When Miss Sterling go to American home I surely cry to death; many other girls in the College say same thing.
Each girl in College have one duty for every day, mine very nice kind, must to look all about mails, what time come, what time go, when Steamers close, carry mail to rooms, keep care stamps and all writing materials.
All this make for me very great interest, when big mail come in, every body so much excitement, every body snatch letters then run away and read - read like hungry dog bite bone. Miss Sterling all time get very big letter, very large character on cover, color blue; when big blue letter not come, O then Miss Sterling too sad. One day I very bold and say: "Miss Sterling you very much love big blue letter?" she all smiling say, "Yes truly I do love big blue letter the very best of all."
This time we have very hard work, for spring time near, and much of work is to be done before we to our homes may go.
One day Miss Powers say, "Perhaps we are giving too much hard work just now, perhaps more better we go on river have play for one week." O then all College have greatest joy and excitement; girls all time talk, what can do, how can do. Some times girls talk too late at night, Matron have much hard work. When Matron say, "No more of talk tonight," then all very still for little while, then when Matron go far away, talk begin again, and go on and on. Matron have another bad trouble with girls, every Chinese girl think she die if air from night get into her lungs, so she go to bed and pull Mieng all over head and ears so no air can touch her. Today too sad thing happen, "Miss I Sterling fall ill, cannot to class room come, Dr. Ewing say cannot do work for many days, and ask Matron to send some good girl to help Nurse. Matron appoint me to go, I most happy to have honor, and because of this I can no more write at this time.
To My Honorable Family, Bing Ang. Bing Ang.
Your Most Miserable and Contemptible Child.
Neuchang, China.
January 25th.
To My Honorable and Wise Mother, Moy Sen, Greetings. Bing Ang. Bing Ang.
Two Moons ago I have sorrow to tell you Miss Sterling very ill. This time I have great gladness to tell you she all well again and we all happiness once more.
Great joy and pain have gone over our heads like flocks of birds since last time I have Honor to write to you.
Both day and night I watch over Miss Sterling though Matron say many times I must to go into air or be ill. Nothing can my heart comfort but to every moment look to see if some little thing I may not do to relieve Miss Sterling from so great pain. Every day the burnings of the fever make fire in brain of our Adorable Miss Sterling until she know nothing of what say or of what do, this all too terrible, and make my heart to bleed most so of all when she cry out one name over and over again, this name sound like Dick, Dick, sometimes Dear Dick, then most times she try to rise up, but is too weak and so she sink back on pillows and lie so still, so still, I freeze with fear she be dead, O then I creep out and cry to death, and pray pray to heaven, and burn much incense, and then creep back and bend close over Miss Sterling to bear if any little wavering breath come from lips or not, for it seem to me she is surely to die.