we land, but that is what we expect
to do. It will be good to feel solid earth, and to see the kimonos and
temples and geishas and cherry blossoms. I am almost hoping the
Government won't let us go to the front and that for a week at least
Cecil and I can sit in tea houses with our shoes off while the nesans
bring us tea and the geishas rub their knees and make bows to us. I am
sending you through Harper's, a book on Hawaii and one of Japan that I
have read and like and which I think will help you to keep in touch
with the wanderers. With all my love to all.

DICK.

TOKYO, March 22nd, 1904.

DEAR MOTHER:

The "situation" here continues to remain in such doubt that I cannot
tell of it, as it changes hourly. There are three "columns," so far
existing only in imagination. That is, so far as they concern the
correspondents. The first lot have chosen themselves, and so have the
second lot. But the first lot are no nearer starting than they were
two weeks ago. I may be kept waiting here for weeks and weeks. I do
not like to turn out Palmer, although I very much want to go with the
first bunch. On the other hand I am paid pretty well to get to the
front, and I am uncertain as to what I ought to do. If the second
column were to start immediately after the first, we then would have
two men in the field, but if it does not, then Collier will be paying
$1000. a week for stories of tea houses and "festivals." Palmer
threatens to resign if I take his place in the first column and that
would be a loss to the paper that I do not feel I could make up. If it
gets any more complicated I'll wire Collier to decide.

Meanwhile, we are going out to dinners and festivals and we ride. I
have a good pony the paper paid for Cecil has hired another and we find
it delightful to scamper out into the country. We have three rooms in
a row. One we use for a sitting room. They look very welland as it is
still cold we keep them cheerful with open fires. We have a table in
the dining-room to ourselves and to which we can ask our friends. The
food is extremely good. Griscom and the Secretaries have all called
and sent pots of flowers, and we are dining out every other night. In
the day we shop and ride. But all day and all night we the
correspondents plot and slave and intrigue over the places on the
columns. I got mine on the second column all right but no one knows if
it ever will move. So, naturally, I want to be on the