Leatha Coulston to Elmer's Parents - Jun. 21, 1934

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AARK Identifier
  • 20213775
Place of publication
  • Zhangjiakou, Hebei, China
Rights statement
  • In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
Date Issued
  • 06/21/1934
Publication GeoCode
  • 40.76744,114.88644
Date created
  • 1934-06-21
Description
  • Summary: Leatha to Elmer’s parents. 1934 June 21, Kalgan, Chahar, [China]. ALS, 2 ½ pp. -- Talks of how hard it is to leave China [she is leaving that night]. Sending photographs for family to share. Heading to Peiping to have shoes made, then is going to Chiao Tou Tseng. Remarks that it was only four weeks since she left Kalgan to take Elmer to Peiping, now she is leaving again, alone, and leaving her two loved ones [Elmer and son] in the little cemetery there. [Verso] – writes of Dr. [Herbert] Liu who is taking Elmer’s place, and not very well. Asks if there is anything they want on Elmer’s tombstone. Remarks that the railroad men want to erect a memorial for Elmer.
  • Transcription: Kalgan, Chahar June 21, 1934 Dear folks: Tonight I leave. It is so hard to leave. I cannot tell you how I feel. One minute I feel that I cannot stay here a minute longer and the next minute I feel that I cannot leave. It is the place we worked together to build up. We loved the mountains, the sunsets and our home. Am enclosing these pictures and please send one set to Aunt Emma. I have not written her as I just cannot write. It gets me so upset that I cannot sleep at all each time I tell of Elmer’s death. I plan to go to Chiao Tan Tseng after I stay in Peiping long enough to have shoes made. Write me at Shanghai 150 Rubicon Road, c/o Sanitarium. I must go as I have some packing to do today and many errands to tend too. Just four weeks ago tonight Elmer and I left and now I leave our home alone forever. It is hard to leave my two loved ones in the little cemetery here. Bye! bye! Love Leatha (over) Dr. Liu is doing very well. He has a hard place to fill as all the nurses adored Elmer. It hurts me to have them come in here and have 13 patients and complain because there isn’t enough linen. When we housed over seventy. Elmer was so proud of the instruments he had gotten together. Dr. Liu doesn’t think there are enough to do a hemorroidectomy. He thinks he is so busy. Is rushing classes through so he won’t be bothered. Don’t pass this on please but I feel it. Miss Semerova the operating room supervisor fights with him all the time. She told me yesterday, “Dr. Coulston could do any operation with a knife, scissors, forceps and needle holder and needles.” He keeps telling her that our technique is all wrong. Well we have had no infections anyway and Elmer was clever with his surgery. Miss S. said last night, “It only took Dr. C. ten minutes to diagnose a case, and Dr. Liu never knows what is the matter with a patient.” Is there anything you would like to have on Elmer’s tombstone? I will wait till I hear from you, but will - 2 - pick it out in Peiping. Also answer about Elmer’s microscope and books. The railroad men want to erect a memorial for Elmer. I sent a box of Chinese flowers taken from one of the wreaths. Please give my folks part of them. Just thought you might like to see them. Please save the banners. Adali is translating them now.
Abstract
  • Leatha to Elmer’s parents. 1934 June 21, Kalgan, Chahar, [China]. ALS, 2 ½ pp. -- Talks of how hard it is to leave China [she is leaving that night]. Sending photographs for family to share. Heading to Peiping to have shoes made, then is going to Chiao Tou Tseng. Remarks that it was only four weeks since she left Kalgan to take Elmer to Peiping, now she is leaving again, alone, and leaving her two loved ones [Elmer and son] in the little cemetery there. [Verso] – writes of Dr. [Herbert] Liu who is taking Elmer’s place, and not very well. Asks if there is anything they want on Elmer’s tombstone. Remarks that the railroad men want to erect a memorial for Elmer.
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