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Show __ 3 - weeks caused by the kidnapping of General Chiang Kai Shek by the rebels at Sian in Shensi was relieved at night by the welcome news of the Generalissimo's release, so that the most natural thing in the world was to rush out and join the rest of the city, that night and all the next day, in parades, fire-crackers and speeches. Some cities were sold wholly out of fire-crackers, and I should have imagined wholly out of vocal power as well. And there were celebrations in the country at Sunday schools, so that we had a much extended Christmas in spite of the ordinance of the Synod confining the exercises to one day, for all the churches. We saw proof a few days ago that the New Life Movement is a vital one. Going to the printer's one sunny morning, down on South Street, we heard bugle and drum far down the street and stopped at the curb to look at the advancing procession. Soldiers marched in loose formation, quietly and efficiently clearing the street; behind them came three rickshas, and high behind the occupants were white standards lettered in black "That means death!" I said in surprise. They were three young men, heads disheveled, arms bound behind them, policemen guarding each ricksha, and soldiers holding both arm3 of all the men. One looked sullen, the others indifferent, but they were all on the way to the execution ground, to be shot for dealing in heroin. Madame Chiang made a wonderful speech about the New Life Movement, in perfect English, on the night of the 19th, following one by her husband in the national language. In January came the word that Leona Burr must go home at once-one of the full-time teachers in the school; that has been an obvious answer to our hardly-uttered question whether we should start home this spring, either for a summer's visit, as has been suggested, or to stay permanently. fe feel that we must stay by and help with the extra work her leaving entails. What next we cannot see, at this point. We are hoping to make a furlough possible for President Hsueh, whose unremitting and exhausting work for ten years steadily has put the school into wonderfully good shape, and his own health into a much less satisfactory condition. He ought to be given a year in America for study, but there are no funds for such a trip; we are trying to find a way for him to go, though the plan is wholly a dream so far. I am glad to say that I have stayed out of the hospital this year! Out of bed too; I feel that I haven't done much else! A little teaching, some entertaining, less writing; I never do the teaching that I long to, either in quantity or quality; but the dean assures me that I have one of the hardest classes in school--a great compliment! I have divided them into two divisions, and am suggesting auger-holes in their heads for the insertion of a few ideas not necessarily found in books! For the days to come, we ask clear leading as to what we ought to do next; we see only a little way ahead, but we are thankful for that much, and that we can do a little. Our love to you, Kate Bailey Hinman, But Oh, how could 1 forget! At a farewell luncheon in Peiping, when we met one of the "Two Heroes of Cathay", we had some of the Empress Dowager's gold spoons to eat with!!- |