&HE TKO'DVCE'RS OF CHIffA
/Ire a .Happy of People , ,
A rich Chinaman wears silk , a poor ,
one cotton. Since the proportion of
rich to poor is about one In a thou
sand , it follows that the growth and
manufacture of cotton are vital nec-
cessities. It is thought cotton culture
was begun in the thirteenth century ,
the plant coming in from India , where
THE WEAVER.
It has been known for 2000 years. In
spite of her unequaled agriculture ,
China does not raise cotton for export
nor , in fact , enough for her own
needs. In the growth and manufact
ure of it , as in everything else , the aim
is not , as in these United States , to
save hand labor , but to use as much of
it as possible. There are no power-
gins for taking out the seed. Instead ,
the Chinese use the little hand-gins
very like those still to be found in the
homespun regions of the Appalachian
chain. The gin is nothing more than
a couple of small wooden rollers , made
fast in uprights affixed to a bench.
Tney are turned by a wooden crank ,
revolve one against the other , and free
the cotton of seed by drawing the lint
The lint is fed to them by hand , and it
takes a long and steady day's work to
gin five pounds of lint which means
twenty pounds of cotton in the seed.
The cotton is carded simultane
ously with the ginning. A second
man stands at the end of the bench
beating the clean cotton with the tee-
kung , or earth bow , into big flaky
"bats. " These bats the women spin
in various ways. Sometimes they use
the old-fashioned spinning wheel
Much oftener it is something approxi
mating the ancient distaff. The spinner -
ner twirls it steadily , walking around
and around as she twirls , thus wind
ing the lengthening thread into very
long hanks. If it is spun and run in
to broaches or quills , they are often
reeled with a hand-reel. Chinese in
dustry indeed is as inveterate as Chi
nese economy. Women usually work
at such reeling while they stand and
gossip in the alley ways between their
houses. If there is no reel handy they
will be stitching upon a shoe sole , al
ways a salable article. Bare feet are
A VIEW OF THE CITY OF CHUNG KING FU , IMPORTANT COTTON CENTER AND A BOXER STRONGHOLD.
We occasionally hear adverse reports
of the conduct of the Russian soldiers
in the field. As a matter of fact , such
reports generally emanate from un
truthful sources. The fact is that ,
were it not for the protecting arm of
the czar's soldiers in China , terrible
bloodshed would have resulted at many
points. Some days before the cap
ture of Teintsin a company of Russian
soldiers entered the city. Of their
heroic efforts in behalf of the foreign
ers Mrs. Charles Denby , Jr. , wife of the
son of the ex-minister to China , writes
from Tientsin : "Enormous fires in the
native city were started and the Boxers
began their attack on the settlement ;
so we were all aroused at 4 o'clock ,
and every one who lived in the extra
concession went either to friends on
the Victoria road or to the town hall.
As it happened , Mrs. von Hannekin
had asked us to come to her In case
of alarm , so we escaped to the town
hall. There were perhaps 100 people
who remained in their homes. All the
rest were huddled together in Gordon
hall for ten days.
"The Chinese troops were every
where. Two days before the alarm
1,700 Russian troops arrived. They
saved our lives. Had it not been for
them all of us would have been slaught
ered. On that Monday 'they fought
MISS TILLIE FAHR ,
In Native Costume.
5.000 Chinese well-drilled troops for
twelve hours. At one time they
thought they could not hold them at
bay , but in the evening the Russians
still maintained their position. How
Rusians fought and suffered ! I cannot
describe their courage. For three days
they lay in the open , exposed to a ter
rible fire , without being able to fight
back. The Chinese were behind
trenches , so the Russians could not
afford to waste ammunition.
"All these days we were waiting and
waiting for re-enforcements. We could
not believe the admirals would bom
bard the forts at Taku , plunge us into
war and then leave us with only a few
hundred troops. Such , however , was
the case. No one knows where the
fault lay. There were three dreadful
days of fighting. But when the second
additional troops were dispatched from
Taku , after the arrival of Jim Watts ,
the brave Russian rider , they were
able with such a re-enforcement to
work their way through. Thus they
all arrived on Sunday morning and we
were saved. "
Miss Tillie Fahr of San Francisco ,
who was also a refugee at Gordon hall ,
pays a high tribute to Jim Watts. In
her diary of June 19 she says :
"They are bombarding us heavier to
day than heretofore. .Early this morn
ing I stood behind a closed window
peeping through the shutter slats.
Four bullets pierced the shutters , but
did not strike me. I rushed to the
commanding officer and told him that
the bullets must have come from a
Chinaman concealed in a tree flanking
the window. Calling four Cossacks , we
went to the tree , and sure enough
shook out a Chinaman , whose first
inquiry was whether he had killed the
lady. I told him I was very much alive.
My would-be assassin was immediately
tried and shot. * * * All else may
be dead , but heroism still lives. Jim
Watts rides to Taku to bring us re-
enforcements. He heads for Taku , but
may ride into the very jaws of death.
It is a most perilous undertaking , but
brave Jim Watts gladly , gallantly risks
his life. I myself heard him offer it.
'Some one must go to Taku , ' said the
commanding officer. 'It may mean the
lives of women and children it may
mean death to the rider. Who will
go ? ' 'I know the roads , every inch of
of them ; let me go , ' said a voice. Then
Jim Watts stepped forward. 'I shall
go ; it is right. I am the older brother. '
We saw him mount his horse , we
heard the thuds of the hoofs beat more
faintly and die. Hope took no new
lease of life from this. Before re-en
forcements could reach us it would be
too late , granting that brave Jim Watts
ever reacher Taku. And what more
unlikely than that ? "
* * *
"June 23. Through the glasses I saw
the troops coming nearer and nearer.
Are they re-enforcements for the Box
ers or us ? Closer they come , and yet
we cannot distinguish them. Eyes
strain through glasses nor catch a
clew to their identity. Another half
hour. Sudeiily something flutters to
the wind. The stars and stripes , thank
God ! thank God ! They are coming
to us and we shall not die. How good
heaven is , how sweet is life ! The stars
and stripes , and we wept and HOPED
the first time since that day long ago
when we came to Gordon hall. God
bless Jim Watts ! Other flags are now
visible it is 10:30 in the morning.
* * * The troops reached us before
2 o'clock. The rest of the day has
been very quiet. The Chinese are evi
dently puzzled what move to make
next How strange not to hear the
shelling ! There are other discordant
sounds , though the moo of the hungry
cows , the bray of the donkeys and from
the other starved animals conies a cry
for something to eat. Poor creatures ;
yet it is impossible to spare food for
them. "
JVamo " "
"America.
Ricardo Palma of Lima , the director
of the National Library of Peru , has
published a book reviving and 'review
ing .the old controversy as to the
origin of the name "America. " He
contends that this hemisphere was not
named after Alberico Vespucci , but
that the Florentine merchant's name
was changed by a French painter to
"Americus" in honor of his travels in
the new world ; then a German professor
ser , either ignorantly or wilfully , car
ried on the compliment , and from a
nickname gave two continents their
present title. Jules Marcon , in the
bulletin of the Paris Geographical so
ciety for January , 1889 , conjectured
this origin of "America. " Mr. Palnia's
review of the facts and evidence
unknown in China. Even a beggar
wears shoes , though he may have no
other clothes than the head-bowl ,
which serves both as a hat and to hold
out when there is a chance of alms.
Nothing is wasted in China. Even
grass and wheat roots are pulled up ,
washed , dried and used for fuel.
Scraps of paper and cloth are pasted
together to make the insoles of shoes.
Bits of wood are slued to build up
either a board or a post. Women spin
ners and straw-plaiters earn 2c a day.
The spinning , though , is most com
monly like the weaving at the hand
looms , only a part of unpaid house
hold labor. Machine-made cloth and
thread have of late come to bear
heavily upon the cotton-workers , but
that fact is in a degree offset by the
growing import of raw cotton. Still
some of the light yellow hand-made
fabric , know the world over as nan
keen , from the city of export , Nankin ,
is shipped abroad. It is made from a
peculiar yellow-staple cotton , hence
not dyed. The same yellow-staple cot
ton Is grown and manufactured by Ar
cadians in Louisiana , but the fabric
is so scares it does not compete with
the Chinese one.
Five dollars a year will clothe a
Chinese husband ami wife something
more than decently. Underwear is un
known so is fitting a garment. The
only measures taken are from the hip
to the ground , and from the middle
makes out a good case for Marconi's
theory.
"America" is the native name of the
mountain range between Lake Nica
ragua and the Mosquito coast. The
termination "ic , " or "ac , " is common
in native place-names all around the
Caribbean. Spanish voyagers for
years after Columbus were still search
ing for the water passage to India and
for gold. Both motives caused them
to give particular attention to the
western end of the Caribbean. So the
name "America" became familiar long
before it got into books. Vespucci's
account of his voyages , published in
1504 , was the first printed description
of the mainland of the new world. It
ran through many editions in several
languages , and brought its author's
name into much notice. In the Latin
editions Vespucci's name was Latin
ized into "Albericus Vespucius. "
Woman's Ingenuity.
The wives of the policemen of Phila
delphia devised a plan for keeping
their husbands cool during the hot
weather the other day. It. at least.
illustrates how the
ingenuity of a
woman may
make light of of
ficial rules , even
though they be
those of a munici
pal police depart
ment.
One of the strict
est regulations of
the Philadel
phia department
is that all officers
on duty must wear
coat and vest , and
must have the top
button of the coat
buttoned. No in
fractions of this
rules are allowed
even under condi-
now rnnaaeipnialions which make
PolicemSn Keep the bronze statue
Cool. of William Penn
sit in its shirt sleeves. Philadel
phia policemen are all strictly
observing the rule , and yet they are
keeping reasonably cool. The wife of
each of them has taken an old vest
and entirely cut away the back and
sides , leaving only a single thickness
of blue cloth in front without lining.
This remnant has been sewed into the
coat , which is also entirely robbed of
its lining , so that while the appear
ance remains the substance is almost
lacking.
Chinese Code of Etiquette.
The standard book of etiquette in
China was written by Lady Cho 2,700
years ago. Lady Cho was the widow
of a distinguished literary man of
north China and after his death was
faithful to his memory. Her husband's
brother was historian of that dynasty ,
but when his work was half completed
He lost his sight. The Emperor sent a 1
messenger to him asking him who
could finish his book and the reply
was returned that only his brother's
wife was capable of doing it. The
Emperor sent for Lady Cho and she
was conducted in the greatest of state
to the Emperor's palace. There she
completed her brother-in-law's
- - work
so satisfactorily that it is impossible
to tell where the man left off and the
woman began.
To Mafe a Garden ofthe Soudan
Capitalists of London , according to
reports which emanate from importers
of the breast to the finger tips. FashIons -
Ions do not change. Winter garments
and bedding are wadded with cotton.
Once a year they must be ripped apart
and washed , padding and all.
How needful is economy may be
judged from a few figures. Unskilled
laborers are paid upon an average 7c
a day. Masons , carpenters a.nd stone
cutters , here as elsewhere the aristo
cracy of labor , get from 25c to 30c a
THE STONE CUTTERS ,
day. According to the average of
prices of articles of consumption in
China 25c a day is equivalent to $2.50
per day here. Work .begins at sun
rise and keeps up until dark. Not
withstanding all which strikes are vir
tually unknown , and the Chinese la
borer is the happiest and most con
tented in the world.
in this country , are formulating plans
to turn the entire Soudan , in Africa
into a gigantic fruit garden. They ex
pect that the product of their venture
will supply the whole of Europe with
those fruits that can be raised only in
hot and moist climates. A large con
signment of fruit trees has already
been shipped to the Soudan and if it is
found that these take root and bloom
as do the native trees , then millions
of other trees will be shipped and set
out. Experts who have thoroughly
gone over the grounds and considered
the enterprise from all standpoints are
confident that the scheme is feasible
and will prove highly successful.
Labouchere Accused.
London Truth publishes cor
respondence advising that paper of
the seizure at Pretoria of a compro
mising letter from Montagu White ,
former consul general of the South
African republic in London , to Secre
tary of State Reitz dated Aug. 4 , 1899 ,
and two letters from Henry Labou-
chere to Mr. White , dated respectively
Aug. 2 , 1899 , and Aug. 4 , 1899 , which
Mr. White appears to have inclosed to
Secretary Reitz , and a letter o'f Joseph
Chamberlain , the secretary of state
for the colonies , inviting Mr. Labou-
chere to offer explanations or observa
tions , thereon , and Mr. Labouchere's
reply. Mr. Labouchere's letters are
brief and amount to advice to the
Transvaal to gain time by the accept-
HENRY LABOUCHERE.
ance of the proposed commission to
settle the franchise questions , etc. , to
gether with an expression of opinion
from Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman ,
the liberal leader in the house of com
mons , and the liberals generally that
the British cabinet proposed the ap
pointment of the commission with the
view of giving Mr. Chamberlain a
chance to "climb down , " and that the
cabinet was determined to have no
war.
Madame Richter , Meyerbeer's daugh
ter , has presented to the museum her
father's piano , a well-preserved Erard
and another donor has added an eight
eenth century lyre-shaped piano of J
great beauty. This royal collection i
also includes the oldest upright oblique
piano in existence. It was made in
Paris by the inventor , Henri Pate , in
1S2G.
Over in Linn county , Missouri , a man
wished to manr a widow who had
seven children. With a view of avoid
ing all future trouble , he obtained the
consent of all the children and of the
intended bride's father before gett'ng
a license.
Current Topics
Xjx yjx / * .
Wtlhelmina io Wed.
The Lokal Anzeiger announces the
engagement of Queen Wllhelraina to
Prince Frederick Adolf of Meeklen-
burg-Schwerin. At frequent Intervals
since Wilhelmina ascended the throne
rumor has had it that she was to wed
this or that prince of a noble house.
Among the princes named as aspirants
L'ave been the eldest son of the prince
regent of Brunswick , Prince Friedrich-
Heinrich of Prussia , born on July 15 ,
1874 , and whose grandmother was a
Dutch princess , the Princess Marianne
of the Netherlands , and Prince Bernhard -
hard of Saxe-Weimar , who Is still
more nearly related to Queen Wil
helmina , as his grandmother , who was
JrJ& 'W % & * - <
QUEEN WILHELMINA.
also a Dutch princess , was the sister
of King William II. Prince Harold
of Denmark , whose maternal grand
mother , the late Queen Louise of
Sweden and Norway , was a daughter
) f Prince Friedrich of the Netherlands
jy his marriage with the Princess
Louise of Prussia , a daughter of Fned-
ich Wilhelm III , was also thought to
lave a fair chance of success , and in
Tact most of the young Protestant
princes of suitable age have been in
turn spoken of as the future prince.
Great "Railroad Pan.
A great scheme is now being seri
ously discussed by a company of Fran
co-American capitalists. It is nothing
less man iJiaK-n > j
possible a trip
from Paris via
Berlin , Moscow and
St. Petersburg to
New York city by
rail. To do this
Bering strait will
Nbe bridged , which
f at its narrowest
point is about
twenty miles wide.
De Windt.The Preliminary
investigation for
the route will soon be commenced by
Harry do Wiudt , the great traveler and
Siberian explorer. He will be accom
panied by an engineer and upon their
report will depend the future action of
the adventurous capitalists. The jour
ney Is likely to have good results , even
though the railroad scheme should not
be found feasible , for Mr. De Wlndt
will endeavor to ascertain if a paying
trade between Siberia and Alaska
could not be established across Bering
strait if a good seaport were located
on the Siberian coast.
Was a Great Sculptor.
Carl Rohl-Smith , the sculptor of
Washington , died at Copenhagen last
week of Bright's disease.
Mr. Rohl-Sir.ith was bcrn in D.n-
mark and came to America in the
early 80's. A notable piece of art
executed under tne direction of the.
sculptor stands in a city park at Des
Moines , la.
To Carl Rohl-Smith had also been
CARL ROHL-SMITH.
given the honor and distinction of
erecting the granite and bronze statue
of General William Tecuinseh Sher
man , now in course of construction
at the south front of the treasury.
Cere of "Babies t/t * rancc.
It is not generally known that in
France it is a penal offense to give any
form of solid food to babies under a
/ear old unless it be prescribed in writ
ing by a properly qualified medical
man. Nurses are also forbidden to use
[ or their charges any sort of feeding
bottle having a rubber tube. These
and other equally stringent laws have
ecently been enacted by the French
government , for in despair of increas
ing the birth rate of their country they
are now doing their utmost to save the
; Ives of the comparatively small num-
oer of babies who are born.
Will "Be Her Third War.
A rich young American girl has gone-
to China to assist in caring for the
soldiers of Uncle Sam and the other
countries who are battling with the
Chinese hordes. She Is Miss Margaret
Livingston Chanler , sister of William
tvsior uuamer.con-
gressman , explorer
and soldier , and a
lineal descendant
of the original
John Jacob Astor.
Three years ago
Miss Chanler re
linquished the
pleasures of society
to become a mem
ber of the Red
uross She
society.
.
Miss Chanler.
learned to be a
trained nurse in New York , and when
the Spanish war broke out she went
to Santiago as one of Clara Barton's
co-workers. Later she was sent to
Porto Rico , where she established a
private hospital for soldiers. For her
heroic services in Cuba and Porto Rico
Miss Chanler was voted a gold medal
by congress and a vote of thanks by
the New York state legislature. Miss
Chanler went to the Philippines not
long ago. She is now on the United
States hospital ship Relief , which is
cruising with the American warship off
Taku , within easy reach of the allied
forces now in Pokin city. Her zeal
ous sympathy for the soldiers lias made
her deeply beloved by our boys in biue.
Miss Chanler enjoys a private Income
of § 35,000 a year and is said to devote
all of this sum to philanthropic work.
To "Recoup Fortune.
When Miss Dorothy Studebaker ,
granddaughter of the South Bend ( Ind. )
wagon manufacturer , married Scott
McKeown , several years ago , he was
worth a million dollars , which he had
inherited from his father , a Pennsyl
vania oil magnate. Now , through the
husband's .prodigality , his patrimony
MRS. SCOTT McKEOWN.
has disappeared. His wife will attempt
to recoup her fortunes by going on the
stage.
Mrs. MaybricK Is Hopeful.
For the first time since her life sen
tence was Imposed eleven years ago
Mrs. Florence Maybrick had a private
interview with her counsel , Dr. Clark
Bell of New York , at the Aylesbury
prison in England
the other day.
Mrs. Maybrick is
indignant at the at
tacks made by the
Liverpool Post on
the late chief jus
tice of England ,
Lord Russell of
Killowen , former
counsel for the
prisoner. "The on
ly person up to the
oresent who
saw me alone , " she Mrs. Maybrick.
said , "was the chief justice. When
the assizes came here last Feb
ruary Lord Russell came to the
prison and asked to see me. When
he was starting to go he said : 'Mrs.
Maybrick , I am doing all in my power
for your release. Whatever happens ,
remember this that if there Is one
man in England who believes in your
innocence , I am that man. ' It was on
ly by accident that I heard of Lord
Russell's death , for I have not seen a
newspaper for a decade , but I could
not help but feel that In his death I
had lost my best friend. "
For the last few days Mrs. Maybrick
has been in a hospital ward , owing tea
a slight illness , but she says her health
is generally good. The recent United
States memorial is still in the hands
of the home secretary , Sir Matthew
White Ridley , and Mrs. Maybrick's
friends are hopeful that when the an
swer comes it will be a pardon.
"Patriotic Virginian.
Captain Joseph E Willard , who re
sides in Virginia , but is a large prop
erty owner in Washington , and who is
talked of for the nomination for lieu
tenant governor of Virginia , is one of
the patriotic young men of the nation
who have inherited great fortunes. He
raised a company at his own expense
ind went to Cuba as its captain in the *
Spanish war. His .father , the owner
af the famous Willard's hotel in Wash
ington , served as a captain in the
Union army during the civil war.