Salisbury
23rd April, 1956
Dear Mom,
Tomorrow I go out to Kapfundi for Field Committee and then next week is Conference. I came to town a week ago. I hadn’t expected to come in so early but I was bitten by a mad dog on the Friday before and a village girl was, too, so we decided not to take chances with rabies so we came to town, Jeanette and I. Perhaps I can tell you about the trip, etc., later. We also brought the head of the dog with us but, as yet, they haven’t found out if it had rabies, so I started injections last Tuesday. I’ve had seven in my abdomen thus far; I’ve seven more to go. They don’t seem to be giving me any ill effects. They can do various things to you. I’ve had a terrible cold about ever since I’ve been in town so I haven’t felt very good but I guess I’ll get straightened out now.
The picture arrived in excellent condition so your worries can end about that. I have it in to be framed. I’m getting a narrow brown frame around it. It should look nice. So I’m glad that is being cared for now.
We are a whole mob in here at 149 Fern Road. Since Thursday, six of us single “girls” have been staying at a lovely Rest Haven, built by the Methodists for missionaries about 14 miles out of Salisbury. We came in today as we have to leave early tomorrow.
I wanted to write sooner but I just wasn’t feeling up to par with this cold.
I should tell you about that dog affair. A native dog was in my chicken yard grabbing my chickens. The night before, a leopard had gotten into the house through the roof and killed several. The roof looked like a cyclone had taken it off. When I heard my chickens in the morning, I thought perhaps the leopard had come back. Instead it was the dog. So I picked up a club and went in to chase it out. Instead it turned on me and went straight for me like a lion. He just kept right at my leg, grabbing it in his mouth and holding right on. All the time I was yelling and yelling and trying to hit the dog. It just kept right on my leg. Finally, after I had gotten myself out of the chicken yard with the dog still hanging on my leg, then it let go and ran up the road. It bit Carol’s dog and then kept on running. Then later in the day it bit a girl in the village. My leg bled terribly and I’ve got four deep holes. I thought for sure it was tearing a chunk out of my leg. Anyway, my leg is healing now, slow but sure. I had a couple penicillin injections so I’ve had no infection. Next week they will know if the dog had rabies. Well, anyway I really was scared when that dog came at me. I really yelled. Everyone was so sympathetic. The natives all came around. I could hardly walk for two or three days as the muscle was so sore. Well, so goes my dog experience. I must close.
With love,
Eunice
[P.S.] Yeast arrived, too. Thanks so much for all.
[P.P.S.] Thanks for the fast work of the pictures.