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ancestors. Busy morning.
May seventh, later
    Mama remarked at tiffin that hot weather would soon be here and that papa ought to buy a pith helmet.
    â€œI have no ambition to go around town looking like Livingston exploring Africa,” said papa. “The chief thing I am going to get for the hot weather is a little printed card saying, ‘No, I wouldn’t mind the heat if it wasn’t for the humidity’. By pinning it to my lapel I’ll be saved the trouble of saying it 999 times a day.”
    â€œWhat will you find to talk about?” asked mama.
    â€œJust watch me,” said papa.
    Mama remarked that she had every intention of doing so.
May seventh
    Papa came home wearing court plaster on countenance. Said he was going to find new barber as he was tired of losing so much face.
    Think court-plaster would be very becoming toJap baby. Will practice throwing wooden elephant so as to be ready for next trip to Hongkew Park.
May eighth
    Not much doing today. Had pleasant time upstairs while family went for ride in car, watching houseboy take shave with papa’s new safety razor. Later saw him put on some of mama’s Mary Garden perfume. Perfume had hard fight with garlic. Garlic won. Will try to keep an eye on my talcum powder.
May eighth
    Family came home later and mama said she didn’t see why we couldn’t have car too, as she was tired paying coppers in tram and having them handed back because of wrong pictures.
    â€˜If you’d just say ‘season,’ you wouldn’t have to pay any coppers,” said papa. “Nobody who knows the ropes pays to ride in a tram in this city.”
    Mama said that if papa was the right sort, he would buy her a car. Papa answered that if he did it would have to be cheap one without a self-starter, and he had trouble enough already cranking up the telephone.
May eighth, later
    Sat on floor with wooden elephant while familyate tiffin. Surprised to hear papa say that trains during war were protected by amah. Didn’t know she traveled.
May ninth
    Went out to Hongkew Park and saw fresh Jap baby wearing white apron on top of kimono and little flat red hat on head. Silly get-up. Jap family excited because baby could step alone. Awfully stuck on itself. Have decided not to throw wooden elephant, as didn’t know Jap baby could walk.
May ninth
    Papa came home for tiffin and mama told him about new sweater which Aunt at home had sent her.
    â€œIt would be nice to have Aunt Mary come out to visit us,” said mama.
    â€œI don’t think she would like the Soochow bathtubs,” said papa with unhappy look. “Nobody but a cobra could be comfortable in one.”
    â€œI had no intention of asking her to sleep in a Soochow bath-tub,” said mama, giving papa quick expression, “If she was your aunt, you’d want to give her the best room, but just because she’s mine you don’t care what becomes of her.”
    Papa said that there are ants enough around in thesummer-time eating up the provisions, without sending for another from America.
May ninth
    Had busy time later chinning self on side of pen. Will walk soon if lucky. Afterwards went upstairs for nap and saw new coolie mopping floor with mama’s mamma’s sweater on broom-stick. Pleasant afternoon.
May tenth
    Nice day. Mama has taught amah to put funny glass thing in my mouth and then read what it says. Told amah she must cook it first.
    Amah cooks it, then tastes it to see if it is all right before giving it to me. Can’t find any sense in stunt, but then have stopped expecting much of family.
May eleventh
    Family had busy time today talking about place to go for summer. Papa said he would like to go somewhere where there is good hunting. Mama answered that he could find that in any resort and he wouldn’t have to go out of his room, either.
    Papa said later that he hoped to find place where shoes were something to put on feet and not ground for