[No individual envelope for this letter; it shared an envelope with Charlie’s letter, #991211. Nor does the flannel sample she mentions remain in the envelope]
Concepcion [sic; should be “Concepción”]
Dec. 10, 1899 8:30 P.M.
Dear Folks at Home:
The beautiful “June” [the seasons are reversed south of the equator] Sabbath day has been pleasantly spent in Sunday School and church duties this forenoon, and I gave a thirty-five minute address to the junior league (40 present) this afternoon on Paul’s three missionary journeys, then some of the teachers called on us and the day was gone.
How thoroughly delightful it would be to talk for an hour with you all, this eve, instead of writing, but since that is an impossibility I must be content.
Your letter of Oct. 3rd was received a few days after I wrote you two weeks ago, and last evening your letter of Nov. 6th came. You may be sure they always receive warm welcomes. A letter here means much more than a letter at home ever did. You can tell everyone at home that they are not entitled to read my letters unless they will in return write one to me. I suppose I should write one for the county paper but cannot do so until school is out, and perhaps I won’t feel like it then. Miss Kelly must get much better wages than the missionaries do here if she could buy 20 acres of land and a Chinese cow, but of course we have comforts that they do not have.
We had school on Thanksgiving, but in the evening we gave a social to our church members and English friends at the girls’ school. We had a nice time, and it seemed quite homelike (I wore my graduating dress on that occasion). Among our friends is an Eng. widow, Mrs. Jackson, who has three sons and two daughters at home and one married daughter at Santiago. On Weds. eve before Thanksgiving Mrs. Jackson invited us to her home for dinner, an honor which has never been bestowed upon Mrs. and Mr. Campbell.
She and her daughter had previously relied on us. Well, we accepted the invitation [to Mrs. Campbell’s home]. We found her home as elaborately furnished as a wealthy city home in the States. Miss Maggie plays beautifully on the piano. She played some pieces that Ada plays, and she and her brother played the duet that Ada and Grace played. At least, I think it is the same one. The dinner was elaborate, besides the cazuela [s,p containing various combinations of meat, vegetables, and perhaps potatoes, noodles, or rice], mashed potatoes with milk, veal roast with peppermint sauce, there were a number of things whose names I do not know—and we had all the butter and strawberry preserve that we wanted. Well, it was quite a treat, and she told us to call that home since we are so far from home and come as often as we like. Her sons have called on me since. Mr. John and Miss Maggie came and took us with them to a small lake near town last Fri. (a feast day), where] we went rowing and had a fine time, also saw some large red strawberries in somebody’s garden. Yesterday Charlie bought me some of those large, red-cheeked cherries that are white on one side. I think they are larger than ours at home were.
We also had some nísperos [medlars, or loquats], a fruit that resembles the large yellow crab apples at home but on the inside they have from two to seven large brown seeds that resemble in size and color a small chestnut at home. The natives here know nothing about maple sugar or popcorn. We had some popcorn once at the girls’ school, but it had been brought by one of the teachers from the states.
I almost forgot to tell you that in the past two weeks I received letters from the Ginter [sic] sisters, one last evening and one two weeks ago, also two from Grace, one from Orlow’s, one from Aunt Sarah, and one from Rea McCain. I was very glad to hear from all but do not know when I will get them all answered. Presume you know that cousin Grant Swartz has moved to Iowa and Aunt Maria has eight children.
I was not much surprised at Leota’s [sic] marriage. That is what she wanted to tell me. If she had had different treatment at home I’m sure she would not have been married so young. I hope she did not jump from the “frying pan into the fire.”
You told me you had a new minister, but you did not tell me where Fremming [sic] went. I would like P.O. Address. I promised to write to them sometime.
The sun rises about 45 or 50 mins. earlier here than at home since we are ten or eleven degrees farther east. Our days do not vary so much in length since we are only 35° south L., but Dec. 21st is our longest day, same as it is your shortest. It never gets so hot or cold here as at home. They never have fire [sic] in the schoolrooms but many foreigners wear flannel underwear all year. Wore my thin blue dress today but had my heaviest underwear on and was quite comfortable. Hot in the sun but cool in the shade.
Mellie, I have received more than one compliment on having good taste, looking neat, etc., but alas! how flat that reputation will fall five years hence. Already I’m beginning to realize the fact. I got flannel like the enclosed sample for two corset wastes with long sleeves to wear over my cotton undershirts. Well, I worked at them one whole afternoon, finally got them cut out and one nearly finished but can do no more at them till school is out in two weeks. Then I must put new cuffs and collar on the shirt waist that Ada gave me, line my plush cape, cut down the sleeves of my light-colored dress, and make some cotton flannel nightdresses for the winter season. That will take me all vacation I “spose,” and if you could see some of my awkward movements you would make even more remarks than you did in your last letter. You said we could get dress patterns here, and so we can, but in towns 300 mi. from here. Santiago and Valparaíso. [sic] Now, sometime when you feel like it and have nothing else to do(?) you may cut me a late-styled sleeve pattern and skirt pattern and send them to me in a newspaper. That way, they won’t cost much. I paid $1.50 a yard for the enclosed flannel that could be about 45¢ at home. Cannot get woolen underwear for less than $5 in gold a suit.
The American Bible agent, Mr. Dawson, sold the new testament to several Catholic people (girls) a few weeks ago, and last week they came to Mr. Dawson and wanted him to take the testaments back because they said the priest told them they were bad protestant books that they must not read. On the same block that our school building is on there is a large cathedral—not finished yet—and outside of this place there is an image the size of a man standing erect with a horrid expression on the face, a priest’s robe on, a cross in one hand and a contraption to receive money in the other. I have often seen poor old servant women bowing most humbly to the ground and praying to this image, then they kiss his garments and put a part of their scant earnings in his hand for the priest and to finish the church.
There are very many priests here, and most of them are very wealthy, and the church owns great tracts of land, just as was in some of the European countries before the great religious revolutions. The principal political parties are the church party, liberals, and radicals. The church party, or conservatives, do not believe in schools or progression [sic] of any kind except for the priests and want the church to hold all civil power. The radicals want schools—no church at all connected with civil power and less wealth to go to the church, and the liberals are a medium between the conservatives and radicals. At present the church party is in power. The president is called a bad man by even many of the Catholics, and the better laws of Chile cannot be hoped to be enforced so long as he is in power, which will be another year. The president’s term is five years, but the man cannot hold office for two successive terms.
It is to be hoped that a liberal or radical will be elected next term, but this is doubtful since the priests are the moneyed power and hundreds of votes may be bought from the lower classes for a dollar apiece. Now, I have not been here long enough to know much about the politics, but this is the understanding I have at present.
Our schools and foreign traders and those who come here to make money are constantly agitating for free thinking and a better state of affairs, and we hope the day is not far distant when a better state of affairs will be realized.
The barracks are constantly filled with young men who must remain in the standing army for five years, and they have nice uniforms and are well drilled, but if a part of this money were put into schools for the lower classes it would certainly do the nation more good. I have been told that one-half of the Chilenos or more cannot read or write, and ignorance can always be controlled by shrewd rascals.
Mon.[, December 11th,] three P. M.
This is the warmest day we have had since we are here. If it stays so warm my flannels will come off. We can hardly realize that it is cold or snowing at home, neither can we make ourselves believe that it is nearly Xmas time. Our Sunday School is going about twenty miles out in the country for a picnic on Xmas day. We will go on the train—but do you think I would go with them if I could spend the day at home??!
We are very glad that you are using lighter paper now. We had to pay 10¢ several times before we could get the home letter, and it is always delayed when the postage is not paid in full. Sometimes we get our letters the first day when a ship comes in and sometimes not for a week afterward. I am so glad that Ada is getting along nicely with school. I know you will have quite enough to do. I knew C. Ebert and Rose would not be angels to deal with.
I wish you could all attend our commencement next week, but I know that grandma would get tired of a boarding school in a few days. Ada, the months, [each of which Dillie erroneously begins with a capital letter], are as follows in this country—Enero, Febrero, Marzo, Abril, Mayo, Junio, Julio, Agosto,
May God bless and keep each of you.
Dillie H. W.
P.S.
Tell Leota I’ll write to her as soon as I get the time. Poor Rensel will have to reap the fruits of her disobedience.
We are only about 6 or 7 thousand miles from home.
Transcribed 2015 by SMK
Posted Dec 29, 2018 at 22:46.
Revised Nov 15, 2022 at 18:36. EDT.
Retrieved Jun 1, 2026 at 22:33.
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