The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-03-01
a TRAGEDN In CHINA.

A visit to ''sing-sOng pigOn," which took place
last week, well repaid me for the trouble. An
old comprador, who speaks excellent English, and
not the Canton apology for our AnglO-Saxon
tongue, was my guide and interpreter, otherwise l
must confess the dumb show alone would tell me
little. The theatre was nothing more than huge
mat shed, with stage erected at the far end. The
entrance to the pit was free, and was hlled with
coolies and such q mass of heads never saw before.
No London mob, however dense, could give you any
idea of it, for they pack close that the approach
to it would be su1ocation and death to an English
man: and as you look on this mass from above, the
bald shining pates and yellow upturned faces had
the most peculiar appearance 1t Is possible TO CON
ceive. The play represented was most blood
thirsty meodrama with effects startling that the
manager of the Victoria would weep with envy,
could he but see it. As the plot be interesting
to lovers of the horrible will here transcribe it.
The son of the emperor-a most hideous monster
in appearances on a limiting expedition, and
meets with two ladies, with both of whom he falls
desperately in love. An old woman, who represents
herself their mother, persuades the two fair eel
estals to marry the elegant youth, for he is known
to be some great parsonage by the number OF hls
retainers and the splendor of his dress. The mar
riage concluded, and the ladies being borne away in
/ palanquins, two other gentlemen appear upon the
scene, each claiming of the ladies as his BRIDE
This is unfortunate, but the prince calls his retain
ers who speedily secured one of the husbands, but
the other is not easily taken, for he fights and
yanduishes, with a single bamboo, some orty sold
fers armed to the teeth He not only does this, but
where his wife is confined, drags her out by the
hair, and very savagely chops her up in pieces
| Lastly he disappears with her through doorway.
immediately after which her head is rolled along
the stage. At this sight there was a scream of de
light from the assembled Cinnamon, on behalf OF
such summary justice. The next shows the
emperor himself and shortly afterwards the tyranl
prince walks in, whom we now know to be the hen
apparent by his peacock's plume. With him enter'
the lady he has succeeded in saving from the ven
geance of the other husband; but, unfortunately she
is now recognized by her brother, the emperor
son-in-aw, who desires to know why she has let
her husband number one.
The lady not being able to explain matters satls
factorily to them another chOpping up scene ensue
the brother, sans cercnonie, becoming the eXecu
TONER of his sister, and again bleeding head
rolled across the stage, with fresh cries OF dellgh
from the coolies. Now the emperor son-ln-aW ma
himself two wives, both of whom are sisters 10 IN
tvrant prince. One of these ladies goes 10 he
brother and tells him she will be the instrument c
his revenge and her husband has killed ms oroti
ers lady she will undertake to poison her celestlt
: lord as mild kind of quid pro quo. The other VII
of the emperors son-nlaw, also sister to the tyrar
r prince. discovers the plot, informs her HUSBAND
and in the end the wOuld-be Chinese Brlnvilliers
5 chopped up and beheaded by her husband, her kin
4 sister assisting. The tyrant prince then attemp
to depose his father-is disposed of himself, and
these little family chickering's put stop to by by Il
death of some dozen nearly connected and loving
t latives. They have no scenery in these theatre
+ change of time and place being indicated by Xii
i ofproogue sung by the principal characters at Il
= opening OF the scene.-Leter from Hong hong.