cherished dream of a free kindergarten would have to be given up, the
checks from home came! You were a trump to get them all interested,
and it was beautiful the way they responded. Only _why_ did you
tell Jack? He oughtn't to have sent so much. I'd send it back if I
weren't afraid of hurting him.

My head is simply spinning with plans! We are going to open the school
right away and there are hundreds of things to be done. In spite of my
home-sickness, and loneliness and longing for you loved ones, I
wouldn't come home now if I could! It is the feeling that I am needed
here, that a big work will go undone, if I don't do it, that simply
puts my little wants and desires right out of the question!

Yesterday we had a mothers' meeting, and I have not stopped laughing
over it yet! It seems that the mothers considered it proper to show
their appreciation by absolute solemnity. After tea and cake were
served they sat in funeral silence. Not a word nor a smile could we
get out of them. When I couldn't stand it another minute, I told Miss
Lessing I was going to break the ice if I went under in the effort.
By means of an interpreter, I told the mothers that we were going to
try an American amusement and would they lend their honorable
assistance? Then I called in thirty of the school girls and told each
one to ask a mother to skip. They were too polite to decline, so to
the tune of "Mr. Johnson, Turn Me Loose," the procession started.
Miss Dixon couldn't stay in the room for laughing. The old and the
young, and the fat and the thin caught the spirit of it and went
hopping and jumping around the circle in great glee. After that, old
ladies and all played "Pussy Wants a Corner," and "Drop the
Handkerchief," and they laughed and chattered like a lot of children.
They stayed four hours, and we are still picking up hair ornaments!