Samuel Austin Moffett - Letters and Papers, 1904 - 1904n

June 2, 1904 - con

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I am writing to have Mr. Gale's latest book, "The Vanguard"
sent to you with our love. I know you and Will will enjoy It and
maybe some of the other? of our folks would like to read It, so when
you have read It you might pass it on. Mr. Gale is a clever writer.
After I have read the book I will tell you who some of his characters
represent. Mrs. Underwood also has a book out, "Fiftenn years among
the top-knots", which is said to be very good.

I received p^ur efood letter of May.... and was so glad to hear
from you. I alwa^j am. I must write immediately to Addle 1 I'm so glad
she has' a baby. I haven't received the Cook Book yet and am anxious
to get it so we can have some good new things to eat. Once you spoke
about sending me Ralph Connor's book, -I am not certain which one.
Perhaps you think I received it, but I never did. Maybe it went where
the other package did* I felt sorry about that package for it is such
a delight to us all to get things from home, (return now to page £•)

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Pyeng Yang, Korea - July 4, 1904

My dear Jennie,

It seems that I never can get at writing letters, the days are
so full, and when night comes I am too tired to write or do anything e
wise, so I usually fo to bed soon after the children. My eyes trouble
me a lot, especially when I do not feel quite well, and I cannot read
well by iamp-iight. Dr. Whiting will soon examine my eyes and get me
some "specks". Think of it! my hair almost all gone and what there is
is turning greyt teeth all decayed and now my eyes are giving out.
However, I am so much better, and am feeling better and look better
than I did. I sent hair-combings and had a switch made by a Korean
for 15 so I can now put up my hair and it looks quite fine.

All the children are very well. Esther and Mary are quite well
Just now, but I have to feed Esther like a baby. Mary is thriving on
Mellon's Food and St, Charles cream. I long to feed them both cows milk
but the cows are too uncertain and especially at this season of the
)ear when we never know what day the cattle plague will begin. So I
concluded it was best to wait until these two months were past.

So many children are sick with bowel trouble and it is little wonder.

We have never known a season that the weather was quite so irregular
and unhealthy , -hot days and cold nights, and the rainy season has
already begun. The farmers are cheered with the prospect of good crops
everything is growing so fast and the weeds faster than anything else.
We have a fair garden considering what seeds we had to plant in the
Spring. At last our order from America arrived and the seeds came in
time for the late vegetables. We have about 75 young chickens, a brood
of 9 big enough to fry. We have enjoyed the nice fresh eggs so much.
Will has built a weasel-proof house for the chickens and we are going
to raise our own and have made a pretty good start, we think.

The children have 4 pet rabbits which afford them much pleasure.

This morning Will sent the boy to the store to buy fire-crackers,
so the children are celebrating the 0th. Usually our community is very
patriotic and we havea fine time celebrating, but as yet I haven't
heard of any gathering or anything going on today.

The gentlemen of our station are holding a committee meeting this
morning. The Theological and Helpers classes closed Saturday, I heard
Will savj^that he has 3 months of solid work in his study, getting ready
to prlnC a commentary on I and II Corinthians and several other books

- 8 -

July 4, 1904 - con

and tracts in Korean. We are expecting several new missionarles •

Tflr. Blair's brother Herbert is coming, and Rev and Mrs. Geo.McCune
for educational work* Miss Carsons for Taegu station, and Dr. Hirst
for Severance Hospital in Seoul. Day after tomorrow Mr. Fred Miller
and Miss Doty are to be married. You remember I told you about the
death of Mrs. Miller. She died early last summer, leaving 3 children
Mr. Miller is certainly fortunate to be able to keep his children
with him and to. get such a good wife and mother for them. Miss Doty
came out in" 1990 and is as good as gold, we think. Poor Dr, Vinton
keeps hie little flock together and carries on his work. The baby is
puny but very well, they sayi Fred Jr. who is 12 is a little gentleman
caring for his younger sisters. Mrs. Kearns Just came from Seoul on
her way back to SyenChunj Mr. Kearns met her here and they left early
this morning. They took dinner with us yesterday so I got the Seoul
news. We are anxiously waiting for war news, but none comes.

I expect you get more than we do. The Japanese are employing lots of
Korean coolies to make good wagon roads to We Ju, and they are also
beginning the railroad. They have stakedoff the ground for the road
and the railroad station here at Pyeng Yang. The poor Koreans are so
distressed that they are losing their land and homes. We understand
that the Japanese are only paying half price and really not that for
the houses. It Is always something! ...last summer the people were
squeezed by the officials to build the palace here in Pyeng Yang.

That was stopped j now they are having their homes taken in this way.
The many pitiful stories Will has poured into his ears,,..

The church in the 0 Sang , that is the river valley, has come
within the lines for the railroad. Will has charge of that work, so
he is into it! They have offered about half-price for the house.

Will is in a dilemna to know Just what to do. Just now he came in
saying he is going to see about buying another house, As convenient
as the railroad will be, we would much prefer not to have it.

All these worldly things interfere more or less with our work.

There are great opportunities for work Just now. The people in their
distress listen with open ears to the Gospel message. There is no
comfort any place else. The offical class oppress themj now the
Japanese are here to reap a harvest from this land. What will become
of the Koreans? If they only had back-bone and grit enough to stand
up for their rights,- but they havne't.
j Mr. Moffett bought a piece of land in the 0 Sang. The official

J called the man who sold it, and said, “Why did you sell that land to
j a foreigner? The man replied, “Because he gave me more money than
the Japanese would". The official told him to go immediately and get
il the deed back. So, sureeenough, the poor man came back, but Dr.Moffdrtt

!said, "tfo, Indeed. We have a right here and to buy land, too."

Very likely the poor man will get a beating, The pitiful tales we
have to hear is enough to make ones blood boil. The lazy officials
spend their time scheming how they can squeeze the people. They have
servants, or runners, whose business it is to hunt up any case where
they can oppress or squeeze someone 1 for instance, a woman Just out-
side the South Gate was found dead in her house. The night before stee
and her husband had quarreled. .. .whether she had killed herself or he
had killed her no one knows. The runners heard of it and went out to
make a case of it. They wouldn't let anyone bury her, trying to get
evidence as to the murderer, they said. All this time they were
demanding money from the people in the neighborhood. Sometimes they
keep on un^il practically all the neighborhood moves away.... the only
thing thev can do.

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