Seoul, Chosen,
December 16, 1928 .
Dear father and mother:
I came back from the country yesterday morning,
and found your letters of Nov. 19 and also the" box of fig and fei-
joaf preserves here.  They said they had come the day before.  One
of the jars was broken, but the rest were in good shape; and I told
the cook to open them and'put them on the table,  tfea'. Swinney remonstrated, saying they would not last long if the family be pan on
them.  But they have been enjoying them very much, and it is the
first time they ever tried feijoas.  I especially am enjoying a taste
of home cooking and California produce, and want'you to feel well
repaid for sending them.
I also found a 'c»rd here announcing that the
mattress had arrived that, aunt Una sent.  I went right down to th*
office to see about it and was told that if I came b*ek Monday and
signed some papers and gave the price, the duty would be set, and I
could get it.
I had just been thinking about your taking a trip
to the desert when you mentioned Bro. Shuler's trip.  If you would
go no farther than Palm Springs I think you would enjoy it.  The
Stokes are leaving here in June on the Pres. McKinley and want to
buy a car when they land in America and drive across the country.
They land at Seattle and have been asking me something about the
roads down the coast, considering going through Los Angeles.  I
like Mr. Stokes and Mac so much that I have been thinking about
inviting them to visit -*usn in Los Angeles.; .but when you have so
much company and church work all the time, I think I should pdd
nothing to your labors.  I appreciate all the time it takes out
of a busy day to write to me.
Persimmons have been very plentiful in Seoul. Ail
the foreigners appreciate them especially, as they have not known
them in America, unless they have been to California.  Mrs. Swinney
wants her grandmother to have some. Her birthday is Nov. 13, and
if you could send some from California next year about that time,
she'would see "hat they are enjoying in Korea.  They are scarce now.
Appie3 and tangerines (they call' them oranges here$ are all we can
get In the way of fruit.  Canned goods are too expensive.
We had some snow yesterday, and it is very cold
today. You would be surprised that'my problem in the country was to
get cooled off at night.  But the Korean custom is to build a- fire
at supper time, which heats up the floor;  and then they sleep on
the floor, which means that most of the covers have to be underneath.
I had a very good time, and almost hated to come
"back.  The Swinneys came back''the day before I did, and they also
had a good time. 'Mrs. Swinney said the children enjoyed it very
much, and the ltttle girl was speaking a good deal of Korean.  They
stayed at different houses here in Seoul.
Honda" morning- My writing yesterday was broken in
by having to go to. for elm service. , When wed came pack, my teacher and
another Korean preacher were here waiting for me to take the preacher
to Yongaan church. He had not been there before and did not ^owjne
way, and was to preach there. My teacher was going to ano*h?r °h^£
toVeaeh. We had supper as quickly as possible and then I left with
the preacher.