Margaret's skin was getting darker and darker because of the sun. The whiter the person the more she was admired. She talks about skin colors in Siam and people's preferences in this regard.
Margaret remembers two little girls who walked four miles to come to Peggy's birthday party. She recalls getting a cable for her own birthday. Kru Chin Da brought Margaret nice things for her birthday (she also taught Margaret incredible cooking…
Margaret was often concerned about her kids getting diseases that were all around. They were instructed to never touch their eyes because Trachoma was everywhere. Margaret thought that keeping her kids away from the Thai children (which the other…
Peggy was having a hard time with a nose infection she had. She liked taking care of Bill and would take things away from him, saying, "No, no..." She would run away to the school to her many friends. Kenneth was gone again for about a month (there…
There was something at the school that Margaret couldn't get any wind about. Dr. Bulkley came back from his trip and found his wife almost dead, but she recovered quickly. She was in charge of the school and Margaret had no authority.Â
Margaret was convinced that all of the servants were eating out of the kitchen and some were taking food regularly to their families. The Chinese servants accused only the Thai servants of stealing things, but with the time Margaret had evidence that…
Margaret talks about her servant Ah Sim. She couldn't read but was very bright. She would keep the market list in her head. Kenneth was keeping track of the market. Once Kenneth was away for six weeks. Upon his return Ah Sim gave him a report of her…
Margaret learned that College Church had split, under the influence of people from the Moody Bible Institute (whom she says were divisive) and Dr. James Buswell (whom she also thinks was devisive). Adelle and Betty went to the new Bible Church, but…
Margaret tells about Mrs. Bulkley and her difficult background. Daughter of divorced parents (unusual for that time) she married Con Bulkley, a man who actually wasn't interested in her. She had a difficult marriage of forty year with seven children.…
Margaret attended a Siamese wedding with a friend called Kru Kim Juang. She was a mother and a school teacher. Margaret describes the wedding, its customs, and the beliefs that go with it. She found the Thai to be superstitious yet civilized people.…
Margaret talks again about the house in Trang. She further describes the house and her work to improve its look. She talks about the interior, her decoration and how she had set things. She began to learn from scratch about flowers.
Margaret often had problems with her servants not being responsible enough. The Chinese servants tended to be noisy, negligent, dirty, and dishonest. But they were tremendously hard workers. The Siamese were quieter, cleaner, and more careful, but…
Margaret tells about Bill as a baby. He was slow but focused and determined. He would crawl around and follow the servant's motions while she was working. One day Bille became so fascinated by the motion of the mop that he wanted to catch it, but the…
Margaret describes a normal day. It begins at 6:00, with breakfast and prayer at 7:00. She had a little time to get things underway before her teacher came at 9:00. She studied until 11:30, had lunch and a little nap, then had Siamese conversation…
Margaret reads about E. P. Dunlap and his work in Siam. His first convert was a devout Buddhist who had turned away from his idols and entrusted his life to the "Great Spirit." He was one day trying to repair a Buddhist idol when all of a sudden it…
Margaret talks about the house in Trang. She explains about property ownership in Trang and the acquisition of the mission compound. She describes the house they lived in and the building style that took into account the monsoon. She explains the…
Margaret remembers the "cats" the Landon had. There was a small "panther" (a cheetah type). At some point the Landons had nine cats, seven dogs and one hornbill.Â
Yin Lang, the cook, borrowed 150 tekals from Margaret. His father was ill and dying, so he wanted a few days off and he requested an advance. He made out a first mortage on his rubber garden to Margaret as security. But Margaret never got her money…
Margaret reads a letter about her time in Chong, her vacation, her impressions and discoveries of the area. It was one of the most beautiful areas she had ever seen. She describes the Thai hierarchy and the power the governor had. She tells of how…
Margaret reads about her work around the house and her having fun doing activities she never did before. That was the beginning of her gardening. Kenneth and Margaret talk about the food in Trang.
Margaret tells of the second time in a year she had to cope in loneliness with what was required of her. She reads about Kenneth's seafaring adventures, the storm, how they waited on the sea for an entire journey for a steamer that wasn't coming.…
Margaret reads her first letter from Trang. She recalls their arrival and beginning in Trang, the girl that traveled with them, and talks about slavery in that part of the world.Â
Margaret tells about the missionaries she describes as giants with extraordinary abilities. Dr. McCain and Dr. McDaniel were pioneers in setting up asylums for the lepers who were just ignored by society. They had wonderful ministries and were…
On February 26 Margaret wrote of Billy, who weighed almost fourteen pounds: "Beautiful baby, so strong and well formed." He had discovered his feet and was looking at them in wonderment.
Mrs. Snyder had a tendency to make it clear that she thought things were better when she did them. Margaret tells about yard work with the coolies, and the young man who came for the book of Daniel.Â