YOKOHAMA, July 26th, 1904.
[DEAR MOTHER:]
We gave in our passes to-day, and sail to-morrow at five.
They say we are not to see Port Arthur fall but are to be
taken up to Oku's army. That means we miss the "popular"
story, and may have to wait around several weeks before we see
the other big fight. They promised us Port Arthur but that is
reason enough for believing they do not intend we shall see it
at all. John and I are here at a Japanese hotel, the one Li
Hung Chang occupied when he came over to arrange the treaty
between China and Japan. It is a very beautiful house, the
best I have seen of real Japanese and the garden and view of
the harbor is magnificent. I wish Cecil could see it too, but
I know she would not care for a room which is as free to the
public view as the porch at Marion. It has 48 mats and as a
mat is 3 x 5 you can work it out. We eat, sleep and dress in
this room and it is like trying to be at home on top of a
Chickering Grand. But it is very beautiful and the moonlight
is fine and saddening. No one of us has the least interest in
the war or in what we may see or be kept from seeing. We have
been "over trained" and not even a siege of London could hold
our thoughts from home. I have just missed the mail which
would have told me you were at Marion. I should so love to
have heard from you from there. I do not think you will find
the Church house uncomfortable; and you can always run across
the road when the traffic is not too great, and chat with
Benjamin. I do hope that Dad will have got such good health
from Marion and such lashers of fish. I got a good letter
from Charles and I certainly feel guilty at putting extra work
on a man as busy as he. Had I known he
was the real judge of those prize stories I would have sent
him one myself and given him the name of it. Well, goodbye
for a little time. We go on board in a few hours, and after
that everything I write you is read by the Censor so I shall
not say anything that would gratify their curiosity. They
think it is unmanly to write from the field to one's family
and the young princes forbade their imperial spouses from
writing them until the war is over. However, not being an
imperial Samaari but a home loving, family loving American, I
shall miss not hearing very much, and not being able to tell
you all how I love you.
DICK.
