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Show •^ © A "JwM lift up mine iyes unto the Hills from whence eometh my help." * Jk Words never more true than now as I write, in this war-torn, famine and flood ravaged worldf In the quiet of the Sabbath with no sound but the rushing of river torrents far below in the valley, and the chirping of little carefree songsters in the nearby trees, one turns in abandon to the God of us all, seeking that peace which He promised, and which would not be a peace that the world could give! It was good to come away for a while, out of the intense heat on the plain, and away from the sound of air raid sirens, to this peaceful spot on top of White Deer Mountain. It is only fifty English miles but takes two days travel by sedan chair to reach the summit. The first day was pleasant, wending our way thru small villages and wooded roads, past fields of waving, grain-stopping now and then for the carriers to smoke the (\ver present pipe, or eat a bowl of hot food at some wayside inn. I had a light weight wicker chair made for 5/nch trips, with compartments under the arms, seat, and at the back, to hold the essentials for the road journey and the night at the halfway mission station, Peng Hsien. The missionaries were all away, but they leave the upper porch open for the use of travellers. A tip to the gatekeeper and his wife produces hot water for bathing and drinking. A mosquito net hung, and the bedding roll spread out on the rope bed, a supper of sandwiches, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, and a hot drink,-and we were ready for the night. Our carriers slept on the porch beneath to protect our boxes from thieves. They started off again at daylight, and we followed soon after a repetition of our supper menu! The morning was pleasant but it poured all the afternoon and evening. Despite raincoats and rubber sheets, we were drenched through when we arrived. The ascent is very steep, and 1 confess 1 do not enjoy being slipped and slewed with up a 6000 ft. rise, ander such conditions. Welcome indeed was the roaring open fire., and hot supper which Miss Argetsinger had waiting, for us at "Dunwurkin" cottage. Some of you know that last Christmas week I was accidentally knocked down with considerable force by a hospital servant, striking my full weight on my left shoulder. There seemed to be no broken banes, but evidently there was some trauma within the joint, affecting the nerve. My fingers were numb for several days, and then the pain localized between elbow and shoulder. It has persisted and has resulted in considerable limitation of motion in some directions. I have carried on my work as usual, as I can use my lower , arm freely,-but of course cannot lift my patients with that arm. The contortions necesgary to get my hair combed, and my clothes off and on is doubtless good for my figure! The jolting up the mountain did not help matters, although 1 had that arm resting on a pillow. So I have loafed for three weeks, not even typing my weekly page. The acute pain is better, though my shoulder is sore and I cannot extend my arm above shoulder level, nor put my arm behind me. I hope it will continue to improve. I was of course very weary when I came away, after a full year, the inevitable strain of war conditions, and considerable loss of sleep from pain. We are running on two hour daylight saving time up here, to economize on lights, and go to bed at nine, and breakfast at nine! A lazy life!! The others in the house have returned now, and I am camping in the big livingroom. The rest of the house is all closed so that when I go I have only to nail up two shutters, and slam the front door! I eat with the one other household left on the hill, a two minute climb above this cottage. The weather has been abominable, incessant rain, and dense fog rolling up from the valley, blowing through your doors and windows. It's like looking through a powder puff! The far-off Snow Mountains, part of the Himalayas, are just visible this morning for the first time. My one-armed days are of necessity rather quiet, but books, magazines, and jigsaw puxzles are all a delight, as well as friends in for tea in the afternoons. Now that I am alone, the chance for numerous naps, and long quiet nights is appreciated. Those of you who know the China of the last decade will enjoy reading a book I have just finished, Edna Booker's "News is my Job." She is the wife of a Shanghai business man, and news reporter for the International Press. She writes interestingly, and I especially enjoyed it because she likes the Chinese. So many authors who write on the Orient tinge so much of what they depict with a superiority complex, which is trying. She certainly has had many interesting contacts with leading personalities, and not a few thrilling and hairbreadth escapes ! For my morning study hour I have been reading Stewart's ''Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ" in Chinese. You may like it in English! A friend has just loaned me Dorothy Canfield's "Seasoned Timber." Each Friday evening all summer has been given over to entertainment of one form or another. I arrived in time to hear a very enjoyable variety coneert, and last week the high school lads and lassies gave us an excellently managed marionette show. The Liijestrands go down tomorrow, and I will follow on in a few days. Our region has been visited by jayplanes a number of times, but without the city limits, airfields, and other military objectives. We well know this has not been by good intention, but because Chengtu is difficult for them to find. Even our own mail plane pilots sometimes have hard work to locate us. But an July twenty fourth they came, thirty six, cutting a death dealing swathe across the city. Our planes power-dived and machine gunned them as they flew over the hospital. The din was terrific, and the four story building rocked with the explosions. I was in the basement corridor, surrounded by patients, lying on straw mats. Sixteen meningitis babies and mothers were herded in one end, and the remaining space crowded with everything from typhoid to surgical patients. The next floor corridor was also full. Two women patients, by their Own choice, both badly off, were left in the fourth floor ward. After the planes had passed over we found one had gone, from shock. From those windows we could see at least ten fires, the nearest some two blocks distant. In less than twenty minutes the first aid corps and the police were bringing in the wounded. First aid was giveu on the lawn in front of the hospital. Those needing immediate operation were sent to the third |