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Show rtpfi/ "d+y&$ fiao.// g , * 0 ,_n m Merry .Merry Christmas, Is it really Christmas? I am tbi kin a lot about you,and hop- the wei package,tho it had in it only the littl< mate,was there in time to say my Merry Christmas. It would be so good to be th€ aelfJ And I have wished too that I might have you here, I wonderif you would say the aeeka' vf"- work waa worth while. If you could have looked into my study moat a you would have seen Shu Li here wrapping up packages In pafc,es of old magazine and Chang Haien Sheng writing names on red slipsnto paste on the outside and give them a gay anfl festive look. To be sure the packages had inthem very sma small things,pictures and safety-pins,or pictures and pencils,or just pietur postals with a little yarn tied in the end to hang . p. 1 , re were a lot of paper rolled beads of bright colors and we found t u I fine tops, nt a long way in giving to children. I said when I began this lette I at there were over 500 to plan for. We sent to country out-stations and to ie two homes for poor children in the country and with the churco school here we found before we were through that t • >Ver90QI It b been a busy time and the children have counted tin s just as chil e do. On Thursday the Kindergarten had its exercis- , The i prone used for i veral terms were given the children, a/L.-.o some new oJ c [ a picture of the wee ones in their new aprons. I ho] • ill bl Le I will send you one. Thursday evening the School Girls invited tht >f the church school ana had some of the nicest little plays I have ever seen. The two little Eastman girls came over and had five o'clock supper with us and went to see the girls afterward. One play wv-.s about a woman who was so $$ "-i because an official wanted to marry her daughter am - ant t to take place and the stable-boy volunteered to wear the brides' ;o inthe chair in the girl's place. The red cloth over his head hi hi ) rurse it was most exciting when the,) : ." .oily found who all the parts and were and attractive and - ] well. They lov dramatics . Plrday the little children at the Bamboo Street school had their closing exercises and games and were given pencils and paper dolls. Even 1 s liked them exceedingly and we had fun while I showed thi o dress lie and told them stories about Bo peep and Red oicii, Mrs Eastman invited all the foreigners to an enterta! i X i tr tree at her house Friday eve. There were two soldier boys here that day-sent by th< • Cross to help in the commisary dept.ofthe Road-building.Two boat loads of suppliea have come and been unloaded and stored in what once a stable. They are of that sorgum-like grain that wouldn't get tall I of flat cakes of the peanut meats after the oil has b part pressed out of it. But the Christmas -Eve supper ander than that,. for they had Turkey and two ducks 1 Baby John Reginald waa six weeks old and od to like the candles, Harriet waa Santa and Do rot - .her Goose, children were so happy and sweet and were allowe. ,. up lata for Later)! Sunday Night Dec L\ o! k a that night. E.arest Papa, Am I allowed to stay up late this night? If so I would lovet Le for a long time! But since evening church is over ana the half-yja* accounts begin tomorrow bright and early I must only add a little P.3. and aa od-night. Christmas and today have been full with meetings and how I ih you could have heard my little Chinese folke sing the Christmas songs. They are lovely even translated. I was going to tell you how we fixed up I things to surprise the Home kiddies and how glad they were, How I took ove big rag dollie "Bettie" and how they love to play with her. How Ruth had 4 boxes of dolls that arrived here on Xmas Day and how we entertained the flfyi ool that ni and how happy they wwre withthem. Then inthe eve we had ith the Houldings and sat before the fire in their ni w house and >n branches from the 'Christmas tr,.e to brighten the blare/ go to fill the days} with loving thoughts of you in every one. Good-night dear . |