Malinda K. Miller Diary

112 & Mr. H in the order named, responded, their wives standing beside them. The former gave the 3 women beautiful pearl pendants set in silver, hung on a black ribbon. It was really raining [raining] before we left, Mr. H. carrying my basket for me, his wife & Miss I. having gone on ahead. I wore my dotted swiss & violet hat, which was Mother's , many admired [admired].

April 21, 1922 – Friday This, the day after the feast, was as such days usually are. I had my private lesson this morning, then straightened up & put away clothes, etc. It was raining off & on, most all day, so no snapshots & no trip to Taunggyi, tho' we'd already changed our mind about [about] going today, & expected to go tomorrow, but with this weather even that is off now. I. & I donned our shoes, raincoats, etc., & went out to H.'s to see Miss P. as we heard she leaves tomorrow, tho' she had planned to stay till Mon. All were there, & having had early tea could gather comfortably around the wood fire & chat. Mrs. H. gave us baal fruit to drink to which we added lemon juice, Mrs. S. was knitting; Mr. H had on a black silk skull cap; Mr. S. was reading the paper – part of the time. I bought two Shan bags, paying for the more expensive one, not having sufficient with me to pay for both. While we were gone all the A.B.M.'s from the Meth. house came over & played all sorts of noisy & strenuous [strenuous] games – largely to keep warm, I suspect. After dinner Miss J. & I played 2 games of rook against E. & Mr. H.; we got in the hole the 1st & never got out [?] the 2nd, so our feelings were somewhat assuaged. We wore sweaters all day, & turned in about 9 p.m. as usual. I haven't had a chance to read any of my magazines but hope to do so tomorrow; will also fix up the bags & get off to Mrs. Huison, she to take her choice & pass the others onto Mrs. Reed of the same ch. Wrote to Miss Hastings about not getting "The News".

113 April 22, 1922 – Saturday Mr. Ah Sou came to give us our lesson, but being bazaar day, & having decided not to go, we went to market instead [instead], he accompanying us. I bought another basket, this time with a strap which cost me A 4 more. Looked at bags, etc., but did not buy. On returning I jobbed etc. till breakfast; then I had the surprise of my life for they had a silver chain in a box at my place, & sang "happy birthday to you"' R. had already given me 5 silver aingyi buttons which I found on the dressing table when I returned from bazaar; then there was a brass napkin ring from I.; my handsome(!) blue glass one had gotten broken the aft. before – tho' it still holds together. In a few minutes a telegram arrived for C. from Miss Maxville saying we'd better come as we'd have to pay for the motor lorry as engaged. Then there was scrabbling around; I. & I had to take the message & go see what Saya thought about it, & then to Meth. house & cancel their engagement to come to a rook party this aft. – in my house; R. had to go to Tilbes to do likewise; Mrs. S. & Mary P. would't go with us; the others packed their suitcases, etc., & fixed up most of the lunch while were gone, so we had to bathe & pack as soon as we returned. I took H's cot, which went in with J's, & my brown suitcase; Miss J. had a rattan one, & all the rest had black handbags & a bed roll each; 2 other cot rolls besides ours; my basket with the thermos bottles & which got upset at the station here before we started & broken; the big earthen water bottle; I's lantern; tin box & big basket of foodstuff. We sent for a bullock cart & it was so long coming we started another servant out for one, & the train was at the station ere we left the house, but that meant

274 Dalhouse Street No. 831 Rangoon, 27 July 1922 Received Rupees Sixteen Only in payment of Bill for June 22 Received payment with thanks Dr de Souza Dr Spence Dr Murray Dr Patterson

Rs 16/ Ing Maung

114 nothing out here, as they make such long stops; then we couldn't get a carriage but with true Easterner's ideas about such things, the station master turned all the natives out of the last compartment & turned it over to us. Saya was there to see us off & rendered himself useful as always. We reached Heho, the end of the R.R. before six & then followed the motor ride of 22 min. A lot of the girls met us in the road when we reached T. & followed us up to the house of our host, U Po Yin. We took complete possession of the front room & pretty well filled it with our six cots which were soon up. Then we had the dressing room to the left of it; the bathroom off the back porch to the right, & the dining room, with the use of the kitchen from time to time. We ate supper before getting off the train April 23, 1922 - Sunday & had the remainder [remainder] of the sandwiches for breakfast, after which Misses J. & G. washed up; B. & I. tackled the midday meal, leaving J. & I for dinner. Saya's sister-in-law Mrs. Ah Pou was in & out to see to our needs; she had bought cauliflower, beets, potatoes, peaches, bread, milk, cabbage, etc., for us; part of these Mrs. Po Yin boiled for us this a.m. & these we warmed up over the camp stove when we came back from our walk around the golf links loop, Margaret Stephens going with us; others were along also, but they went on ahead. Then after eating we lay down for a while & B. read from G's book about Jesus – & read us all to sleep, I fear; they said Miss J. & I snored; I heard the former before I drifted off – & I was the last to succumb. At four we started on our climb to the crag; the others all passed me but I finally reached the top. We saw elephant tracks along the trail past the shoulder. As we were returning shortly after 5 we met the 3 Hendersons, Dr. T., & Mabel Ivins just going up. Of course we attended S.S. & ch. in the a.m. after our 1st tramp. a number of young thus being in

115 attendance; they dress & look to a novice much like the Shans. We had a "sing" at the H's that eve at 8:15 practising a while before we went.

April 24, 1922 – Monday I tore my Canton crepe under the left arm sometime [sometime] yes. a.m., so this morn after chota I got it out to mend; had also torn the lace on the right hip, & found places in the hem, sleeves, etc., that needed [needed] attention, so one by one the others all left; but I. returned from her consultation with the M D. ere I was ready to go out – she had also called on some of the natives whom she happened to know – so then we started out, calling first at Mrs. Ah Pou's; she has the 3 girls in M's school sleeping in her house, while all eat there. We saw the fire box on the table about which Mrs. H. had told us, & looked in all the rooms, at her books, photos, lovely silk longyis, etc. M. came while we were there & was responsible for or seeing some of the beautiful baskets, jewelry, etc. Then we went next door & visited the missionaries children's school in session; saw the boys' rooms, M's, etc., again looking at books, pictures, and the like. We also inspected [inspected] the gardens of both houses before we passed on to call on Mrs A. Deva Sagayam, the Russian Jewess who married the Madrasi captain in the holy land whom she met during the war. She has t.b. & is up here from Rangoon to escape the heat. I had to clean up after chota, & Miss D. being gone, one of the native men helped me; Misses J & G. had break. & B. & T. dinner. We laid down for a short time, but at 2 p.m. we started for the cave, 3½ mi. distant; Mrs H. took tea along for the entire party of 16 or more, sending the baskets by 3 boys, who made the fire, boiled the water, etc. All did not go there, but most did – eating lots, however; we got thru the 1st hole but not the 2nd, our lights were not sufficent. R.H. took a photo –

116 of 2 large images not far from the mouth of the cave; M. & I walked back a good part of the way with him, & I plied him with questions about his trip up country across the Chinese border & over in India with Dr. Robbins; he talks very well, so it was interesting to hear him relate some of his experiences.

April 25, 1922 - Tuesday We were at the H. house again last eve after supper to look at the Shan bags sent Mrs. Johnson – who is very deaf – for sale, & to say goodbye, as we had to leave very early this a.m. of course some of us fell for the pretties – I bought a pink, & a blue, one – paying R8 & will have to send back R7, as I wouldn't have had enough to pay for them & my tickets, too. Miss Lawrence would have us go to her house, so we inspected it in short order, & then back to H's to gather up the rest of our crowd & back to our hostess house to pack up, fixing everything we could before morning. The sister who has the shop was rolling cigars, as she did the night before, & they asked us to sing which we did while undressing [undressing] & getting settled. They were up to see us off this a.m., & while it poured from about 1 to 5 it held up in time for us to get loaded on the motor lorry. Miss J. got her rug muddy coming to the train, as she insisted [insisted] on sitting on the outside, altho she had no raincoat [raincoat]. We reached here about 10:30; the latter & Miss T. got baths before break; the rest of us afterwards. I had my lesson & almost went to sleep; then a nap, & finally washed & dressed just in time for prayer meeting at Dr. T's, Mr. Klein of Moulmein leading, & taking his text from the book of Jonah, prayers being asked for the Convention to be held at Indianapolis [Indianapolis] in June. Had letters from Miss Chapman [page damaged] Campbell; got a "News" for which I am thank-

117 ful [thankful].

April 26, 1922 - Wednesday Mr. Ali Sou asked again if I could go down and take the baby's picture this afternoon, so I went shortly after 4, but as the mother is head nurse at the civil hospital & had to be sent for, I had about ½ an hour to wait; took 4 exposures anyhow, tho' it was after 5 when I got the last one, but I waited for the sun. On returning I. & I took a short walk – didn't have time to go far as it was then so late. Mr. Ali Sou gave me two sets of the large buttons he had painted for the bazaar; I think they are the prettiest ones; Misses G. & T. also bought some, I believe. I think the rain is over for a while, tho it evidently came down harder here than it did at T., as the roads were more washed & the creek very full and muddy. Wrote "bread and butter" notes to Mr. & Mrs. Po Yin, at whose home we stayed in T; & to Mrs. Ah Pou, Saya's sister-in-law, who bought our food, and otherwise helped to look after us. I'm getting an extremely sore mouth, I'm sorry to say. Am going to plan to ready my Geographic and some of the Youth's Companions this week; I've had no time to peruse any of the books I brought with me, nor the ones Mr. H. has with him – a very good selection, from all appearances. Miss Phinney, who is on the exam com., is going to give us a test the last of the wk. to see what we can do. After inspecting Dr. T's garden, in which he was working, he gave us some radishes and lettuce to bring back to the household; his wife had a com. meeting when we first got there but she later found us in the open. The Meth. people came to call, but none of us were at home; they then went to T's but didn't go in?

118 on account of the com. meet.

April 27, 1922 – Thursday I. & I planned to go calling this p.m. but Mrs. Johnson & Mrs. Kemp, C. of E's, beat us to it, before they left Mr. & Mrs. Phinney came. R. gathered the roses, that seems to be her job, in the main; & then we 3, plus Miss J., went for a short walk – all we had time for – around by the R.R. hospital. This morn. I wrote my letter to Mrs. J. at T. &, having to go to town to get the money order, I took my kodak & first went up the hill, taking [taking] a snap of the terraced valley spread out before me, & then of the pagoda ruins on top, & one of the broken alabaster Buddhas found among them. Going down I took another landscape on the other side with pagodas & feathery bamboos for the center. It was bazaar day, so I walked on toward the market but used up all my films on the way before actually arriving there. Returning I mailed my letter & card, bought stamps for I., & finally got my 3 rolls of films off, too. I left R3 with Ma Me to get some of the lovely little red and white pattern baskets that can only be procured in that region; I first saw them in Feb. when Miss Ivins was in P. & had some with her. Finished the Geographic this aft; it had some interesting articles about this part of the world in this issue. My mouth is worse than ever & no one has any silver nitrate. We had another delicious strawberry shortcake for dinner this eve. Saw Miss Sumner at the station; she is in the bishop's house over by the C. of E. They have changed the hour of the approaching concert for the benefit of the blind school from 9 p.m. to [page damaged] as Mrs. T. told them that probably few of our Miss.

119 could attend at that time.

April 28, 1922 – Friday Miss Phinney came bright & early this a.m. to give the grammar test, which I took along with the rest, just to see what I could do, tho' I know I won't pass. Then I had my lesson with Saya immediately after, using her questions & looking up the numerous things I didn't know. She left the papers for the English [English] into Burmese sentences test for this aft., but one look at them was enough for me; so I brought my paper out & proceeded to look them up in the dictionary & grammar, as the case required. At 4 I. & I went out for a birdwalk with Miss P.; the former waited for R., so I went on ahead & stopped by the T's to see if they would buy tickets to the concert next week, but Mrs. J had beaten me to it. Returning we stopped by the P's for the same purpose, Misses P. & R. each buying one, tho' they do not expect to be able to go. We went over the hill a-birding, & down into the valley, rather stiff climbing in some places, & I got a fall on the slippery pine needles on a steep hillside. We saw 23 varieties altogether, including a number of new ones, such as the scarlet minavet [minivet] & his yellow mate, a green parroquet, the slaty blue nut hatches, etc. On our return here, after taking off [?], etc., we walked across to J's & returned the two remaining tickets, 6 having been sent me this a.m., & I. & I each taking one at R3 each, in addition to the two mentioned above. Miss J. & Mrs. H. are going to give up the housekeeping May 1st & I. & I are the first victims. We now hear that they've made R 1,800 for the leper benefit, about half as much again as last year, & while still a number of articles on hand to be disposed of privately. Got the home mail last eve, but only a p.c. from Mary R. B. & a brief letter from Lucile; the paper (only 1), a Lit. Digest, Y.C. came today. Broke my B. umbrella in trying to open it