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Show FIRST GLANCES. NEXT morning I woke up, or better, was awakened, by a man whom they here call Rob, and who was my host. He whistled funny melodies and tried to sing a new hymn while I dressed. I didn't understand how a man could whistle and sing in the deserted place I had seen yesterday. I couldn't understand how anybody could be happy in a country without trees, and I could not get the idea how a man could like to work under such inconsolable circumstances. When I entered the living room I was welcomed by a joyful, "Hello Fritz." "Good morning, Mr. Robinson," said I, and wondered why he called me Fritz, "I am not old," I thought, "but on the other hand I am not a little boy to be called just Fritz." "Oh", Robbie said, "I am sure you won't mind it if we call you Fritz. Mission folks are a family; we must stick together and try to make life pleasant; otherwise it's hard to pull through. But to change the subject: how do you like the place?" I owe kind Rob an answer to this day, but there will be an opportunity to give it. We sat down to breakfast. "Mrs. Robinson is at school; you slept a little too long", said Mr. Robinson," thus today we have breakfast alone." I ate with not very much appetite and didn't know what to talk about. "What is Mrs. Robinson doing at school?" I asked finally. "She teaches English, and she has over a hundred students," "Does she like Chinese students?" I asked timidly. "Of course she does. Why shouldn't she? She always says she prefers Chinese students to American." Now this was a little too much for me, and again I kept silent. Rob must have felt that I didn't feel too happy. He smiled. "Why do you smile, Mr. Robinson?" "I just thought about the story of the negro and the billy goat," he said, "It's too funny for anything. Do you know it?" No I didn't. So I was told, and I couldn't help it, I had to laugh in spite of feeling like a wet dog. We finished soon; Rob told me he was in a hurry because at nine a Chinese was coming, and later on the pastor from the west district would be there, and afterwards he had a class, and the sermon for tomorrow in Chinese wasn't outlined yet. |