smiling at it from the front row in the dress circle, I get to be one
of the performers every time.

We have been greatly interested in watching the Russians build a fort
on one of their islands near here. They insist there will be no war
and at the same time they are mining the harbor and building forts day
and night. The minute it is dark the searchlights are kept busy
sweeping the harbor in search of something not strictly Russian. I
hope I will get back as safely as I got here.

Did I tell you that I stopped over two days in Korea? I had often
heard of the Jumping Off Place, but I never expected to actually see
it! The people live in the most awful little mud houses, and their
poverty is appalling. No streets, no roads, no anything save a fog of
melancholy that seems to envelop everything. The terrible helplessness
of the people, their ignorance, and isolation are terrible.

The box from home was more than satisfactory. I have thoroughly
enjoyed wearing all the pretty things. The hat sister sent was about
the size of a turn-table; a strong hat pin and a slight breeze will be
all I need to travel to No Man's Land. Sister says it's
_moderate_, save the mark! but it really is becoming and when I
get it on, my face looks like a pink moon emerging from a fleecy black
cloud. I had to practice wearing it in private until I learned to
balance it properly.

I shall stay up here through July and then I am thinking of going to
Shanghai with Mrs. Heath's sister, who lives there. I am very fond of
her, and I know I would have a good time. I feel a little like a
subscription list, being passed around this way, but I simply