Concepción, Chile
Nov. 26, ’99
1:30 p.m.
Dear Pa, Ma, Grandma, Alice, Mellie, Ada:
Well, we have had no letter from home since I wrote two weeks ago, but a ship with states mail will be in tomorrow or the next day, then I think we’ll hear from you again.
I suppose you are getting on your winter wraps and hats to go to church, and we are wearing white hats and some are beginning to wear white dresses, but foreigners wear pretty heavy underwear all year. The nights are always cool. Ripe strawberries and cherries are in the market now. We have no red strawberries here; they are all big white ones with red seeds like I sent you. They are good, but I don’t like them so well as the red ones. We had strawberry shortcake several times, but it wasn’t quite so good as ma’s.
The cherries are very nice—large, sweet, red ones; they are picked with the stems and then about two dozen of them are tied on a stick with a pansy or some other flower at the end to make it look nice. These bunches sell for 5¢ apiece, and strawberries sell by the hundred at present. You know these people have all the time there is, so they can count or tie up fruit in any manner without any waste of time. The people all along this coast build all around the edge of a lot and leave a little open space on the inside called a “patio”, somewhat like the open court in “Solomon’s temple.” Well, across the road from our window in a patio is a beautiful large cherry tree, half of which we can see full of nice ripe cherries. I wonder what I would do if I could reach it, but there is a Catholic lottery house all around it and of course, I would not ask to go inside of such a robber’s den.
Our first meal comes at 6:30 A.M. It is called desayuno and consists of a cup of coffee (not always good), a lump of bread and a little butter. The only spread we get all day. All the teachers have oatmeal or some other breakfast food besides. Then we have breakfast at 11 A.M., which always has three courses; the first is always cazuela (soup) of thin broth with bits of meat, potatoes, carrots or anything they happen to find to put in. Second, comes the course of dark beans and rice cooked together, or some kind of pudding, or potpie made after Chileno style; the third course is always fried steak and mashed potatoes without milk or salad. Then we usually have two dried peaches and a little juice after that. At 2:30 we have lunch, which consists of a cup of tea and a lump of bread, sometimes a few strawberries. At 6 P.M. we have dinner, which is about the same as breakfast except the beef is always roasted.
I have already become accustomed to the new ways and, contrary to what I said I would do, I eat four times a day and everything that is given to me, whether it is dirty or clean. A hair does not amount to very much here. But I must say our Chileno servants are above the average and do their work fairly well.
Mr. Campbell waits on the table where we sit. I mean he sits at the head of the table and dishes out the food; he always gives me more than my share because he knows I get hungry. Besides this eating, I get three cups of hot milk a day instead of coffee or tea. People here always boil milk for some reason before they use it. Now, maybe you think it is hard to do without spreads, but it is not since the soups are somewhat like our chicken broth, and with the hot milk I get along nicely. The seasickness seemed to cleanse my system, and with eight hours of sleep every night and eating as I do now, do you need to wonder that I’m getting fat even if I do not get any pumpkin pie or fried chicken. The holes are nearly all gone out of my cheeks, and I think with proper care I’ll be ready to do a good year’s work next year. At present, I’m taking class work two-thirds of the day. I find they—the pupils—have many good traits of character as well as bad ones. One teacher from the girls’ school said that, instead of being a kind and loving teacher, at first she had to be like an animated bulldog until she had conquered her school and then little by little teach them gentility and honor.
When new teachers come in they are always worse, especially before they have learned Spanish. I got a list of the bad words they might say from Mrs. Campbell. Last week one day a half-grown boy in one of my classes, who is very smart mentally but quite shameless muttered one of the vulgar words, thinking I would not know what he said, but I reprimanded him sharply. In a few days afterward, he said two other obscene words. The whole class was surprised at my knowledge of Spanish when I jerked him up and took him to Mr. C, where he received a severe whipping. Now he is one of my best boys, and the whole class is doing very well. They will not risk any more of their Spanish on me thinking I won’t understand them. On the other hand, they are all quite anxious to help me to pronounce Spanish words and explain those I cannot understand.
The discipline is quite difficult because in the Spanish schools they all study aloud and walk around in the room anywhere. They are also accustomed to being told a thing a dozen times before they will move, but I think I shall like the work quite well.
Some teacher of pupil is always sending pretty flowers, strawberries or cherries to our room to make “the new folks feel at home”. One of our boys gave me a pretty bunch of roses to wear this morning, and Mrs. C. just now sent up two large pieces of strawberry shortcake!
Our chapel in connection with our school building was well filled this morning for Sunday School and church. Mr. Holland preached. Charlie will have to preach before long again. We were invited to the girls’ school last week one evening for dinner, and then Miss Burch, one of their teachers, gave us a streetcar ride with her and bought us each dish of ice cream, the first that I ate except in New York since the reception at home. They have streetcars and tracks here, but the cars are drawn by horses.
I often wonder how that poor kid (Ada) is getting along with her school. I trust very nicely, though I know it is not an easy task or job. There are some things at home to overcome, at least in some schools, which are almost as difficult as it is to civilize the Catholic “heathens” in one sense. I wonder too whether ma works till eleven at night yet, then gets up at five. That surely is enough to kill anybody even if they have constitutions like horses. Mellie, you must make her quit, and you must not sew after nightfall and spoil your eyes. You know you can never get a new pair. And Allie, if you had to manage Chileno servants for some time you would candidly get over some of your preciseness and learn to eat a little dirt once in a while, and pa would not dare to smoke a pipe here. Much as these people drink and smoke cigarettes, they never smoke pipes. And grandma would say “Law me,” what’s this world coming to?
We get board, room rent, and washing all free, but we do not get quite so much wages as they said we would at New York. I presume Geo. Steltzer would be more grieved if he knew it.
Was glad to hear that Ada’s recital was a success after her hard work.
I wanted to send each of you something for Xmas but did not know enough Spanish to find out what to get or how to send it, so you forgive me this time. I’m sorry I didn’t let [leave?] some money at home for you to get your own presents. Our church will give a Thanksgiving reception at the girls’ school next Thurs. evening. We teach here all week except Sat. afternoon, then we always have Sunday School and church duties on Sabbath, so you know we don’t have much time left for play.
With best wishes for everybody.
Dillie
We had the Sunday School today that you had Oct. 10.
Transcribed 2015 by SMK
Posted Dec 27, 2018 at 07:45.
Revised Nov 27, 2022 at 19:54. EDT.
Retrieved Jun 1, 2026 at 22:00.
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