Malinda K. Miller Diary

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first one visited, and 2 sets of em. strips at the other; then to the library to hand in my application [application]; and finally to the jail sales room, where I had been wanting to go for a long time to see furniture.

January 22, 1922 - Sunday

Sun. is the busiest day of the week it seems to me - talk about the day of rest! I did lie in bed an hr. later than usual this a.m. however. Then took a bath (missed mine yes.), dressed, & went to Burmese ch. with Ma Nyein, coming back by tram, as we didn't try to make the 11:45 train as we did last wk. This aft. I got two linen lined envelopes containing Chinese embroideries, pin, kodak pictures, etc., ready to go to Cousin Jennie Pettus; one ditto to Katharine Dozier; and bundle containing [containing] three native cotton shawls and two sets of chop sticks ready for Aunt Lizzie Bright, letter contain thanks for cake, etc., & kodak prints off to Mrs. Haynes for Mrs. Reid's Bible Class, Portland, Oregon. Began typewritten letter home, but had written only a few lines when it was time to go to Immanuel Bapt. Ch. down town, again with Ma N.; & it was really for her sake that I went. Gave all some cake before starting - cook a double portion as I overlooked [overlooked] her yesterday. The dhoby didn't return the clothes last wk., but Miss C. doubtless told him that she would be away. Wrote up the register

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among many other jobs this p.m.

January 23, 1922 - Monday

Misses C., W., Ma Sein Tha, Ma Thwait and Bolo returned from Bhamo today after a very pleasant and successful trip from all accounts. I had to give Boy three rupees with which to buy sufficient breakfast for us all at Bazaar this morning. Got a belated I. J. which I read, though one side was covered with postmarks, so there's no telling where all it had been. This aft., having done up all the odd jobs, I recommenced that long-deferred [long-deferred] typewritten letter (so I can make a number of copies at once) home; finished one page and almost the 2nd before dinner, after which meal I completed the page, and then corrected all the 1st pp. before going to bed. It sprinkled last night a little while about bedtime, and was cloudy all day, as it has been a good part of the time today; consequently it is very sultry & I perspire freely, something I've never done to a great extent, but I supposed I may expect it out here. I wanted to mail my letters today but didn't get off from school, as shall probably have to do, for the branch p.o. only keep open in the middle of the day from about ten to four. Mr. Ah Sou brought me "The Silken East" but as it is a large & heavy volume I'll leave it at the Guest House till I see about moving. Now Miss. C. wants Kelly's book about Burma so I shall have to ask him for it again. The mos-

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quitoes [mosquitoes], always bad, have been worse these last few days.

January 24, 1922 - Tuesday

The heat continues, I'm sorry to say; if it is this way in what is supposed to be winter, there is no telling what the summer is like. I finished the third page of my letter, all I will sent at this time; I made six copies, but the last one is not very good, so I'll have to send to some one with good eyes,; will try to get off tomorrow. I left school half an hr. early this morning in order to get off my letters, and then did not have enough money with me to pay the postage on the shawls and chopsticks. We had some talk in class about where we will go for hot season again today. Miss S. seems to have backed out accompanying us altogether. I didn't go to fortnightly [fortnightly] prayer meeting tonight, as I don't know where it was to be; last week was the regular time, but it was postponed on account of the week of prayer [prayer]. I suppose I shall have to begin to pack tomorrow, an operation I always dread, for I've done it so much that it is no longer a novelty with me, but more or less of a necessary nuisance. At present I cannot plan very far ahead as I do not know just where I'm going to land. Washed out stockings this aft. Miss C. likes my raisins; we've about devoured all the candy. Miss Peck is at the Guest House; she is making a blue silk dress before starting home. Misses Price and Thayer, in addition to the St. John's, also go home next month. We are invited to Salvation Army Hall tomorrow eve to meet some of the new people who have just come out; one of the women [is an] erstwhile teacher of the deaf. To bed, to bed.

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January 25, 1922 - Wednesday

At Miss C's suggestion I had Ma Nyein teach yes. noon, mostly articulation, to see if they thoroughly [thoroughly] understand the chart and English sounds. Ma Aye Min taught today and Ma Sein Tha will tomorrow. I've been wanting to give an exam & have been warning them that it was coming, so I made out a part of the questions at noon yes. & the rest after school. We had a short school session Mon. this wk. instead of Tues., as usual, on acc't of Mr. Ah Sou having an exam over at government school. Miss W. copied two extra pp. of questions and gave the girls their test this eve from 5 to 6:30; I gave 30 questions, any five to be omitted, with the exception of the five I designated to be answered. I marked them before & since dinner; they did very well, I'm glad to say. May A. W. especially so, as she got 94 1/3 while Ma N. got 86 1/2 and Ma S. J. 85 1/3; when you consided that they are working in a foreign language and are all young, the former [former] only 18, the others 20, they deserve all the more credit. Mr. Wiatt got back from India yes. & Dr. Robbins is expected next week, so I hear. None of us went to the S. Army reception - I couldn't well go alone [alone]. Didn't get any packing, on account of letters and exams. I asked to have Po May knot my shall & tan table runner as Ma Nyein told me she could do it quite nicely. The Burmese commissioner whose mother-in-law's funeral we attended has now [lost]

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his wife.

January 26, 1922 - Thursday

A visitor came in while Ma S.T. was teaching at noon; the latter was so nervous that the perspiration [perspiration] trickled down the back of her neck & her hands shook, but she did very well. I phoned Mr. Phinney to know if he could move me tomorrow, & he said he would send for my things about 2 p.m.; so I packed every spare moment at noon, & all aft; am through the most of it, but am not done yet. Gave Miss Walden back the small jar of sugar [sugar], and returned crayons & gift papers to Miss C. Shall ask for the loan of "Half the Battle [Battle] in Burmese" for a week. Hope none of my things will get broken as they are none too well packed. I pass strings of racing ponies every morning on our way to class as they are being led somewhere, and nearly every afternoon I see them going back. I also notice loads of rice straw being hauled by on the small - to Americans [Americans] - two wheeled bullock carts; I must get a picture of them some day. I never tire of watching the crowds out here, such a diversity [diversity] of people, and when down in the city I become so absorbed I sometimes forget [forget] where I am going. I haven't gotten a good picture of the elephants working in the teak yard yet, though I've made at least two attempts, Sat. A.M. I must try again; think I'll walk down, as it is not so far from

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January 27, 1922 - Friday

I moved this p.m., but instead of 2 o'clock it was not yet one when the coolies appeared; Mr. Fischer sent me a note stating that he had sent three, but when all was done there were six! however I did not pay them tho' I gave each a pice bucksheesh [bucksheesh]. I went over the exam papers with the girls at noon, and then gave them a short talk first taking the pictures of all the school people before the youngsters were sent to bed - only hope they will be good. Had tea all alone, as both Misses Peak & Peterson were out; ditto dinner; I saw a light in Dr. Kelly's room awhile ago; otherwise I am alone. Miss Davis expects to come up tomorrow [tomorrow] after breakfast; she won't have as much baggage [baggage] as I; with all my plunder I've pretty well filled up the room. We have clean curtains, mosquito [mosquito] bar, etc. I'm now pretty well unpacked, & have also washed out half a dozen handkerchiefs, a pr. stockings & the dust rag. Killed four large roaches, & find plenty of mouse tracks about. It was awfully hot in this room this afternoon; Joseph [Joseph] says it is cooler down stairs, which I do not doubt. Miss Hastings brought the home mail this p.m.; I got Christmas letters from Lucile Cooper, Evelyn Humphreys, Miss Gibbons; and a card from Emma Thruston. The papers may be along tomorrow [tomorrow]. Went over to show Miss Tul my kodak prints but only the servants were there as all had gone out somewhere. Think I'll turn in early and finish [finish] up the odds and ends tomorrow.

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January 28, 1922 - Saturday

Finished unpacking this morning; Mr. Purser lectured again today for the third time, so I did not go down. Mr. & Mrs. Evans arrived from Moulmein early this a.m. so were down for chota-hazuri; Mr. & Mrs. Harris, baby girl and Karen nurse also arrived later in the day. I went to town after breakfast; took three pictures [pictures]; got my prints from de Souza's, went to the press, where I drew fifty rupees; then to the library where I drew two books - "Asska [Asska]" and "The Burman", the last in two volumes, what the white ants have left of the second; & back to the Guest House in time for tea. Miss Davis arrived about the same time, with steamer trunk, packing box, canvass sack, basket, suitcase, table, etc. We went to the exercises [exercises] of the Karen Woman's Bible school at five o'clock after we'd had our bath, etc. Had nice drinks of bael fruit, I think my first experience, & aerated water; and lady fingers, fudge and some kind of candy with ground peanuts in it - all good. I made a very few remarks at somebody's suggestion, and Mrs. Rose gave each of us her picture. We only have one sheet on each bed, and there is no limeade as yet; not quite so warm today, it seems. I asked Mrs. H. who

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is a great talker, about necessary house furnishings [furnishings] & got some real information. Saw Mr. Sowards down town.

January 29, 1922 - Sunday

Miss D. & I went to Judson College Chapel to memorial [memorial] service for Dr. Hicks; of course I never knew him, but Dr. St. John was to conduct the service, & she was anxious to go, so I was agreeable [agreeable]. We sat just in front of Miss Hunt, who had on any thing but a fresh white dress. The acoustics [acoustics] of the assembly hall are very bad; I believe the ceiling is too high. We stopped by the St. J's on the way back, & I looked at some of the things they had to sell before they go home the 16th of Feb, - elmirahs [almirahs], chairs, dining table, etc; would very much like the latter, tho' I didn't care for the first. I took a nap after breakfast - so did Miss D. but I don't think she slept as long as I. After my bath I began writing to Mrs. DeVore, but the teachers, matron & children came over from the deaf school, so that finished letters for the day. I gave them my peanuts left from the festivities of the aft. before, so then Miss D. donated hers also; and the 2 slices of buttered bread that she had brought up for tea - as well as lime juice. When they left it was church time, so they walked down to the carline & pointed out the dhoby's house to me, as he's had my clothes over a fortnight, I'll [I'll] have to go over tomorrow. We (Miss D. & I) went to the English Baptist Church, of which Dr. St. J. is pastor; I hear Dr. Kelly is to take it when he leaves. We then all sat on the large front porch and

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talked a good while, as we did the night before [before], with the addition [addition] of one-armed Mr. Case; and Mr. Wiatt also joined us for awhile.

January 30, 1922 - Monday

Being right in the house I was actually on time for class this a.m. The Thomases were there for dinner last eve & we had chicken. Miss D. went with me to the dhoby's but he had already gone to the compound with my clothes. When I went to pay him I made the disagreeable discovery that my money R.48/- had been stolen; I first had breakfast and then went direct to the Wiatt's [Wiatt's] with the bad news. The resident dhoby came while I was gone, so on my return I counted out my clothes & then took them over to him. The Thomases were her for dinner again this eve., also Dr. Cummings who has just returned [returned] from Calcutta, & an Australian from our Bengal-Orissa mission; we all took in the Karen Bible Woman's graduation exercises at six p.m. first, however. The program was very interesting [interesting], though of course there was but little I could understand, and a good many of the missionaries were in attendance. The Harrises and Miss D. soon went up stairs, while later Mr. Vinton came over and showed us some of his photos - very interesting. The axle grease has not come out of my yellow dress; if I can get hold of some lard I can take it out, but this will probably be a hard thing to get hold of. The servants had thrown my I. J. out yesterday, but knowing it had come I was fortunately able

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to trace it.

January 31, 1922 - Tuesday

This aft. Miss D. & I went out to Insein to the graduation [graduation] exercises of the Burmese Seminary, with which Drs. McGuire and Richardson are connected; the former presided and the latter made the address. Later we had tea at Mrs. McG's - the loveliest "eats" I've had in Burma, thus far; chocolate fudge, divinity, mixed pickles (some English ladies asked me if this was an American custom), native cocoanut preparation, three corned sandwiches, meat rolls, and half a dozen different kinds of cake - all delicious, and I ate an awful lot. I took my kodak but the only picture [picture] I attempted to get - of the Chinese tan yard was a foregone failure, as some one had been tampering [tampering] with my kodak. I renewed my acquaintance [acquaintance] with Mrs. Craig; also saw several of the wives of missionaries whom I had not seen since the conference. There were fourteen graduates [graduates], I should have stated. When we arrived Dr. Kelly took a rickshaw, as he has not been well, but Messrs Seagrave & Evans, Miss. D. & I walked, cutting across the golf links. Coming back Misses Geis & Price were on the train, and several other men; but we got hold of Dr. Tilbee to ask him about conditions [conditions] at Minto Mansions annex at Kalaw, as we may be able to secure it for hot season, the Evanses having volunteered to run the house, so we questioned him nearly all the way in, & later walked down to Mr. Hattersley's to see if we could get Mrs. T's letter to him on the subject but he had