May 21, 1933
Canton

Another epistle from the part of the clan in China. I know that Jeannette wrote you a dandy letter a few days ago giving you an excellent description of her first impression of Canton. I read her letter and [I] must say it was splendid and and very true to the place. I won't even attempt to compete with the little lady and her powers of description, I will stick to straight action.

Something is holding up the mail again. I haven't received a letter from you all for ten days. Usually a letter arrives every week. I am sure you are all well and all right. I know that I would receive a cable if anything is wrong over there.

I have been extremely busy at the field. Tuesday of this week I will finish with the Basic instruction that I have been giving for the last month. Then my pupils go directly into Aerial Gunnery and the same course that we that we fired at home at Rockwell field. In addition I will have Machine Gun firing at the Gunnery butts. This is familiarization work done on the ground before the actual firing in the air. Besides I will continue as usual with my Gunnery lectures to the class of one hundreds and thirty six at the field, and a class of seventy two at the Primary school. Besides all that I have an Armament section to train and all their work on the guns on the field to oversee and inspect. I am earning my salary twice over each month.

As I have mentioned before the exchange has taken a decided turn for the worse. I do not know just how well make out on the salary I am getting. Jeannette is doing nobly, but everything is so strange and different that we are not sure as of yet just how we will make out. This problem of earning money, Living on the amount earned, and still getting ahead seems to be universal. I am not discouraged but just anxious to see how it will turn out.

With the house we have over here it is a shame that you all can't come over. It is as large as the house we had in Newcastle. We have more space than we could possibly use with a family od six and I can't see any immediate possibility our our acquiring such a family. We could all live here and never see each other unless we met by appointment. Perhaps if things improve at home and I remain over here, you can visit us. I surely hope so.

I am sorry that I neglected to tell you that it would be all right to say that I am working for the Cantonese government. I can see no harm in the statement that I am working for them in the capacity of Instructor or Adviser. Every one knows that I am doing some sort of flying over here anyway. There are thousands of men instructing in the U.S. Why shouldn't I be doing the same over here. It didn't occur to me that you were still avoiding all questions until I received your letters.

It is surely a relief to have Jeannette and a home again. I guess that I have gotten soft, but believe me after having the comforts of my own home it was the bunk to revert back to the Cadet days with a tiny room and a punk mess, to say nothing of the lack of companionship. I am really living again, and after all that is about all that anyone can get out of life isn't it?

You were right about our lording over the Terrills. Time after time we smile at their foolishness and say "yes, yes, when we were first married". If you only were here you could give us the panning that we deserve. However, we know that we are safe so we preen our feathers and have a wonderful time. The Terrills are practically stony broke, but undaunted, isn't young love grand. I can almost hear the yell that that last statement brought forth. Let us have our fun, after all we were the Goops for a long time. Now we have our chance.

I have been over here for about three months now, and although that is a short time in which to form opinions, I have come to the conclusion that while this is a wonderful experience and I wouldn't miss it for the world, still I wouldn't care to spend a very many years over here. It is true that people live over here like kings, but there are many, many, things which offset that advantage. I wouldn't mind staying over here if my salary were enticing, but longer than that I am not so sure. True if I can make enough money I will stay the rest of my life. However you may be sure that I would have to receive plenty to keep me here. Perhaps I am not acclimated as yet and will learn later to like this better than any place in the world. So far I can't say that. It is a great experience but more than that, I am not so sure.

I believe that Jeannette and I will be able to add quite materially to our home furnishings. Some of the things here are beautiful and very much less than at home. In fact it is is impossible to get them in the states. At present we are having four more bullion spoons made to fill out our silver. You know what those spoons cost you at Christmas time. Well we are having all four made for less than 2.50 gold. Quite and improvement over home prices isn't it?

We have been royally entertained and are kept busy attending all the functions to which we are invited. It makes it very nice for the both of us. It would sure be lonely out here if we couldn't be with some of the folks from home. Our only worry is that we must return all the parties, and that takes hard earned dinero. Still if we receive we must give. It all works out even in the end.

It seems to me that I have been over here for ages. Everything is so different and I have so many new experiences each day that it seems longer than it is. Still I am under contract for only eight more months. Eight months pass quickly.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your letters with all the news from home. Of course this is my new home now, but you are home in California-- everything that concerns you is of vital interest to me. I received all your good letters, one from each of you, last week. Keep up the good work, they are a godsend over here.

It is now six twenty and I must bathe, shave, and dress for dinner at seven. At that time we will all come down stairs in our finery and be served a dandy dinner by the servants. Pretty ritzy isn't it. Jeannette doesn't do any house work but she works twice as hard making the servants do the work and keeping them from getting too much cut on everything. If it isn't one problem it is two others.

I will sign off with the wish that you all may have your every desire and all happiness. Our love to you all.

Love,

Stu.