IN THE HAST INDIES. 199 
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the famous bronze astronomical instruments made by 
the old Jesuits but they sent them back because the 
American government protested; but they did not re- 
turn the great globe of the heavens which had stood 
for four hundred years on the walls with each star 
of gold inlaid in the bronze. All the temples were 
rifled of their old cloisonne and porcelain vessels, ex- 
cepting such as the monks buried or earried off with 
them. 
We as Americans were very kindly treated every- 
where but I do not think that Germans and _ Ital- 
ians have much pleasure sight-seeing. I could go on 
like this for pages more, but I feel sure you must 
have had enough of it and then I might have nothing 
to tell you when I return. 
This is to be a birthday letter, if it reaches you 
in time. I hope truly that your twenty-first birthday 
will be as jolly and happy as mine was. I can wish 
you nothing more. God bless you always is the sincere 
wish of 
Your elder brother, 
Tom. 
Han Kow, China, May 31, 1907. 
Dear Robert : 
This is to wish you many happy returns of your 
twenty-first birthday and to tell you how sorry we 
both are that we cannot be with you. We have been 
having a simply wonderful time and seeing sights as 
fast as any. American ever did, but we had such a 
short time in Pekin and there are so many interesting 
temples and things to see, that we were on the go from 
the moment we got there until we left. The temple 
