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of the time talking about our place in society and the Rubys' lack of place, apropos of a remark of mine to the effect that if a man wanted to go to the hotel to dance without dressing he could, because I had gone once in knickers when everyone else but Tom Ennis was in evening dress. As a matter of fact nothing could be more amusing than the imputation to us of a "place in society." 

We have the stoves up, and had a fire in the living room today, though we do not expect to start the fires regularly until the end of the month or later. 

Friday, 9 October 

Dorothy did errands this morning all over the South City. She paid a bill for me at the Commercial Press, got a Chinese book to start a "Book of Benjamin" with the pictures Mother sent her from Glen Ellyn, and bought many pots of good yellow chrysanthemums. 

I started work with a session on English at 8 o'clock with Les Severinghaus, the head of the department at P.U.M.C. We are getting forward in good shape towards standardized and competent work in the freshman and sophomore required courses. 

We had Dr. and Mrs. Eastman in for tea in the afternoon, and spent much of the time looking at and discussing pictures, snapshots. I helped Nic get his camera and get started in the game. and we have much of common interest in this field. 

Tom and Violent Ennis dropped in for the evening and we talked about sundry subjects in a very friendly fashion. 

Saturday. 10 October 

This is the great national holiday of the Chinese Republic, corresponding in general to the Fourth of July in the United States. I had asked about a holiday for the library but Wm.B. thought it better to keep the place open. This morning Fu came down to see me, asking, as spokesman for all my assistants, for at least a half holiday. I saw no reason to deny it, so gave it to them. My best clerk is