Kenneth tells of the lak muang. This post was supposed to hold a spirit who would protect the city. Traditionally, someone was crushed or impaled by the lak muang, and their spirit would stay in the area. Kenneth recalls seeing many of these in his…
Kenneth recalls the Siamese wedding he attended. After blessing the hand of the couple, he sat down at the stairs. This caused quite some dilemma, as many of the bigwigs of the town were there. As to not be impolite and through confusion, they ended…
Kenneth wrote to Margaret's mother about their vacation. He talks about Margaret and what a clean person she is. Margaret comments on her concern for the health of the children in a place where death was so quick. She remembers skin and instestinal…
The Landons were learning about 30 new words a day, and memorizing two verses from the Siamese New Testament. Each week was a significant advance in their learning of the Siamese language.
Kenneth tells again about their language training, his doing three years in one, and Margaret two years in one. She kept up with me, he says. Margaret remarks that it was agony.
The Landons lived on the Tajin road, held a mile outside the town. The main Christian community lived about three miles away. The general pattern was that people lived in villages for safety reasons. Ku Pru was a teacher at the school and her brother…
Ma Pawm and Ah Sim came to the Landons very poor and not so nice looking. Margaret taught both of them many things and they greatly improved. Ma Pawm was fond of Kenneth and even more so of Carol when she was born. There was a lot of work to do, and…
Kenneth and Margaret describe the monsoon rain and its sudden, violent hits. Kenneth explains the rainy season process and the crop seasons it gave for different areas in the peninsula. Some regions had three crop seasons while others had two. A…
Kenneth inaugurated a system of smiles with the two children. One day, when Peggy was fussing and crying, with the tears running down her face, her eyes all red, Kenneth shouted at her to "Smile. Smile!" Peggy couldn't manage it, though she tried…
Paul Fuller invited the Landons to his house for tea and to meet the Prince and his daughter, who was an expert tennis player and who asked Margaret to be her tennis partner in a tournament in February. Kenneth also was asked to become member of the…
Margaret recalls her first date in college, with Alexander Gale. It was very trying, because Alex didn't know how to talk. She tells of social times at Wheaton, when her mother would invite students over to her house, or they would go over to the…
Miss McCague, who ran the school in the basement at the house where the Landons lived, was apparently suffering from colitis and appendicitis. Dr. McDaniel was away, so she had to go to Bangkok.
Kenneth tells how Mr. Snyder suddenly died in Nakhon from a stroke. Kenneth and Dr. McDaniels made the coffin and shipped the body to Bangkok where it was burried. The Landons remember Mrs. Snyder as a bitter woman and how she failed to crush…
Margaret describes their arrival in Nakon Sri Tamarat, how the missionaries welcomed them, and tells about the history behind the name of the town. The Landons describe the city, its religious culture, and the beginning of the desire of the Siamese…
Margaret tells about some odds and ends in the Siamese culture: cloth colors for each day of the week, pythons used for food or medicine, Mrs. Fuller and the rickshaw ride, the fire that wouldn't burn the mission compound, etc.
Peggy was still a baby when she had a near death experience with a king cobra. Kenneth tells how one day he was coming back home from church when he noticed Peggy laying in front of the house, with a king cobra rearing up, getting ready to strike.…
Margaret reads about Kaw Su Chiang, a Chinese immigrant who became extremely successful, having started from insignificant beginnings. He lived to be 96 after a very successful career. His son Phya Ratsida was more interesting for Margaret (Margaret…
The Landons adjusted to the Thai culture very quickly. The Seigles and the Landon's teacher were all very helpful in their adjustment. The language teacher gave a great deal of her time taking them on culture tours in the city, teaching them the…
Margaret reads a letter giving her first impressions of Nakhon. She recalls the temples, the prison, and returns to their first morning in the town, spending time with all the missionaries. In many ways the area reminded the Landons of Michigan.…
Margaret tells of the day they left Phuket and their visit to Phangnga, where there was a cave with a temple inside. Kenneth recalls war stories associated with the area and tells of his visit to one particular island. It was eerie. He tells of his…
Margaret tells of the day they left Phuket and their visit to Phangnga, where there was a cave with a temple inside. Kenneth recalls war stories associated with the area and tells of his visit to one particular island. It was eerie. He tells of his…
Margaret played in a singles tennis match and lost the game. In the doubles she played with Dr.Theobald and played well, but they didn't win. The Landons talk about their misfortune buying some furniture. It cost them everything they had because of…
Mr. McKenzie, the American minister, was entertained by Prince Damrong and wanted to reciprocate. He sent his number one "boy" to buy the best kind of Chinese tea for the prince's visit. It turned out that the tea cost much more he had thought, but…
Margaret finds her record of the story of McKenzie wanting to serve Prince Damrong the # 1 tea. She gives the exact prices for each kind of tea that McKenzie's boy had found. In the end McKenzie bought a half pound of the best tea that was available.…
Margaret and Kenneth talk about the buying and selling of Women in Siam. A young girl was bought for $10 in Hong Kong from her parents. Another was sold for 110 tekals. They were working as housemaids for wealthy people in the town.