expect to get there on Tuesday – spend about three weeks all through Burma, and then leave for Calcutta. Our address now is c/o U.S. Consul, Bombay, India.
I love you heaps and want you so badly to have a good long talk with.
October 12, 1913 Alice
Will you either send these back to me or put them in a safe place till I get home, for if Lover decides to go into this, these letters will mean much to me in future years.
1 Alice’s sister in law
Fooling Stunts*****
Sanitorium Tosari
Java September 28, 1913
Shang dear:
A letter of yours just came, forwarded from Singapore. You have certainly been an angel to write so often, since Sallie has been sporting on the continent. I am anxious to hear all about her trip. I wish I could have been with you while she and Mrs. Farrow were away. In fact, should have loved it anytime, but we could have done all those little fooling stunts you wanted to - had lovely walks and drives, taken little trips to some “favorite haunts” and spent a few days in London investigating vegetarian restaurants, etc. Your telling me about your new clothes made me long for some. You know out here in the East the desire for new things and late styles etc. dies absolutely. I not only haven’t a decent stitch to wear, but I don’t care. Just so my clothes cover me up and I am perfectly contented. Sometimes I wonder why I need to be even covered up, when I see these natives half the time without a stitch on, at most a “G. string”, and they are perfectly happy and healthy and good looking.
You would love this whole island. It seems to me that here one finds a most successful combination – that is Dutch thrift and the Javanese slow, happy-go-lucky ways. Everything is so green and fertile and every inch of land is beautifully cultivated except the jungles near the mountain tops. There are wonderful fruits and flowers in abundance, and just on this island can be found almost any kind of climate from the hottest of tropical sun to lovely cool days and cold nights such as we are having here, 8000 ft above the sea. Really we can hardly believe that Sourabaya which is boiling is only five hours away. It reminds me so much of Baquio in the Philippines, you remember, where Lover was stationed and where we spent a month.
In Djokjakarta we went to see the Borobredor which is the most famous temple in the world, but why I can’t exactly understand, except that it was built about twelve centuries ago, supposedly on top of some ashes of Buddha. The carvings in the stone represent a series of legends and are still well preserved. You can’t go inside “cause there ain’t none” so it didn’t duly impress me, although I pretended to be intensely interested. I’ll send you a paper that will tell you about these things much better than I can. I was surprised the second day we were there to find the count, who had turned up to spend a couple of days there with us. I had a strenuous time, but came out on top and heaved a sigh of relief when he departed for Sumatra and his tea plantation.
We’ve been riding horseback a good bit up to numerous volcanoes etc. through the jungles where the monkeys swing from tree to tree, and there are hundreds of different kinds of orchids – bright colored, fragrant, shaped like scorpions, all sorts and if I lived here I should make a collection of the rare varieties.
We find it is the custom to get up early here and we have surely adopted it, for every morning we have been up at five – sometimes four, and tomorrow we celebrate at two – have a hasty breakfast and set forth on horseback for a volcano and sand sea. The point is to be at the top before day break, so that we can be above the clouds and see the sun rise. This is called a Sanitorium, but one would never guess it. It really is no more than a hotel where the people who live in the lowlands can come to get new blood and life after the dreadful heat. We sleep under two blankets and I wear my sweater all day, but I just revel in every shiver, and wish I could store up some to take to India with us.
All the natives in New Guinea, parts of the Philippines, Singapore, the Straits Settlements, and all these islands speak Malay as well as these tribal languages. It just sort of comes natural, which makes it very convenient for foreigners. It is very easy, so I’ve invested in a dictionary and [have] been studying at odd times, till now I feel quite proud of myself, but it has spoiled father and Mrs. C. because they won’t learn a word. The boys speak no English anywhere, so I have to always be on hand to order the meals, hot water, carriages, bargain for things. In short I am at present manager in chief of the family, but it is lots of fun, and I should love to really speak it well. Up here the flowers are wonderful, and it is such a relief to find “homey” kinds. The tropical ones are lovely, but I’d much rather have ordinary nasturtiums, roses and heliotrope such as grow here, for you see this is like the temperate zone, it is so high. Today we saw a wedding. The bride was seven and face-powdered white like a clown, elaborately dressed in bright colors and jewels and rode a pony bedecked in a coat of mail made of sea shells, bits of painted wood and flowers. Several gaily dressed men carried a gilt long handled parasol over her and the groom, about twenty five rode behind in the midst of a curious band of native instruments. Meant to send you this [S.U.A.] sooner, but mislaid it and it just now turned up. Address c/o U.S. Consul, Bombay, India.
Heaps of love,
Alice
Alice and the King of Siam *****
Oriental Hotel1
Bangkok
August 28, 1913
Sallie dearest:
We have been here a little over a week now, and my how gay it has been. That sounds funny for a place like Bangkok, doesn’t it, but I think that is just the reason. So few tourists come here that this is quite an event for the Americans, so they are keeping us on the jump every minute. There are a good many American missionaries, the consul, the legal adviser to the King – he is a most clever and interesting man, the American Minister and some awfully nice English people who came out two years ago on the boat with Mrs. Chandler. They have all given luncheons and dinners for us, taken us motoring, etc.
Incidentally, the place itself is very interesting and the life different from any we’ve seen. The palace and wats (here they call temples wats) are wonderful but would give me the [jive] wiggles if I had to live with such a style of architecture – so gingerbready and useless. The roofs are all gold mosaic and the walls white with colored mosaic, gold and shell inlay, tall slender spires and all sorts of twists and twirls till I am fairly dizzy. Rows upon rows, thousands in fact, of big and little gold Buddhas and carved elephants too.
Today the prince arranged an expedition for us. We went by train for three hours up to Ayuthia, where they have a huge enclosure into which they drive the wild elephants. Once a year men go out in the jungles, and for several months hunt and herd them, then they are all driven in there. Everyone goes up to see it, as it is quite a spectacle. I am sorry we won’t be here to see one. After we got there we went everywhere in a launch and saw some wonderful old wats, palace ruins, a famous Buddha, and had lunch on the floating house belonging to the royal family. It was all beautifully planned and arranged for our comfort, so that we enjoyed every minute. Then came part way back in the launch.
In fact this place is called the Venice of the East, because everyone practically lives on the river, and the native life there is most fascinating. All their markets, etc. are in the boats, and they rent or buy a place on the river just as we would a plot of ground.
When we go out to dinner the guests are all supplied with big silk or linen bags to put their feet in. They come up above the knees, and while at the table are most necessary to keep off the mosquitos, which are terrible. The electric fans keep them away above, but under the table they are thick.
Tonight when we got back we found that the Minister had sent around our dessert for dinner – three very young cocoanuts, about six inches high, the top cut part way off to form a lid. Then the milk taken out, made into a thick boiled custard, and poured back, and the whole thing put on the ice for twelve hours. Really without exception, I think it was the best thing I have ever eaten, and wish you could have had some, but I am planning to give you some when you and Shang come to visit me in the Philippines!
That reminds me – here they have the same crawly creatures that they have in the Islands, but here there seem to be more. This hotel is really awfully nice. Right plumb on the river and of course everything very open and breezy – no windows or doors anywhere – just big open places, and in our rooms little swinging doors like bar room doors, open top and bottom. Last night in our room just for fun I counted the lizards on the wall and found there were twenty nine, all from six to ten inches long. I never mind them except when one drops with a squashy thud on the floor. Then I think what would I do if he had dropped down my neck. Then there are gekkos (named from the sound they make) that are a little larger than the lizard and has a beak like a parrot. They are very fierce if attacked, so when I see one hiding behind a picture or door, I let him discretely alone. Huge spiders, scorpions and centipedes nine inches long are quite common too – oh! the tropics are a wonderful place.
Now I want to tell you about the things I have sent you to take home for me, for I am so anxious for fear they might get lost. I can’t remember from Hong Kong, but from here I have sent two mandarin coats that don’t amount to much, but in Shanghai a man wanted twelve dollars for them, and just for fun I offered him two, and so had to take them, but the linens are the most important. Three lunch cloths, four long narrow ones for bureaus or side board, one dozen napkins and two luncheon sets (center, four sizes of doilies, ½ dozen of each) I got chrysanthemums as I thought I could always match the set with new pieces, and the storks were so graceful I couldn’t resist them, and out here they use the stork in so many designs that it has quite lost the significance it has at home, but I suppose many remarks and jokes will be made about this set. I got a perfectly beautiful table cloth embroidered all over – by far the loveliest I saw and then after leaving Hong Kong I decided it wasn’t the right size, 2 ½ yards square. I think 2 ½ yards by 3 or 3 ½ would be better, so am going to send it back. This was $30.00 Mex. Or $15.00 our money, so I have subtracted it from the bill, but I believe I got some of the bureau covers afterwards, so they are not included. However, $34.00 our money would cover every bit of grass linen I have sent you. I think the prices are on most of the things, but you must divide by two as it is written in Mex. When I get the big cloth I’ll just keep it and take it in myself. I do hope you like the things, and that they won’t be too much of a burden. If they are just leave them, and when we get to England Mrs. F. could send them to me. I thought 6 each of the doilies would be plenty, especially with the four sizes, for I’ll never use them when I give a big luncheon, but will want something better for “real good”. We leave in a week for Singapore, where I am hoping for mail from you telling when you start home, etc. Our address now U.S. Consul, Calcutta, India.
Heaps of love,
Alice
1 A five-star hotel in 2008 http://www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/
I feel like a Jelly Fish *****
Grand Hotel des Wagons – Lts Ltd.
Tel. Address: Wagonlits Code: 5th Edition A, B, C
Manager Wilh Trendel
Peking
No, it’s changed – our address in c/o U.S. Consul, Calcutta, India
Shang dear:
Don’t let this paper mislead you – we are on the most wretched little steamer you could imagine. Only three staterooms as it is really a cargo boat and passengers apparently aren’t expected or wanted, but it was the only thing leaving for Bankok for several weeks, so it was this or nothing.
We had five days in Hong Kong, and Lover and I certainly made the best possible use of our time and didn’t waste a minute. Really I think since we have had these two solid months together through such awful heat and come out in the end seventeen times as much in love as at first, it was a pretty good test – not that I think our whole life will be as flowery and rosey hued as these past weeks, but we got a good idea of each others characters – character? I don’t believe there is such a thing left in me. I feel more like a jelly fish than I ever imagined I could. I still do “Omette” [?] religiously morning and evening, and then for about an hour feel fine, but during the middle of the day I want to wilt completely like a rag even though I try to look energetic and brisk even if I’m sitting still. If I only had something strenuous to do I know I’d feel better, my oh! When I get home won’t I work off some of this energy whether the thermometer is 120o or 40 below zero!
I was so interested in that specialist’s idea and am anxious to know the results after you’ve really had time to try them out. It certainly sounds sensible. Do send me some of the pictures you take, but be sure to have you and Sallie in some of them. I didn’t know a word about Sallie’s going to Norway. You just mentioned it, and I was so surprised, but she will have a wonderful trip, no doubt. Last week I sent you a lot of packages of embroideries, etc. The Japanese lace that looks a little like Battenburg is worth about $5.00 all together; the little Cluny edging and medallions, oh! shucks. I don’t even remember what I sent – that is, which to you and which to Mary, but $10.00 would cover it, I’m sure. I got several Mandarin coats to give to people to use not as a coat but as a kimona. You’ll be surprised when you learn they cost only two dollars a piece. It’s all on account of the Revolution. The other day a man came to see us with a huge bundle of mandarin coats, table covers, Manchu skirts, etc. Lover asked him how much he would take for his stock, just for fun. The man answered $1000. Lover had $47 with him, so offered that, and the man took him up. This of course was unusual, but shows how anxious they are to get rid of their stuff. I do hope you don’t want to declare too accurately everything you have, and if by any chance the customs officer wants to charge more duty on something of mine than you think it is worth, just give it to him and don’t bother. I am so anxious to know how Mary is gets along when my things reach her. Lover is taking in some lovely Chinese lanterns I bought (painted silk with carved wool frames and standards) some brass candle sticks and a few rugs that he is getting made for our house. You know Tientsin rugs are wonderful, thick and soft, like Orientals. I drew the designs for three big ones, and told him to select a couple of smaller ones.
We’ve been reading a lot of interesting books on China, all about the old Empress Dowager who certainly was a character. One that I think you’d enjoy is “Two Years in the Forbidden City” by Princess der Ling. Parts of it are most amusing. Mrs. Chandler and I read aloud a great deal, and just now are tackling “Berson’s Creative Evolution” but it’s almost too much for me!
Wasn’t it nice that we saw the Liggetts and they were so good to us. We just talked our heads off about Clarion. They had enjoyed so much having judge Wilson there. They wanted to know all about you and wondered if you and Sallie couldn’t come out trans Siberia to spend the winter with them. I wish you could, for I know you would enjoy every minute. It’s such a beautiful part of the country as well as interesting, being so near Peking.
Do you remember my talking about Erica Dennison and her mother who were on the steamer with us nine years ago going from Hong Kong to Naples? Well they are still living in Hong Kong, and were so glad to see us. We had dinner there with them, and they have a beautiful house up on the peak (it is so hilly there that they use sedan chairs entirely instead of rickshas, so Mrs. D. sent her own chairs and coolies for us. Erica, who is now twenty, is to be married this Fall. We met her fiancé who seemed very nice.
Just think, we will have been on this pesky boat ten days. If anyone suggested going from N.Y. to England on it we would hold up our hands in horror, and yet this is no farther. There is no bathroom, only a room they don’t mind getting wet with a bucket of water and a dipper! Everything else is on a par and alive with cockroaches that have wings as big as birds. Honestly, Shang, I know you’ve never seen the like, but they are three and four inches long with feelers sticking out in front another two inches. Huge baskets of live pigeons and chickens are reposing in front of our stateroom door and we have to dodge bunches of bananas hanging from the ceiling.
We hear nothing but war talk out here. One minute the southern troops are advancing on Kinkisng and the next they have been scared out and surrendered everything. Dear me, it is all exciting, but I’m afraid at home you’re not much interested in the situation, but here it is most vital question of the day.
We hope to reach Bangkok on the 18th and then I’m going to send you some table linens. These are my most treasured possessions, so do let me know the minute they reach you. Shang, what would you do if you had a lover whose name was Enoch? Truly it causes me real pain every time I think of it, and doubt if I ever can get used to it. I’ve never called him by it, and do wonder if the time will ever come when I can say it unconsciously. Well anyhow he was to leave the day after we did for Tientsin where he’ll be stationed for just six months then back to the Islands to finish his tour there. I sent those landscape gardening things. There are several sets in the box, but you are to take the ones you want. The rest I’ll give to little Margaret. Oh! my this time next year I’ll be home – oh it’s too perfect!! Our address is still c/o U.S. Consul, Singapore, Straits Settlement. Give the Farrows my love won’t you, Maggie and all with heaps for you.
August 14, 1913 Alice
