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3
At noon. Their Highness the Prince and Princess Yi gave an elaborate
4
luncheon at 仁政殿 in the Eastern Palace(昌德宮) . As I sat at the table for over an hour my memories were busy with the faded visions of the faces and events I had seen in and out of these Palace buildings.
7
At 10 had an interview with Omjun omani at 翠雲亭.
8
6:30 p.m. attended the supper which the Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Korea gave in honor of T.Hs. Prince and Princess Yi at his official residence.
11
Went to Aviation Ground to see T.H. Prince and Princess Yi leave Seoul. But the atmospheric conditions being such that they had to postpone their departure.
14
Starting from home at 7 a.m. went to Aviation Ground to see T.H. Prince and Princess Yi leave Seoul for Tokyo. Had to walk all the way from the Ground to the river. Thank God I could do so without feeling any worse for it.
17
By 8:37 a.m. train went to Chemulpo with SunHie Grandma and Omjun Omani who used to be a sewing woman for 梅麗夫人. She is good looking but fat and 59 years old. Too old. Returned to Seoul per 12:45 p.m. train.
19
6th. Tuesday. 晴熱. F. 92°.
22
A brief rain storm at 9 p.m.
25
At 6:30 a.m. attended the Patriotic Meeting of our Machi assembly.
26
Lunch at 中樞院 as usual.
29
11 a.m. attended the obituary service of late Major General 魚潭 who had passed away a few days ago.
30
Board a call on Mr. Takamoto(高本) who used to be the President of the 京畿高女.
31
He proved a most efficient and gentlemanly head of a girls' high school. All of our five girls studied and graduated from that school under him. He served a few years in a girls' school in Peking. Now he has been appointed General Manager(總務部長) of the Ewha College. Helen Kim is fortunate in having him to help her.
34
This being the 90th day since the departure of our 梅麗夫人 our omma we had a quiet memorial service at 5. Besides our children Miss Helen Kim happened to be with us.
35
Little sprinkling of rain at 7.
37
11th. Sunday. 晴. 薰. 蒸.
38
翠雲亭 from 7:30 to 11:30 reading.
40
12th. Monday. 陰薰. Steamy.
41
Went to Chemulpo for the 月尾島 sea-water bath per 8:37 a.m. train. Returned per 12:45 p.m train.
42
Welcome rain began about 4:15 p.m.
44
13th. Tuesday. 陰薰. Steamy.
45
Good rain last night until 11 this morning. Only wish the rain would keep on for at least two or three days.
47
14th. Wednesday. 晴熱. Hot
48
翠雲亭 from 7:30 to 11 a.m.
49
The Outline of Science by Arthur Thomson is certainly a wonderful book.
52
翠雲亭 from 7:30-10 a.m. Called on 李丙黙 who complained like all of us how hard it is to pay off debt once incurred. Three of us who live on rice crops find it impossible to get out of debt as we are unable to sell our rice at good price.
53
We have to borrow money to pay the ever rising taxes, to make the patriotic deposits, to buy the patriotic bonds, to make patriotic contributions, to meet the demands of living expenses of 5 or 6 families besides paying the interests on borrowed money.
56
Rain from 11 last night until 9 this morning.
58
17th. Saturday. 晴. Steamy.
59
Rain from 11 last night until 9 this morning.
61
18th. Sunday. 晴熱. Steamy heat.
62
10 a.m. to 中樞院 where the members from Seoul and the provinces assembled to hold consultation as to the Annual Meeting to be held for two days beginning from tomorrow.
64
19th. Monday. Very hot.
65
Perhaps the hottest day we have had so far in Seoul. F. 94°.
66
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the Annual Meeting of the 中樞院 , was held at the First Conference Hall at Government General Building. The usual instructions, reports and questions.
67
At 6:30 the Governor General gave a Japanese supper to the members of the 中樞院 at his official residence. On these occasions it is nauseous to see two Koreans who fawn on the Japanese officials as dirtily as they swagger about among the Koreans.
69
20th. Tuesday. 晴熱. Very hot.
70
To attend a memorial service at Ryong San Drill ground at 9 a.m. I had to foot it from Ryong San Post Office to the ground 25 to 30 minutes. When we got through about 11 a.m. Mr. 古市, the Mayor of Tokyo kindly took me in his car thus saving me the toil of walking behind the rushing cars raising horrible cloud of dust. The few Koreans who own private cars―like Han Sang Ryong for instance―never offer me a ride. Nor do I ever ask the favor. 政務總監 gane supper to members of 中樞院 at 朝蘚木 ﾃ ﾉ ﾚ at 6:30 p.m.
73
Seoul home. 5:30 p.m. went to Yedogawa Restaurant with Dr. Kim Pyong Sun and Allen's wife to meet a widow(鄭泳善) . She has an elegant form, pretty hands and attractive face said to be 41 years old. I like her at first sight―very intelligent. Dr. Kim and his wife recommend her highly.
76
Seoul home. 翠雲亭 from 7:30 to 11 a.m. reading this and that.
78
23rd. Friday. 晴熱. Very hot.
79
Seoul home. 翠雲亭 from 7:30 to 12. Preparing a 5 minute speech which I am to broadcast on the 1st August night. The topic: 今日ノ歡喜ヲ何ヲ以テ比格スル力? (What can equal our joy today at the formal beginning of the enforcement of the Conscription Law in Korea?)
82
The dreadful drought is continuing unbroken. Cool east wind most of the day.
83
Hear brother 致昌 has a crushing debt of ￥800,000.00. He used to tell me that he had incurred a debt amounting to ￥200,000.00 for having endorsed the promissory notes of his brother 致旺. It is now known that 致昌 has a debt that may ruin him if he doesn't take some drastic means of shaking off his usurious creditors. Allen thinks 致昌 ought to sell his house and some movable property at once. O, how dreadful!
86
Seoul home. Welcome rain from 8 to 10 a.m. Entirely too little and tantalizing but better than none.
87
9 a.m. went to Chosun Shrine to attend the 戰詩生活 宣誓式. Dr. Ryang invited Helen Kim and me to tea at his home. Mrs. Ryang served a good luncheon. She is a lovely woman.
89
26th. Monday. 晴熱. Very hot.
90
Left Seoul for Chemulpo beach resort with 鄭夫人 by 8:37 a.m. train. Had good bathing but felt embarrassed all the time as I and my fair companion drew so much attention from young people who knew who I was. I gave her ￥50.00 to be used, to hire someone to do her washing in order to keep her pretty hands from becoming rough and knotty. Returned to Seoul by 12:45 p.m. train reaching home 3 p.m. I suggested 5 feminine names for her to choose as I don't like her masculine name 泳善.
92
27th. Tuesday. Steamy hot.
93
Seoul home. 翠雲亭 from 8 to 11 a.m. Papers report that Mussolini was dismissed from his dictatorship of Italy yesterday and that Italy has been placed under martial law. I wonder what that means. Does it mean that Italy is going to unhitch herself from the accursed Juggernaut of Hell-Hitler? Not likely though. I wish Japan would free herself from Hitler's grip and act independently.
95
28th. Wednesday. 晴熱. F. 94°. Very hot.
96
Seoul home. 翠雲亭 from 9 to 11:30.
97
This morning went to Station to see our 瑛姬 and her companions (about 20) leaving Seoul 8:45 train for Ku-jin (巨津) , sea beach. She has her hair tied behind with white cords as sign of mourning for her mother. I couldn't keep tears from my eyes to see it. I had no idea I loved 梅麗 so much. She had faults but I loved her for her beauty and efficiency.
98
6-9 p.m. at 雅叙園 where about 15 friends gave 金錫源 中佐 a welcome supper.
100
29th. Thursday. 晴熱 F. 100°.
101
Seoul home. The hottest day of the summer.
102
5:30 Allen arranged rendezvous for me with 鄭淑卿 at 大觀遠. Had a pleasant meeting. She chose 淑卿 for her name out of the five names I had suggested.
104
30th. Friday. 晴熱. F. 94°.
105
Furncae-like days and oven-like nights week in and week out with a few drops of rain just to mock us. This is terrible drought for Kyong Ki and Choong Chung Provinces with famine staring at us!
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