First

Trin
Their

forces

to ehina
Hrst

nith

S?;limpse of China l•as Shanghai,

other

missionaries

of whom had travelled

over

going

to various

on the same shin

the newlv ;ir:,:ived

shoppinp;,

buying

groceries-fi,r

"'or the trip
cabins

which

inland,

- up the river

and transferred

mi,;stonaries.

the missionaries

first;

every

night

to buv vep,etahles;

their

first

words

with

theri all

got

to Chengtu,

could

veep

~umf!lers in

their

a Peek;·

steamer

- 4

~ ,£.<,,...( ,._.,o,

to Chenf?:tu.

il'll1lediately.

and meat and that

On this

-u,J,-~

so that

the

with

in Chinese
nrice

the

of 1t.

i.s how the

thev

r.anecHans

ar.d the "stu<'.ents"
~he teacher

lan1ma11;e so that

knew the. nal!\es in Chinese

J;.~~~~v
..--

The cook •1ould p.o ashore

The coo', would col!\e back on hoard

and also

helping

they

large

bv a cook and a teache'i\

the food and name it

day,

in f'han)!hai

a fai.rl.v

1ournev

Chinese

in Chinese.

to sav it

T.n ~hanrrhai

who were to look :ifter

took

the

to speak

the
would

woold sit

t'le

i,,,

learned

time thev

for 11'.anvarticles

and a1 <ao

accounts.

the '~oun.ta.1.ns

Manv of the missionnries
the mountains
went

thev

to complete

lc:irning

learn

some

@1ere thev stopoed at the CJJI "i.ssion
.JJ.-,,_
bl.~T
steamer to•1cnon~ and then to a houseboat

start

thus

in China,

Thev staved

were accol!\paniea

with

posts

J:l,o.,1,_,k_.,.~

to l~

conld

houseboat

ioined

a whole year.

to a smaller

took 10 weeks

thev

~rom Vancouver.

they were met bv Dr. and 11rs. ~vKilbourn,
all

uhere

during

to Kivonchan,

and of course,

would l'love their

the hot
40 l!\iles

everythiny

Chinese-summers.
a..,ay.

the

fal!\ily

»i.ves

and children

The Johns

Tt was a two-rlav trip
needed

for livino:

and their

into
fri.ends

hv se<1an c1'air,
had to be moved

a.,,....
with them.
The Johns would take 3 or 4 sedan
tc-,,.1,i. ~ (v..J. <.a...........,,~-1
he.l-lIBr and a cook.
Dad 1-10uld ri.de hi.s bicvcle
much of the vay a'l thev

could.

chairs,

a c,t<.an--iftl' •·•m,an, nluq

and tl1e bovs t••ouJ.c:lwa)J, as

••'11enmeal tiMc rolleil

aroul)d,

thP. 1 ·1hole

2

family

would stop

and food,

which

the inn.

This

tea

leaves

over

tea

uas prepared

put in the bottom

additional

cups of boiling

underfoot

journev,

the

the inn.

nnd fleas

to keep a1-1av bed bup,s,

Before

the children

were put

moving.

The men would stop
to cont:lnue

specific

time.

was always

in a sedan

chair,

and disappear,
was over

and one year

thev

has

with

,,as cleaner

the net

anrl over

to sleep,

mother

had trouble

could

be snatched

it were getting

and he dropped

and then

dP.stination

at a

could

and there

- or if

ta1<e off
dark.

th<>.v werP. ridinP,

1-1ith the

chilc1ren

~o the whoJe ;ournev

of misfortune.

·of Kevonchan

7, the night

was in the

the carriers

hovs would run on nl-tead and if

easily

fear

a lot

- J-lis Mrthdav

after

the bedrooM.

!TPO!'l

-

•·r.i.th promi.ses

as nuch of the wav as thev

easily

of Aalaria

keeoinp;

to its

The little

net,

would cliMl> 1.nside

bep;in to smoke opium,

p;ot the oartv

<>-

down oi.Jed

mosouito

~uch was the fe"r

1'hev of.ten

nemories

than

it"

to see someone movinf'. around

the robber

on the

they

when he was about

and as soon as ,,hoever

overnip,ht

to be bribed

a hauntinp

two vivid

were doP,S runnin<>

the bedding

in there.

could

if

to whicl-t endless

There

To ,sleep

covere<'I to

ti-ten nut

walked

the runners

especially

ridden

Harold

chased

if

from-a~

So they would have

f.ear of kidnappinp.

got out of sight

be added.

at meal time,

The children

of tea

from

wav - a fe,~

11ater noured

pot

tea

to M<lke un the beds,

inside

the trip.

money and rewards

wakened

then

hot

Chinese

in a cha'>e 1 hecau.<;e it

was available.

of extra

they

could

of£ anv t'los<1uitoe,s still

and no preventative

refuse

indivjdu;i.1

a sopt

sheetf

orderi~

cutlerv

the cup, .the c\m then

everywhere.

fmni lv would stav

onlv

boiling

into

water

tablecloth,

traditional

of a cup,

Thev would choose

and kill

in the

had his

°'~

their

and eat,

of the servant:

and each one then

around

br:iiap, out

thev would prepare

the shoulder

sreep,

L

at an inn,

hearc1 then

hi.s birthda•,,
She Pakened
talkinr

is .Tulv 4th,
i,;,;
1ter

he r;,.n.

of. ,,mat he had taken,

!'\other
hushand,
Pred

but hun~ on

•
•

3

r
to Parold's
his

parents

birthday

presents,

produced

a whole nee• set
from the

llp the mountain

girls

belong

to it.

the tem1>le and knocked

both

remember doinr,

tell

their

Canada.
early

this
they

directly
of peas

buv the

There

his

wen,

was

paid

food for

the same price,

it

for it.

Next day,
This

0£ lovelv

to

meat,

mo,<;tlv beef,

it.

th.e dav.

for

and ro out
In the

-3

chj_c}·.em, :md fish.

uould

p;o out

some Chinese

and try

tTI1~n

to

buy some food

Then thev woul<:I buv t.he same

home and tel 1 t!1c cook what thev

the cook said

harl to be done quite

:Ln

whic'1 thev

cucum.herR, peas

notatoes,

for

than

of cash

ve~etables,

corn,

thev would watch

out what the natives

rea,:;onable.

n

•ir.~htenecl

stri.np

lv meat

Frerl and HYrtle

and find

the prices

I-Tar.old and l'artj

and long

e,;necial
lots

-

First

take

the bovs one ~av went

thev were too

bi.g basket

too expensive,

food themselves.

the

it.

trom the priests

food seemr.d to get

over a cli H.

to buy supplies,

a vear.

club

in China Fas somewhat different

in the summer there

mountains

and they ,,,ouldn' t let

club,

secret

remer,ber

had done

food supplies

i.n the "'orning

crops

and also

day

st:averl :in Kevonchan,

familv

where the

an idol

The cook would take

bought

temple,

The next

set.

For him.

of presents

As members o~ this

into

<;hoppini:: for

L

.

parents

a llechano

the boys had a secret

cave where

was a lar.f\e

whj.ch included

he paid

rc1;ularly

for

had naid

the food would be

to keep

the foorl costs

in order.
Soon the Canadian
own compound.
flourishing
Canadians

Seeds had been
garden,

would not

as the natives
woulcL allow

missionaries

dirl,

taken

The 6hinese
fertilize

out

fron

servants

their

The Canadians

them to eat

Here p.row:!.n~ garden

garden

Canada ancl soon there

could

not

understand

,,,ith

the

refuse

p:L'efen:ed

the vegetables

veg et ah 1 es in their

preen

uhv the

frol'I the toilets

to use a fertilizer
an uncooked.

••ras a

th;it

4

Toilets
out

,Jere all

and sell

it

were repi1ted
than

it

to be the best
Coolies

on a rod carri.ecl

fertilization

over

from the Church toiJets

in tmm and sold
buckets

the shoulder,

on their

clean

it

out

for Much more
shoulcler.,i,

the toilets

two

and carrv

!servants

children

who of course

had her

little

and cleaned

Myrtle

decided

how to knit,

l!yrtle

the other,

Life

lot

how to knit

and had to be looked

and as well

before

they

woman to knit
heels.

enter

bovs socks.

turned

hnd to be

sei:-vice.

~o
quic 1dv,

!she learned

there

were seven

and the feet

and she did

how to kni.t

sweaters

most natives

could

It

the comoound as she

from the lfountains,

the heels

forgot

after.

At the end of a summe.r' s knitting

to have the heels

her how to turn

a wife wi.th I.. small

to come to "or.le at

to Chengtu

ready

leaving

after,

how to turn

so she never

on to learn

this

returned

taught

the wife

up a whole

but not

of stockings

suddenlv,

to look

to teach

when the Johns
pairs

for

children

housed

very

'R'ere destitute

would not be nossible

J•n;tted

on.

7 na1.r!S one after

all

the whole stocking.

Then she went

anrl so made money to support

the

famiJ.v.

in China
I'hen they
language

in the city,

L

The refuse

would come with

One cook we had died

the

sum.

soMeone wou)d clean

away.

Helping

L

and ever:r morning

for a substantial

any other.

pales

outside

first

the Johns

reached

Chengtu

family

- there

-tn Ch:!.nese houses
After

and while
vere

still

and sometimes

missionary

.families.

a couole

the Johns

moved into

their

the Bajnes

returned,

they

furlough.

By the time the Kilhurns

house
lived

thev

0

onlv

of years

2 of them - lived

the llayies

hou.qe while
there

c6ther

went

on the camous compound.

came back

stuclyinr.

in coMll\uncs with

tn the fi;.l,1rn.q
/,.

were stHl

n furlough

1

The next

vP.ar, Phen

thev were on

was a permanent

and

house

5

available
with

for the Johns,

verandahs

the chil.dren
Harold

could

in.iured

pillows

all

infection

weren't

before

leaving
llyrtle

middle

send

:fvrtle

enough Myrtle

wanted

Harold

Harold

that

!!rs.

Crutcher

many times
sort
there

his

mother

day it

There

sent

So Harold

tell

Earold

was alwavs

fi.P.htinp

the University

of no-man's

land.

was fighting

moved the children's
window so that

if

1'hen

to rlrop his
his

next

school

mother

to do it.

uere

beds directly
the bullets

Dad would not

Harold

i,i

was a little
i.n the

preferre~

that

Hrs.

nirhtgm,n.

"rs.

did not want

Crutcher

slie

told

hil>, t•hv in

time llvrtle

n; rlitAovn.
insisted

o<' it,

another,

as this

the Johns

directlv

thev would not

anil

was a

to sav that

the back of: the house.
floor

that

Crutcher

to tell

dav,

which she did.

the Amah wakened

on to the

lie hanr

up sl1e would

anil hung up his

and this

of the £lass,

t the walls

room,

nightf);o,m

teacher,

over again,

hitting

p.:ive up

l'inallv,

in a darmened

in China - one war lond against

One night

<>ot thP.

Next ti.r,e Pas next

compound was in the Middle

and shots

of all.

time he dic!n' t han<( it

,-,ent home at recess

in front

but

the

in 1917.

children.

h.im home but

had to be done all

got

as soon as thev

months

word to Harolil's

wanted

One til'le when

Dad worst

treated,

several

to come home and hang un his

of the cl.ass.

The next

vees

,~1ile

him that

nets.

the housekeeper

because

he preferred

told

and dm-m, <-•here

of term and he was registrar.

her

'.l for him to come home fro"'

and sure

front

finally

"'osouito

home on furlough

in the mornjng,

cl1iJ rlren remP.mher,

upstairs

the infection.

bv it,

had a firm hand with

of the floor

up.

got

and had to spend

school,

under

and their

to come back

start;inr,

both

became infected,

was the beginninp

went blind

iust

the house

real]y/harmed

it

the home the Jolins

on the porch

an eve and it

because

he almost

it

sleep

around

they were bandaged

teaching

boy,

all

is

mixed up and everyone

The children

L

running

and that

The parents

under

the

ini ure

the

6

r
children.

The children

awake and alert.

went rji;,ht

The next

hack·to

mornini,; they

sleen

did

hut

indeed

the parents
find

remained

hullets

J!'lhedded

in the verandah.
The Chinese
Whenever

people

t!1ey walked

The only nlace
did not

curious

in the streets,

they'd

they could

seem inclined

Fhen Martin
doctors

trvinr-

uh"t

he needed

3 babies.

to handle

llartin

all

for her

missionaries.

hv the curious.
where

the f'l\inese

wouln go for picnics.

and seemed slcklv

tlartin

plumo baby.

when we returned
so quickly
nurse

to the citv

without

so thP.

to use the wet

from the wet nurse

went

uo into

convinced

woman had enour-h milk
an~ in tl>e

the mountains

so tµat

bv fall

fall,

but

feedinr:,

that

'lartin

for

- 2 months

usini,; ~!rs. Averv' s ,,et

-

nurse

went downhill

we knew we had to find

thini,; we had to do, when we found one,

delouse

her,

off

stocJcj ngs,

clean

and delouse

all

as her

had been burned

feet

she did not want to uncover
for her

a d"y

Chinese

feedings

in the

I tinallv

food.

a

for him.

The first

her

baby - that

Pe stoonerl

the auxilj.ary

rich

anrl we were able

Thev all

up the wet-nurse

was a lovely

that

got onP. feedinp.

the sununer and kept

much milm.
so full

the doctors

for )fartin

It was hard
of milm.
had reaU.zed

I

her

clothe,a.

her deformitv.

own baby and for l!artin

in the morning

nurse

earlv

was a wet-nurse,

week he i,;ained a pound.

uet

be surrounded

the families

was born 1-te came along

>!rs. Averv was using

first

the fore5.gn

get a1-1avwas in the graveyard,

to go so there

trouble

them that

for

to watch

fed Me uo on too much milk and too 111anvP.pgnop.s, and poor :lartin

had real

nurse

were ah,avs

feedini,;,

Rhe bad more than

that

Mvrtle

and

takin°

11hen 'She was an infant,

and

enouj?h milk
as 5 /) 1 c)oct<-.

come as earlv

as she ,,as so unco111f.ortable with

to get our o,m baby on a rer:ular
J\v the time

bathe

The ,-,oman resisted

- she wo>ild often

s first

was to st ri.n,

the second

child,

must be on a very

schedule

llarolrl
strict

••Tith a wet

uas on 1\i,; ,.,,.,.,,
lot·• fat,

too

7

low calorie

diet,

so that

and in l1 months

the time

the 4th baby was expected

to be twins)

Myrtle

the baby was due,

knew what she wanted

she hired

this

and then wen she needed

wages for

that,

as well.

healthy

happened

hil'I

hahv.

that

her

one turne,<l

in a wet nurse.

as a wet nurse

was a good way to ensure

Rv

Long hefo,-e

paicl her

that

the

ful 1
full

nurse

would

as long as she was needed.

Refining

su~ar

and cereals

When one bought
bromi

raw sugar.

done.

The dark

sugar

some egg shells

dirt

would rise

remaining

sugar

Three

kinds

taffy

and pull

creamy,

plus

it,

into

the <lirt

powdered,

put

j

out

- dinner

there

was always

and keep shaking

cream mints

sugar

was imported

of,.a

pagan country,

home.

for

a box of sweets

got 100 in arithmetic.

almost

white

rea.dv

kept

in froM Shanghai
ministers

it

until

occasions.
as a special

occasions,

balls

and
and Put

l'>ecame round and

Then he 1Jould make
And in the

familv

reward

a .chi.ld who

when ladieis

loved

of candv.

it was wh'lte

all

- even 3000 miles
wives

for use.

the cook ••rould make

in little

they

and t1-\e

v, •••e would

kinds

until

some of it

the

Then the

l'eriodicall

to he suckers.

special

For sneci.al

Canadian

suj:\ar.

crock

Fi.rst

and pulling

Then he would roll

to a boil,

would be skillU'lP.d off,

in ttemorv.

pullin/\

ho•~ i.t •·•as

t'1hen boiled

a whole day making different

stand

is

and brought

t awav i.n a clean

Some he would put on sticks

after

of water,

hut was dark

And this

suj:\ar to make our own candy.

on a nAil,

them in a bi.g <iishpan

refined,

at home.

a vat

Then all

it,

in particular

and lovely.

perfect.

ton.

cook to spend

it

was not

a whole ej!g was added to it,

cool
this

it

had to be cleaned

would be clean,

Fe would use
an extra

in China,

was put

to the

cook would stir

bring

sugar

So it

then

iat

to nurse

woman as a se>iin9. wor,ian, paicl her

that,

This

a real

( and as it

wages for

stay

she wa"< able

he weir,h1><l 17 uounds,

herself,

out

L

when he was born,

for

storehouse

came to tea,

in the hinter

lunp

lancl

to be reMinde<l of tea

tiMe

8

Cereals
greasy

had to be refined

and oily

that

There was always

which was al)Jays

foodstuff
the

(another
locked

neck.

estimate

up.

that

day,

a little
This

and ground

affectionately

from a Canadian

the lady

Only that

he needed
use.

dried

farm childhood),

and the key for which always

remained

of the house

around

and the cook

how much of each kind

of

amount of food would be taken

It was a recognized

that

the oil,

was always

practice
more flour

extra

that

each day the cook

and sugar

he would take

out -

and cereal

home to his

c;,1-m

family.
Life

in China
The first

on board.

time we went

There were several

adn we were lonesome
Canadian
turkey,

Christmas

en route

-

on the field
fresh

up the Yanktze
missionary

for our loved
celebration.

•Luchon,

were all

since

ones and decided

etc.

them all

would always

we had Christmas
travelling

dinner

together

we had to have a proper
on board

and we cooked

a

pudding.
at all

the missionary

This way we met all
the news from home.

put

the women on the field

anxious

families

we would stop

Chungking,

and brought

from Canada,

stops,

up the river

River

We had a cookstove

and even had a Christmas
Travelling

L

hangover

Each morning

than he wouil.d actually

L

to remove

Raw cereal

cook.

what was to be eaten

locked

had.

room for provisions,

would be required.

rest

would

kept

one could

a special

known as the storehouse

would d=ide

as sugar

and had to be boiled

up to make a cereal

the mistresses'

just

on their

best

to know what the latest

fads

were.

the missionaries
The women, travelling

dresses

were out of touch

stations

with

and hats
styles

for

these

and trends

and

9

r

We carried
river,
gift

an organ with

Fred's

mother

and they

took it

in the hold
would not

and step
with

properly,
there

never

worked properly

China but

it

but

so they

But en route
really

was a wreck

:always

Jadin

(?)

had given

it wasr almost
put

their

that

it

the way out

first

up the

too big

It was put

and the top of the hold

bed on top of it

that.

trip

to them as a wedding

to China.

to the houseboat

after

and slept

and the organ-.got

It was used

the whole

there

was

still

in sedan

chairs,

there.

wet.

It

time in

squeaked.

At the end of the trip
trip

father

them all

of the houseboat
fit

us on the house boat

to Chengtu.

by houseboat
This was taken

a 4 day overland
one person

to

one chair.
In 1911 there

l

families
their

were evacuated
language

Chinese

study

teachers

the whole
for

and the missionary

to Shanghai.

They were

trouble

started

they were away,

This was the time

in the midst

so they

them when they went down river

feared

up river

As it

vaccinated

diagnosed
Despite

It
both

llyrtle

the same time
first

Campus.

since

turned

journey,

two of their

out,

took

to Shanghai

of

their
and studied

Fred went on Relief

Fred got w;-ry ill
party

work

the two who died,

was typhoid

Fred contracted

that

were put

she was already

insisted

trying

that

on nursing

to get

home was right

their

first

in the middle

in the serum,
but

in quarantine

pregnant

did not
until

that

of
yet
infect
was

in the hospital.

with

Fred through

died

a baby who hadn't

believe

fever

with what

had already

and a woman who didn't

Fred and Myrtle

the fact

very well,

on the return

was smallpox,

the others.

This

when the

the war lords

the YMCAin Shanghai.

the disease.
been

with

from Chengtu

course

with

time

En route
they

was trouble

the first
his

home in China
of the c1 ty,

child,

typhoid
ready

not

attack

and not
and at

to move into.

on the University

10

It used

to be a real

was no way of making
children

to do that

would happen

than

it

When they wanted
to bring

a load

fashioned,
Ontario

and keep

turning

colder

and colder

for

everyone.

all

when the salt

the

steel

a coolie

into

an old

compartment,
compartment,

a paddle
thus

family.

the way to China

inside

the icecream

put

the ice

the lid

the

as it

got

When the mixture
was made.

would be enough

on the ice

from

pack

where

be beaten

the whole batch

by the Methodist

in West China.

icl!!cream

of it.

and the rest

lived

in residence.

in ..memory.
for story

After

telling.

literature

She was a marvellous

the children

came from Chengtu
There

and were

were 5 or 6 teachers

Miss Amy Bruce was one teacher

a week of hard work in class,
In these

periods

to her

grade

story

teller,

she

related

telling

who

she used Friday
many of the great

7 and 8 students-the stories

Dickens,
with

got

Then all

inadvertently

Church of Canada for

About half

and Lewis Walmsley was the principal.

Hugo -

all

and frozen.

the handle,

for

in Chengtu

missionaries

works of English

from the ponds nearby

This was put

would

was stiff

and ruined

when there

they would hire

would come Jim, and there

mixture

This was operated

afternoon

turned

their

and boys would go out

the outside

mixture

turn

Sad was the party

School

out

party,

~here

of home - and how

of ice

brought

which

it

wanted

to make icecream

a big

around

finally

and neighbours

Canadian

stands

covering

in the middle

TI1e icecream

no longer

the icecream

day students

thin

for

custard

a taste

the father

cream freeser,

added,

until

got into

of all

up the

the handle,

was.

you could

friends

ice

had been

mixture

the

overnight,

icecream

there

because

Once in a long while,

of ice down from the mountains.

custard

so stiff

to have

parents

would be enough

the icecream

to which salt
on,

frost

in China,

to have

make icecream.

there

hand turner
- put

the Canadian

and rake

home and hope

making icecream

- occasionally

to be a light

in the morning

take

L

ice - but

- and themselves

better

early

problem

Scott,
such

•
11

enthusiasm
books

that

for

her

themselves,

was a highlight
privilege
tell

listeners

Whenever

for

at bedtime

them a bedtime
with

Martin's

story.

great

Mrs. Crutcher

affection

by her

of the battle.
city

lasted

several

bullet

range

about

for dinner,

she asked

goodnight

was another

the
it

the

and to

teacher

1.hose memory

pupils,

involved.

Chengtu

He and his
5 or 6 miles

days with

fell,

One night

right

under

could

hurt

The battle

the

troops.

the brick

a strong

the arsenal

itself

danger.

and then

NO }!ANSLANDbetlieen

wall

keeping

bullet

the

their

no strong

the children

close

the defending

and put

so that

family

mattresses

bullets

walked

and then

But

they were

of the night

porches

them. Next day on the way to school

in case

which was a .,

That was out of

In the middle

always

for

was no real

city

from the sleeping

walls,

were in the

the arsenal,

each night.

they were in a real

indoors

families

beseiged

compound so there

the windows behind

any open spaces

along

running

across

came.

to Quan Chin

One year

it was pouring

trip

to the mountains.

well

as the men to carry

had to be assigned

when we were to set

carriers

the sedan
a bicycle

the mire.

The trip

that

day only half
- not

the usual

the usual

arrived

chairs.

to carry

through

to sleep

rain

Thirty

be ridden
that

off

·Yung Sen attacked

the edge of the stone

One trip

brigands

guns going

andYung Sen' s attacking

was awakened,rnoved

the missionary

from Chengtu.

of the missionary

when the arsenal

place

family

because

the children

and read

tape was in Chengtu

walled

army

a missionary

of the house,
to kiss

When'Yung Sen captured
midst

to go immediately

she visited

the childreu,

of going,

is held

were inspired

on his

to carry

trip

for

the

our annual

luggage

was so muddy that

shoulders

because

was so slow because

day's

one.

It

off

was made.

They found a Chinese

as

one man
it

couldn't

of the mud and rain
So they had to find
Inn but

the parents

a

12

decided

all

courtyard

the rooms were

mosquito

laid

netting

the mosquito
the luggage

out sheets

netting

and slept

carriers

caught

could

and under

to Kwanshien
two and a half

netting

put

the next

out

family

that

night.
day,

we slept

in a school

night.

That

took a day and a half,

trip
that

for

in 1925
the Jonhs

family

to start

for Canada.

and

under

By the time

everything

to dry out

large

the bedding
crawled

started

as on the previous

the

several

days.

It was time

rented

together

brought

clothes.e

and things
night

so they

and the whole

in their

only

in,

the tables,

chair,

The next

which normally

Going down the Yungtze

L

they

up to the party.

came out

roove on.

to sleep

There

over

from the sedan

The sun finally

the party
tables

filthy

at the back of the inn.

wooden tables,

wet.

too

was very

and by afternoon
house,

on

from Chengtu
time took