University of Nanking - Linguist Yearbook (Nanking, China)

Page 108 text:

.-XS THIS GUEST OF .XX Ol FlCI.'Xl. 105 After a montl1's trial, representatives ot the Language School meet in classroom, Nanking, and listen in while Dr. Youngman, Board Representative in charge of the experiment. radios his findings. lack Dalton takes exception to one item of.,the report which-announces the engagement of julia Hawkins to George Stevens, and is silenced with didiculty with the promise that the matter can be rectified later if necessary. The Secretaries upon hearing the report, reply that the plan has succeeded too well,-far' beyond their expectations. and they advise the return at once to the former methods, stating that it is better to let nature take its course. Thereupon jack questions George and estab- lishes his claimto 'lulia on the evidence he possesses in the form of the letters of connrmation from both julia and ,I une, George not hav- ing foreseen that both letters would be addressed to .lack Dalton. The latter in a final burst of generosity turns over the eousin's letter to George with the twofold suggestion that they marry and that they let nature take her course. General Feng Yu t-lsiang, the Oliver Cromwell ofiChinn, with his family.

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l04 'l'HI'I LINGUIST' D-R-A-M-A-T-I-S P-E-R-S-O-N-A-AE Mission Board Secretaries all of New 'York City ti Suburb of Philaj ' Jeremiah G. Spearmint .... jesse B. Yaukey Ignatius M. South . . . Stanley liirn tialusha D. Flintheart . Oswald Goulter Lettitia B. Feathertuss . Irene Gehrling Adeniram j. Skinnem . . Albert Steward Amy 'lil'E2:ltCll1WCll Qwidowj Helen Skilling lchahod Youngtnan . . ,lustin Follette lidith 'l'ravers .... liertha Smith 'Cornelius johnson . . . L. E. Blackman Mr. Gia tl-lead Chinese Tcacherj Wang Yao-ting Dean . . Baron Toppe Language School Students .luha 'Hawkins .Iunc Stevens Sarah Buckley ,tack Dalton Bertha Park Lydie Shields Dorothy Bascom XVilliam Cutchins . George Stevens .... . William Ankeney Other Students, Supernumeraries, etc. etc. S-Y-N-O-P-S-l-S Matrimony having become so prominent, a part of Language School life, the Board Secretaries are forced to ,adopt measures to save young, unmarried women to the work. Protests on the part of the Secretaries have proved of no avail, and even the dean, upon his return from furlough, has been unable to stem the matrimonial tide. The mischief still goes on. In desperation the Secretaries call a conference in New 'York to discuss ways and means of coping with the situation. VVith seriousness .and dignity the wltole situation is canvassed. Varying and divergent opinions are expressed and not a little warmth generated, but no way out of the difficulty appears until the last speaker, a young bachelor, one-time student in the Language School, now on sick leave and serving his Board as Candidate Secretary, suggests that the good of the Language School can be conserved and the young women saved fto t-he work if the language were taught hy radio broadcasting. The idea is received with enthusiasm, and adopted. The experiment is tried out under the direction of its originator, 'but with results differing greatly from those anticipated. The students are quick to see in radio possibilities quite beyond the limits of mere Language study, and thru its use out of hours many engagements are consummated. Taking advantage oi differing wave-lengths, George Stevens of Chinkiang succeeds in diverting to his cousin julia, june Stevens in Nanking, his roommate's Cjack Daltonj proposal of mar- riage intended for his cousin's roommate, julia Hawkins. George then 'radios ,Iack's identical message to Julia Hawkins, who mistaking its St?l1ClC1'fO1'JZ1Cl'f, accepts, contirming her acceptance by letter. june Stevens, following instructions by mail, also sends confirmatory letter.

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l06 I -A THE IJNGUIS F AS THE GUEST OF AN OFFICIAL. Nine soldiers with fixed bayonets are really rather impressive. Asked for my card, I was tempted to think that ldid not want to go in after all. A few minutes later, I was escorted toward the guest hall. We passed thru court after court, for in a Chinese home, the most honored guests are received in the rooms farthest from the street. Past the servants' quarters, brilliant with the gay colors of the freshly washed quaint trousers and coats of the women of the house, beyond the kitchens until we were niet by my host. His beautiful long blue silk garments lined with whitest lambs' wool, his dignity and bearing, marked him a Chinese gentlemang the respect of my soldier- escort gave recognition of his position as the honored elder son of .an high ohicial of the Republicg and his courtesy and charm, bespoke in him much that is best and hopeful in New China. Continuing on our way, he pointed out the entrance to the chamber where his father even then sat in council with his cabinet, deciding the policies of the nation. I thought of the significance to China and the world of some of the things being decided even as we, unnoticed, passed-japan. Russia, debts, loans, the 21 Demands, England, concessions. railroads, all were there. Thru still more elaborately carved moon doorways into several more courts, and we had reached the guest hall, where I was im- mediately presented to the Honorable Mother who awaited us there. Comfortably plump she was, the sign to the Chinese of great hap- -piness and my western mind found in the calm kindliness of her face sanction of the sign. As I greeted her my eyes took in at a glance the rare teakwood furnitureg the great, high window with the wide seat beneath it. The floors were bare. but inia-corner was a tantali- zing pile of rugs with only a glimpse of satisfying blues and golds peeking out. I saw that one wall was almost covered to the ceiling, scverai layers deep, with small boxes-rich lacquers and varnishes and smooth surfaces-each with its striking black-lettered red tag pasted -on the out-side. Later I was toldthat these boxes containedithe- gifts that had been brought to the grandfather on his sixty-fifth birthday, just passed-and I saw many of the gifts, rare old lacquers, ancient brass of untold value, handsome new brass, wood carvings, until I wished that I dared play thief. But before I had had time to be curious about the boxes, a second very attractive woman came in and I found myself being introduced to my host's Second Mother. Second Mothern seemed a bit strange to me but I thought it perhaps but his extremely polite or affectionate way of speaking of his mother-in-law. I was still turn'- ing the matter over in my mind when a gay little bird of a body came dancing in, her smooth black hair not less full of shining lights than her gloriously blue and black, silk garments, her feet, scarlet slippered, twinkling in and out as gaily as if they were not less long than 1ny hand is wide. I think I must have gasped a bit when she was intro-