2
1st. Thursday. Cloudy a.m.
3
Seoul home. The Finance Committee of the Central Council(中央協議會財務委員) met at the C.L.S. Board-Room from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 and again from 2:30 to 5 p.m. to pass the work budget of the W.F.M.S. in Korea.
4
Today being the birthday of wife we had a little feast. I invited Dr. Ryang to lunch. He tells me that he had spent two weeks in Hawaii; that individually the Koreans are doing well but the great fault is factional fight among themselves. The American friends asked Dr. Ryang to stop off at Hawaii to persuade the Koreans not to quarrel among themselves!
7
Seoul home. A general meeting of the Central Council met at the C.R.S. Board Room from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 and again from 2:30 to 5 p.m. to pass what the Finance Committee presented for final decision.
8
璋善 tells me that his Japanese teacher told his class that troops are being sent to Manchuria in the dead of the night for sometime past―the secret known only to the Seoul Station Master and that a war is sure to break out in this month of September or October. Heaven save us from a great world war!
10
3rd. Saturday. Pretty.
11
Seoul home. At the invitation of the Prefect(府尹) of the City of Seoul nearly 140 men more or less connected with the Social Welfare Work in the city were gathered in the Sik-Do-Won Restaurant for supper. The Prefect Mr. 井上情 made or rather read a long speech in Japanese which was again translated into Korean which took fully an hour. Then Mr. 張憲植 replied in his peculiar way for 20 minutes more―all this after the guests had seated themselves at the dinner tables.
14
Seoul home. Worshipped at the 宗矯 Church in the morning. 光鉉 who is an insatiable parasite asked me to make certain changes in the arrangement of rooms in his house―for his convenience of course. I was disgusted with his brazen beggarism but for my 文姬's sake I told a carpenter to make an estimate of the changes to be made. 光鉉's plan would cost ￥176.00, I reduced the estimate by ￥70.20 striking out what I and wife thought, not only unnecessary but positively disadvantageous to the house. This angered 光鉉 who retaliated by dismissing the old woman who cooks and washes for 文姬. Whenever he wants anything special he put thumb screw on 文姬 to compel us to concede to his wishes. He doesn't make any secret of the dirty trick. His father must be in the secret so. It simply wrings my heart to see my darling 文姬 suffer all this indignity and hardship in the grip of this mean fellow―who says Abraham is his idal hero. Well is a Korean edition of a Lincoln all right.
17
Seoul home. A typical autumn day, cool both ends of the day and hot midday.
20
Seoul home. I love to visit the Korean Common School(普通學校) attached to the Seoul Normal School. Not only to see my dear 璋善 and 琦善 studying there, but also to live over some incidences of my life that happened 50 years ago. The site on which the school(京城師範附屬普通學校) now stands is the site of the house where Mr. Möllendorf lived in 1883 and where Genl. and Mrs. Foote first stopped for a week or so when they came to Seoul in the month of May(?) 1883. I can vividly picture myself the Korean sarang and the big court yard where I met the German advisor to the Korean King. Where are those people I saw then! Not one of them, at least, the most notable of them, are living today. The Möllendorfs the Footes, Mr. Scudder the American secretary, Mr. 李主事 who was appointed by His Majesty to entertain the American guests are all gone.
22
7th. Wednesday. Lovely.
23
Seoul home. With wife and 珽善 went to 傅巖亭 about 10 a.m. 寶姬, 瑛姬, 明姬, 文姬 and 光鉉 came out later. Had a pleasant day. So quiet and green here.
25
8th. Thursday. Cloudy most of the day.
26
Seoul home. The Japanese official and private in Seoul, under the all powerful influence of the Military Commanders are making an elaborate preparation for the celebration or rather the commemoration of the Anniversary of the birthday of the Manchurian Coup d'etat. The program purposes to have a large number of speeches in the nights of the 17th and 18th this month "to commemorate the Manchurian event and to arouse the spirit of national defense". The great bother(to me) is that the prefect has asked me to be one of the speakers to comply with the request I hate; but to refuse I dare not.
29
Seoul home. Wife tells me that 潽善 the eldest son of 2nd cousin, who returned to Korea a few months ago from Scotland after an absence of 14 years, is treating his wife shamefully. He is inflicting physical pains by pinching etc., on her to make her confess to an act of infidelity! Wife thinks his mother is co-operating with him―just to get a pretext for divorcing her. This story is simply so atrocious that one can hardly believe it. Indeed, I wouldn't believe it if someone other than 明善 who ought to know it told us. The wife of 潽善 is a daughter of 閔泳喆. He or rather her mother must have thought she was getting a very desirable son-in-law, when her daughter was married to 潽善.
31
10th. Saturday. Beautiful. Rather hot.
34
11th. Sunday. Beautiful. Hot.
35
Seoul home. With wife went to Dr. Helen Kim's home for lunch. Dr. and Mrs. Cynn, Mr. and Mrs. Yu Uk Kium, Mr. and Mrs. Hong Byong Sun and Mrs. 兪珏卿 were present. Helen Kim has bought a nice house―rather too large for her.
37
12th. Monday. Beautiful.
40
13th. Tuesday. Beautiful.
43
14th Wednesday. Beautiful.
44
Seoul home. 玄東完 tells me that 洪秉寬, the Director of the Y.M.C.A. School has embezzled the school money to the amount of ￥500.00 so far as is known today. Hong has gobbled up something like ￥300.00 as the treasurer of the Mutual Trust Club 信用組合―which we organized some years ago. Hong hasn't paid the voluntary teachers of the Night School their carfare money ￥10.00 per teacher―for the last 4 months. 玄 asked me to give him ￥500.00 to pay the teachers at least. This Hong is a clever little fellow―a leading spirit in the Presbyterian Church of Sung Dong.
45
Mother returned to Seoul 3:40 p.m.
47
15th. Thursday. Beautiful a.m. Rather too warm p.m.
48
Seoul home. Formal recognition of the Manchurian State by Japan―took place at the Capital of the new State in the form of ratification of Japan―Manchurian protocol between the Executive Chief of the new State and Genl. Buto(武藤) the Representative of Japan. One of the reasons for this recognition(承認) is said to be to show to the world that Japan has no territorial ambition in Manchuria. All for justice, humanity and peace of the world, the diplomatic phrases and explanation strangely sound like those Japan used in regard to her actions in Korea―independence, protection and annexation.
50
16th. Friday. Beautiful.
51
Left Seoul 8:40 a.m. with 光善 for 溫陽 Hot Springs. Arriving at the Springs a little before 12 had a hurried bath and took a train for 毛山 Station. Reaching there about 2 p.m. we started out on foot for Hoi Ryong Ri(面龍里) to visit my sister. Got there about just a few minutes before 3. Found sister a little better than we had left her last Spring. Returned to the Springs by taking train at the Mosan Station a little after 5 p.m.
52
Last night about 40 people gave a welcome supper party at 食道園 in honor of our Marathon man, 金恩培. One of the speakers(李雄) said that he was at a loss to know which was more proper namely, whether to express joy or sorrow at the success of 金. He meant to say that he rejoiced at the fact that a Korean had made a name in the Marathon world, but regretted that a Korean had to do it under false colors viz: as a Japanese contestant. That fellow seems to have forgotten that 金恩培 could never have gone to the Olympics but for the support of the Japanese Atheletic Association in Korea. The most important consideration is we must attend international gatherings whenever possible to show that Koreans can do international stunts.
54
17th. Saturday. Beautiful.
55
溫陽溫泉. Visited Father's grave in the morning. The old caretaker, 柳光彩 is really taking good care of the graves and the trees.
57
18th. Sunday. Beautiful.
58
溫陽溫泉. Left 溫陽 by 3:39 p.m. train for Seoul arriving at home about 7. As usual wife sick. Of course the precious children welcomed me with joy.
60
19th. Monday. Beautiful.
61
Seoul home. Accepting the invitation of Mr. 崔麟 went to 明月館 for supper―to meet Mr. 西原龜三 and Mr. 阿部充家. Mr. Nishiwara is the famous author of the Nishiwara loan offered to Mr. Tan Kui Suh, the then Chinese Prime Minister. It is said Mr. Tan gave 3 million yen to Nishwara as a commission but N. declined to accept it. N. acted as the unofficial agent of Genl. Terauchi in the negotiations which were carried on between Tokyo and Peking. N. seems to be a Prince in the Japanese Ro-nin world. He is strong, shrewd and straight forward for a Japanese. He doesn't drink.
63
20th. Tuesday. Beautiful. Hot.
64
Seoul home. Went to the station to see Messrs. 西原 and 阿部 off for Japan.
66
21st. Wednesday. Cloudy.
69
22nd. Thursday. Beautiful. Hot.
70
Seoul home. Attended the Field Board of Managers' Meeting at C.C.C. from 9:30 to 12:30. Returned by the 1:12 p.m. gasoline car via 唐人里.
72
23rd. Friday. Cloud―Steamy.
73
Seoul home. A little shower about 4:30 p.m. just to break the long drought.
75
24th. Saturday. Cloud.
76
Left Seoul home 0:05 a.m. for Song Do. Returned by 1:48 p.m. train. Showers from 2 on and off.
78
25th. Sunday. Beautiful. Warm-almost hot.
81
26th. Monday. Cloudy. Little showers on and off.
84
27th. Tuesday. Real rain.
85
Seoul home. Real rain from the small hours of the morning until 2 p.m.
87
28th. Wednesday. Pretty.
90
29th. Thursday. Beautiful.
91
Seoul home. Cousin No. 2 told me this afternoon that his elder daughter-in-law, 潽善's wife had to be sent home on account of a deed of sexual infidelity. Of course I said nothing but one couldn't help wish that he(cousin) especially his wife had kept the matter a dead secret. For what do they gain by exposing the matter? Cousin's wife satisfy, thereby the proverbial spite of a proverbial Si-Omani(husband's mother) and Posun gets the freedom of marrying another girl. That's all. But burying the secret would have saved a young woman from a life of shame, a young man from a disgrace; two little girls from the misfortune of being separated from their mother; and cousin No. 1's eldest daughter from embarassment and suffering in the home and family of Min 瑛植.
93
30th. Friday. Beautiful a.m. Thunderstorm 12~1 p.m.
94
Seoul home. Between 12 and 1 p.m. a terrific thunderstorm―then a hail storm which lasted fully more than 30 minutes. Papers report that the Thibetans have risen against the Chinese demanding independence. Some say that the British are backing the movement. Why in the name of common sense don't the Chinese simply declare Thibet independent thus doing gracefully what they will have to do compulsorily? The best thing China can do in regard to Manchuria would be to recognize it as an "independent" State. Let Japan bring peace and order to Manchuria. The Chinese will be the most benefitted of all peoples.
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