rm CELESTIAL CAPITAL
A Graphic Description of Pekin’s Streets
and Buildings.
The city' of Pekin is by no mean?
the least remarkable af the sights ol
China. It is in every respect a con
trast to the other capitals of the
world. Pckia comprises in reality
three distinct townships. The first
known as the Chinese city, lies to the
south, while adjoining It is the larger
Tartar city, which encloses the small
er Imperial, or “Purple Forbidden
City,” containing the palaces and
royal demesne. Though only ele
vated to the position of Celestial capi
tal in 1421. Pekin possesses a history
which dates from over a thousand
years back, and Its antiquity is evi
dent from its faded g.andeur and de
creased population.
It is impossible in tlie space slotted
here to enter Into all the details of
the history of Pekin, and so Imper
fect are its records that such an re
count would be impossible, with any
degree of exactness. When and by
whom tiie city was founded is a mys
tery. Pekin Is a very ancient city.
Centuries before the Christian era it
was the capital of the kingdom of Yen,
but when this kingdom was over
thrown by the Tsin dynasty in 222
B. C.. the seat of government was re
moved elsewhere. About 938 A. D. it
again became the capi'al of the Kitan
dynasty. In 1215 it was captured by
Genghis Khan and in 1264 became the
residence of Kublai Khan. The native
emperors, however, who succeeded the
Mongo! dynasty, removed the court to
Nankin, but the third emperor of the
Ming dynasty in 1421 orce more made
Pekin the Imperial residence. The
city was repeatedly pillaged; its popu
lation slaughtered, its defenses razed,
and Its sacred temples defiled. Of all
the cities of China none appear to have
been the scene of so many successes
and misfortunes.
The Tartar city Is planned on a
more imposing scale than the Chinese,
but Its many line buildings and gorge
ous temples have mostly fallen Into
a state of ruin. Among the most
noteworthy buildings in this enclos
ure is tlw Tsungll Yemen, or foreign
office, established after the ratlilcition
of the treaty of Tien-Tsin in 1861—a
one-storied building resembling a tem
ple rather than a government office in
appearance. In the southeast corner
of the Tartar city are the foreign lega
tions, clustered together, each sur
rounded by Its wall, where reside the
ministers accredited to the court ol
Pekin bv the powers.
The Imperial city, lying in the een
ter of that above described Is regard
ed by the Chinese as sacred ground on
which none but th* eloct may tread
This holy of holies is of considerable
extent. It is strongly enclosed, thf
walls having a circumference of siJ
miles, and contains a series of palace;
and imperial temples and buildings
most of which have not been explorer
! by Europeans. Indeed, except on the
few occasions when the emperor has
granted an audience to the foreign
ministers in Pekin, the "Purple For
bidden City” lies never been trodden
by "barbarian" feet.
The only detailed description of the
| "Forbidden City” is given by Pr. S.
Wells Williams in his "Middle Kiug
! dom.” He says that In the great
tower above the south gate of the en
! closure is a huge gong, which Is struck
whenever the emperor passes through.
Here the imperial ruler receives his
troops when they return in triumph,
and here he confers gifts upon vassal
| potentates and viceroys. Passing
j through this gate one finds himself
in a large court, where a small stream
! is spanned by five marble bridges.
J These bridges cross over into a sec
ond court, which is paved with marble
and flanked by pillared corridors and
j porticos. At the head of this court is
a superb marble structure, known ns
I the Gate of Extensive Peace, 110 feet
! high. It is a sort of balcony where
I the emperor on New Years day and
i other festive occasions receives the
j homage of his courtiers.
Ascending a stairway and passing
another gate, one reach 13 the Tranquil
Palace of Heaven, in which Is the itn
| perial council chamber, and w herein
candidates for office are presented to
the sovereign. This is ihe richest,
are of Earth’s Repose,which accommo
dates the Imperial harem, superin
tended by the empress. Between this
j palace and the north wall of the For
ENTRANCE TO THE FORBIDDEN CITY..
bidden City are the gardens appro- '
prlated for the use of the inmates of
harems—the wives of the emperor, the 1
eunuchs, and otherr attendants. These :
WWWWWMVMWVWWWWWWVV
STREET IN THE TARTAR CITY.
loftiest and most magnificent of all 1
the palaces. In the court beneath Its
walls is a small tower of gilt copper
adorned with a great number of stat
ues. Beyond this building Is the Pal
A STREET IN THE CITY PROPER.
gardens are adorned with pavilions,
temples, and beautiful groves of trees,
interspersed with canals, fountains,
and other ornamental artifices.
The walled imperial precinct is a
veritable city of the Arabian Nights,
and its truthful annals might compose
many a volume of fascinating and ro
mantic interest. It is surrounded by
a deep moat, and the eastern part of it
contains, among other buildings, the
offices of the cabinet and the treasury.
North of these offices is the so-called
Hall of Intense Thought, where peri
odical sacrifices are made to Confucius
and other sages, and near by is the
Hall of the Literary Abyss—in other
words, the library—which publishes
from time to time a catalogue of the
best Chinese literature up to date. At
the north end of the eastern division
are numerous palaces and buildings oc
cupied by princes of the blood royal
and their relatives and families. In
this same quarter is a small temple to
ings. Everywhere there is gilded
squalor and dirt thinly covered up. If
the Europeans make their way into
the prohibited quarters, there will bo
such a house. leaning as has not Iteen
dreamed of for thousands of years in
tile private quarters of yellow royalty.
How some of the missionaries' wives
would relish getting at the muss with
brooms and scrubbing brushes, soap
and dusters.
BOY’S DOG. SHEP.
K;»iih;!4 City I’ulifTiiian Too
to Kill Him.
A boy about ten years old went to
the central police station in Kansas
Ciyt, Kan., one day last week, leading
a fine shepherd dog by a short piece of
rope tied to his collar. The boy's face
was red and swollen and he was cry
ing. “Well, well, well, what's thp mat
ter here?” asked a big policeman,
stooping down and looking into the
boy’s face. It seemed like a long time
before he could stop crying. "Please,
sir,” he sobbed, "my mother is too
poor to pay for a license for Shep, an<l
1 brought him here to have you kill
him.” Then he broke out with an
other wail that was heard all through
the city building, Shep stood there
mute and motionless, looking up into
the face of his young master. A po
liceman took out iiis handkerchief to
blow his nose and the desk sergeant
went out into the hall, absent-minded
ly whistling a tune which nobody ever
heard before, while the captain re
membered that he mils’ telephone
somebody. Then Chief McFarland led
the boy to the door, and, patting him
on the head, said kindly: "There, lit
tle fellow, don't cry any more; run
home with your dog. I wouldn't kill
a dog like Shep for a thousand dol
lars.” "Oh, thank you, sir,” They
were tears of joy now. He bounded
out into the street and ran off towards
his home with Shop prancing along
and jumping up and trying to kiss the
boy's face. It was hard to tell which
was the happiest, the boy, or the dog.
—Kansas City Star.
Cement for Mnrh!e.
To fasten putty suitable for carriage
painters' use the following cement:
Soak piaster of Paris in a saturated so
lution of alum in water; dry and bake
in an oven; mix with water and ap
i ply. It sets very firmly.
BAD INTENT DISPROVED.
|.,p,rl NIioutliiK l»y a Cowboy a
( liargv.
■ Jack" Vance, a cowboy from the
ranch of the Butte Creek Cattle com
pany, wu oil trial at Alliance, Neb.,
on a charge of shooting at a brakeman
on the Burlington railway with intent
to kill him He had received his pay
a few day* before and wa.; engaged at
t’e* tint*- of shooting in the ph pic
pastime of painting the country re I.
Value vehemently denied any Intent
to perforate the brakeman He toll
the court that, while It was tr*e that
In* did take o a hl» revolver and shoot
after the brakeman had pushed him off
the train, he v.u merely giving a pre
arranged signal, lie and a friend had
Ih' n down the road a few miles and
wanted to ride ba< k to the nearest sis
Hog to the ranch It* allr: v that ,f
they were found by any of the train
crew they would be put **ff. they hat
arranged that If anyone w pm ,uf?
the tr tin be should notify hi* partner
by kitua his revolver at on**** Th
trainman with viator.< of wbat h
irmly b«!!cv *d wu a n*rn * •* *l ••
from ihaih slm s 1*1* head at I IM
judge I,* Si* d U5'*l.c|*IV* V *nc*'a
rowtaiy frl* nd forro *'*’• ! th- *<
but sr dog the Id* tab fail- d t“ r*
i fi I*;. ib* d* cli ta**i ask i
I
Judge asked a at f* 'I II prove fn
iiftisnyo y *. h*u»or Va iff* •
TM conn vttrttua a id »*nt out
at*l<> v<* did lk* kiwi ami
•l» tait.t Van i :*oH* I wit ki* n
votver am* « • n« «*« stamp
bwlwvee th» lbgv-r* > hH left k*ad
cltppe og c*< h (<•. **•' I* **•■*I**IM|
Naat k a v I a c n I * »*t*p* a I
a hickory nut from, a thread. Walking !
off thirty feet h<' wheeled, and at the
Ural shot he rut the thread. Taking
six tacks he placed them loosely In a
piece ot wood. This he placed against
a post twenty-five yards away. Bor
rowing a watch from u bystander he
opened the case for a mirror, shot with
his back turned to the mark, and drove
each lack Into the wood without a
miss. The hrakeman ha I been looking
on in open-mouthed wonder. \s
Vane# concluded, the brakeiuan step
ped up to the judge and, tapping him
on the arm, said "Yes, yer Honor, 1
gues* I was mistaken That man w.n
not shooting at me "■ Denver Time-.
% Mifltl lit I’trit.
At the Hippodrome there is the
greatest »p<< turle 1 ever saw, and the
splendor of ’ Vei l iugetorU" w arp*
much of the nobler atp-mpts in theat*
ft. at*. *•»>'* Amy Leslie Hi the I ‘hit ago
Hecord The new Hippodrome t*
magnificent lu an hit'tunt, detail and
appointment*, and the tthe distant*»
great rtders and wonderful generalship
of the H'C'de* of fed hatred tiaul* an 1
athletic Homans, their horse* and bat
tle* their tableaux and dare * c their
1 * l oral* Mid wild ttiCtip !• • attd pro
i< iiittttt tf. >b* ati en»» a.hie perfvctly
tewihUring and •>l c Ihn*
a noth lag of tbs * If* u* la the per
fo Ulster on th- »nrfa e of the sprrta
eKt, toon * of the i heap glutei Of M*<
dual tawdry Imitnttggb. It u a* i»i ,*>**'
tag wad pi »tii an an opera and ib*
tableaut t|s niaa«*i*«*ra «# #t*i •Vo
warrtot# tot h i. i*-v*k attM*ona wit *
rtih> |ika the \ »Ik»r t** and * - ipleui- u t
i t uatHui- • great ballet* - »l daring per
former* wit# the *isa** at talent of
pa iiowuue triumph# it n»«k* the Hip
podrome the greatest place of amuse
ment in I’aris, Some fair clowns,
trained bears and lions, tigers, mild as
goats, and some good gymnasts ind a
family of aerialista make up enough of
a circus bill to keep the early crowd
busy and entertained and about nine
I "Verctngetorii” arrives win* gorgeous
panoplies and scenic assistance from
the big stage at one end of the amphi
theater. It is all very inspiriting and
makes American reminders a spectac
ular addenda* to Klrulfy shows and
the circus look very meek and lowly iu
distant comparison.
Ilia- ( «l of lti*‘ \»r
The Antitnolill flub at I’.irl- b»
thrown out u oftshoot in the sh ip** of
the \i i flu i who*** bu.'lti' -s it a,'I
'•e to so|t» the problem of Hying
through the atr. The n«*w , lot -.1 irt*
with it.oio y to bat k its laitors. for an
aiein . nioita tionor has presented it
With the sum of ||iW iMi whirl, is to
we awarded to »h*- mvi-ntor of the fly■
| which the emperor comes at regulai
j intervals to perform devotions before
| the tablets of his ancestors.
There are upwards of 200 palaces In
the two Inclosures of the Forbidden
City and the Imperial City. Much gor
geousness is assembled within a small '
area, but not oven the sacred dwelling
of the emperor himself has modern
plumbing, and the conveniences deem
ed essential to comfort in Oriental
countries are conspicuously absent In
the royal domiciles and other build
| ing machine which will start from a
given point, so round the Eiffel Tower,
I ami r< iirn to its starting place. The
1 distance, about eleven kilometers, must
: be coven*! in half an hour, and the
prize must be awarded within the next
I five years. The interest on the capi
tal sum is to he given each year to the
person who makes the greatest ad
van e towards solving the pigbicm of
j aerial flight.
t lnlt Itle* of Non-stippnrf.
i One of the olde-t women's clulm in
j l.ond »:i, the .■* unervllle, hau Just in m
j it uipelhd to cio#« Its d tors, owing to
1 the d- line In the support given the
; club The Motnerville was started In
Kegeut street about twenty years ago.
W.I U the objects of a w limit) S l luu
1 wv e ciinewhat different front what
they ar- nuw The club was founded
in order to pruvbh a resting pU e for
11, ise lire ! by the • v -rtioti of shop
I p ng and aUei to itff'-f f;*i ilitirs for
I i -adilM the patter*.
The .Money of Oom I’atil's l.iiml j
L _ I
-
Tfc**» *** • *»fK* ttf *hi ’iM A *f ll»* 'fl » tt f fr*k«»<-tk k'Utfvr
k * •• >i f«» »> * > • t l*i.l » »# *fc« t « t . I lull'*' V*l <U4
ft*. >• t* r»i<« * i a »<• a* >* >A
A GUINEA PIG FARM
IN THE HEART OF THE CITY OF
PHILADELPHIA.
It I* I’omluotoil by » Woman Who Him
a Monopoly la Her I.lno—Hn# Had it*
II > k b a* l.jtdP of the Uodent-Llkn
Creature* ut a VI me.
Few people aro awaro of the fact
that right in the heart of tha northern
section of the city a Philadelphia
woman keeps what is snid to be the
largest guinea pig farm in the United
States.
This farm is at Twenty-second street
and Kidge avenue and is owned oy
Mrs. Scott, of 1S17 North Twenty-sixta
street. The collection Includes at pres
ent over 600 of the rodent-like crea
tures, and at times lias numbered as
high as 1,000, They are sold to univer
sities, colleges, hospitals and physi
cians for inoculation and medical ex
periments.
Having a monopoly, Mrs, Scott does
a thriving business, as all the promi
nent medical institutions, as well as
the board of health, come to her for
the little? animals which she propa
gates for scientific experimentation
and extermination. They are peculiar
in their habits and need constant care
and attention In order to raise them
to any style of perfection. During a
recent visit to the farm Mrs. Scott said
while exhibiting her family: *'l have
been interested in the beautiful little
creatures from childhood and have al
ways wanted to possess a collection of
my own.
"The first pair I had was giv^n to
me by my uncle, Prof. Nash, who had
for many years made experiments
with the guinea pig to ascertain the
value of the medicinal properties of
its blood, which is closely allied to that
which courses through the human
body. Ho discovered that the blood
of this little creature is absolutely pure '
and would prove of great value to the
medical world. Knowing my liking
for the guinea pig, he presented me
with the first pair with which to start
tiie farm.
"1 was obliged to go to Nebraska
City shortly after the pigs were given
me, and I was the first person to take
them across the Alleghenies. 1 re
mained for seven years in Nebraska
t’ity, ard during that time I gave care
ful study to the best methods of rais
ing the guinea pigs. The farm 1 start
ed there, on account of the extreme
cold, was not very successful,and when
I left that city I was able to bring only
two of the little creatures with me. the
others having died from asthma, an af
fliction which has to be carefully
guarded against. a.s most of the little
animals are more or less subject to it.
"With one pair 1 again started a
guinea pig farm, this time in Philadel
phia. They propagate rapidly and in
a short time I had a collection of about
one hundred. The Philadelphia cli
mate is pretty well suited to them, al
though they suffer greatly when sub
jected to either extreme heat or cold,
and during the past hot spell I spent
all my time in regulating the temper
ature of their cages.
“When the number of my family
reached one hundred 1 thought that I
was on the straight road to success,
but I soon discovered that of all the
uncertain things guinea pigs were the
ones which a person could be least
sure of. They are extremely nervous
creatures, and an unexpected noise or
a sudden jar is sufficient to kill them.
The most extreme care must be exer
cised during a thunder storm, as a
heavy electrical outburst often injures
great numbers, and I have frequently
lost a.s many as ten, either during or
just after a storm. Aside from their
extreme nervousness they are a fairly
healthy little animal. Of course great
care has to be given to their food.
They are, although they belong to the
rodent family, strictly vegetarian, and
all their food Is raw. As I raise them
.strictly for the use of their blood,
which must be absolutely pure. I feed
them on only such vegetables as yre
conducive to that result. Beets, car
rots, apples, green peas, oats, hay and
grass are their chief diet, with now
and then a very little cabbage for a
relish.
“They eat grass in great quantities,
and I have a cart load brought to ms
every week from my friends and doc
tors who are interested in my work.
Besides using the grass as a food they
carpet their cages with it and often
bank It up for themselves for sleeping
purposes. One very remarkable fea
ture of their diet is that they drink
absolutely no water. I have tried to
tempt them to do so over and over
again, thinking that they must need
that which to every other creature is
a necessary beverage, but they always
indignantly even refuse to taste the
water, while they eagerly drink the
milk which 1 put before them,
“Nature enables them to supply the
want of water entirely through the
food they eat, and the milk, which is 4
their only drink, may, of course, con
tain a sufficient amount of the proper
ties of water, However that may be,
the fact remains that they will not
touch any liquid except milk. AI
though they are tiny creatures, not
much larger than a large-sized rat,
they weigh from five to seven pounds,
and they consume considerable quan
tities of food for their size. The aver
age age of the pig la about two years,
and although some have lived longer,
they become enfeebled and sickly after
that age. I have at present over six
hundred, which I keep In families of
eleven females to one male. '1 heir
cages are of wire, and, Judged by the
assurance that cleanliness Is next to
godliness, the guinea pig Is indeed a
righteous creature. Not a particle of
dirt or dust is allowed to remain In
their homes, and unless the cages are
kept scrupulously clean and dry the
pigs sicken and die in a very short
time. The cages are all well ventil
ated, and 1 am obl'ged to keep a care
ful eye upon the temperature of the
rooms.
THE WIDOW HERSELF.
A Curious Mulrlmonlul story Come* from
I.onilou.
Here Is a curious matrimonial story;
A young and handsome engineer, com
ing home to London from Egypt, made
the acquaintance of a good looking,
live ly woman on the liner. They got
on well, and ho told her a great deal
about himself. Among other things he
mentioned that he had at one time hail
prospects of wealth from a distant
cousin, but the latter had married
again, and dying soon after, left all to
his widow. "And I suppose you hate
the widow?" inquired his new friend.
"Oh, no." replied the young man.laugh
ing. Wly parents did, hut why should
I? I was quite a boy at the time and
did not understand. I have always
been brought up to work and am doing
well. After all. a man’s wife is more
to him than all his relations. I dar*
say the old lady needs it more than 1
do, and she can’t be going to enjoy It
much longer?" "How old is she?’*
“Well, I don’t know exactly; 1 never
saw nor. but she must he decidedly
elderly. The old chap was old enough
to lie my grandfather. He died ten
years ago, and he married some five
years before that." "And you don’t
grudge it her?” "Not in the least.’’
In the course of the voyage the ac
quaintance gradually ripened and the
result was an engagement. Then the
fiancee confided to her Intended that
she was the "old lady.” The distant
consi” had not married a woman of
suitable age, as had been supposed,
but a young girl of 17 just out of the
schoolroom. And so the money re
turned to the family.
Kcarcli for the* Searcher.
The duke of the Abruzzi having
started from Italy some time since to
look for Andree in the arctic regions.
Captain W. Hade I)i Wismar lias now
started from the cast coast of Spitz
bergen to look for the duke of the
Abruzzi.
_M Mi*
*
til
a • * They Are Essential to
^/JlTie**C S the Conducting of
Middlemen * Business In the
i iiUUl * Middle Kingdom.
2
The average Chinaman po oauen a
remarkable memory. He will l«*ui n to
make himself understood in almost *•:>■
foreign language in le«* than half tin*
tim** It requires m IntelHf'nt Kity.Uh
man or Atueruan to make at;., 'f tin
ilerKtooil In any on« of the r t >< Chl
n«v* lialei U. Thlt ill.-parity lit, l, I to
turite eurtoua anomalies In the trade
of the I'ountry. Thu* uf all the often
|eu t * trade with foreigner* Is tarried
on by mean* uf middlemen, or agent*,
who are always native* They ure
ailed "tomprad »re«,’'
If a foreign men hunt wishes to buy
tea silk poneiatn or other aril* le» of
i rative iirmhiii hr must do »o throng .
j hi* coinpradorra '* I* *te wlatter to
i ,ell any nrth b of foreign pr *du 1 to a
UltkVe twills he l. *«l iil.tln < all 111 tbs
I ‘ i ntepra-lore ' The < ompradnr* lit
[ ploy* all the *er«unt * uf the foreigner'.*
I . staol.sHruehl* II**.» their •ulaile an.*
' Is H»|eilie*hb foi their honesty |t>*
j hr* tin 1 tie f tK-iga trader» Wank «*
*» with tha i *
j .tan* i" and u*.*h‘* out *t» pt*ing luti
I ,*..4 liieii> rr l*m» Ik tilt IN nrgh it* * *
m illy a mere i»|m, rr aerrani he 1* the
| r*af p* . I of the h* lie, rki| h a *r,*td is
V.* fie la o.tily a *h *a I f*:|. ,»
III* t % h» * • *i» | ■*.»?*, hi
te . «!* not log ti i*g hi* «»n H*
( has eertalh I* git *«>*»• 'hJnml- dot*# *■*
"squeeaes," us they are called. on all of
his transaction*. His income In con
■ l«*i’ a tile.
A foreign merchant, having acquired
aiter n long rcstden* e a mitt , lent
knowledge of the lauduage. deride*
that hi* hu-itte** |s too much In the
hands of native*, an I dUniiasea hie
■eompr.l lor. lie j;,H - In |i< molt to
some native ' lumg" and asks fur earn*
l»l< i> and quotation*. He H politely
shown through the i-.i’j .it.hntcnt and
ii,h*'iwi 11»-:|ti-*| with consideration
Hut wh*n, with a view to having, he
| inquire* for price* h ;»^ts a No have
got" for gnawer. lt» g»w* to auuth*r
hong." and another and another, hut
always with the **mc -«lt .iHl.
In* any thing to . II* vq ar„ hehlnd
with 11* r orders' 1*0 th„ fur-inn
d’lUer iMorn **. h; i.Rhi md smd hi*
comi‘ »di* « i a thfj »j(,i eri*n>|, and
I M* » »dr-s will t„ ,, „„ |,t|j g||rq fh(,
u *•» in **try d qei tutwat of buniu* .«
• her* re i iMCei a t la all
o# th* ir atv pi’’i the itnunet*! altur*
*1 *v*r, fiHHis ». ug« i- *1 iim||| ftr«
a the i.ii Is ot II net re for*
II • *■’• *.* • r t •» the
k"’ ' * ***» "I a ■ • ** *.f mid.
*•*.-»«.* a i'ti « * tr.i | l„,
' * ' * < 1
' • .. ■ ’ • , * , , . „
■ i |
* • 4 the *•«' * • ' *