The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-07-09
The Chinese.


especially az Peking. - profound ;
mystery to4 Europeans thzt there /
nothing 70 iEtere=z them IN tie CITY
except is architecture and orasmen-
tztion, which, though most curious
and Ingenious. does not sppeal 70 s1v
Of the tastes or sentiments Of western
peoples There Is alw9vs food f5F
Imagination in the contemplation u
the outside Q. objects Eho-e Interior
is forbidden. and thus The Traveller
looks longingiy a. TIE inclOsure Of
the sacred city. which he must neve-
pass. and dreams Of the treasures i
Is said % ooni2in-the golden col
gmns, silver mats. the furniture il
erusted with hne pearls-bQi what
hs sees }. = yery rE6e czSe f0E S1ch 2
jewel- As for The famous Ne-eb4a. q
very third rate p2godz II siam i
more splendid than ihe saered dwell
ing ofthe SSa Of Heaven AEPeking.
external Ornameats, Ct even 6eeeney,
/ i BOt regarded as desirable TIE
city l. seSlalo1slx divided into Ite
noble and military. the trading and
the poor quarters, and in the former
Il i etiquette 70 e.1aeesl al curiosity
concerning strangers Alter while
The Traveller learns 70 recognise The
rank Of the mAajarine BIZ the ~
ran ynlenI 0f the mav2b.e wheels of
their carriages The more blue hut
ton or red battoa = mandarin !.
the further the Wheels are removed
from the centre of the !Asge machine
The pslsDquin ! far easier vehicle
than the Iagling. jolting carriages,
bGt the Use Of L ! sedElo1sly restrict
cd 20 princes anu ministers
TIE middle class or pc0g quarters
Of the town have somethiBg pie
turesque sbout them il the midst Of
mneh which is horrible They COZ
sist Of one internsinable winding
street, with az impossible name, n
which there are three hundred shops
with sezrled boards hanging upon
poles before them, covered with gil
dei Inscriptions, and where only AM
nation exists N Peking The mot
les sceae i crowded with carts. pslaa-
quins- camels, mules. coolies. CHI
naGaen, b1ying selling. poking about
and examining al sorts q meridian
disc, mvriads Of children and old nen
pushing their wav 70 the waste
grounds near the walls. that they
nav proudly fv the kites whose
cords thew hold il their hands Alb
surd g the motion Of kite-aviaC - s
national pastinle seems 70 us- i is
Interesting to learn 70 what 8 pitch
o; perfection the Manufacture ofthe
familiar toy has been carried NJ p
BeaaTics <avs: Il have seen IN nu-
merogs Instances : kite which
becomes : 7ying dragon, a tying
eagle. aying mandarin, seven yards
in circumference, Lighted. and giving
motion and gesture They con
struct these woaslerfuil shiEgs
without tails. Peculiariiy which
implies extraordinary ari-ARd % Gex-
tero1slv manage their equilibrium.
50 that they rise calmly, steady,
without any Of the JERKS Of our kite
flying. and aoa,, gli;teriBg ike s:srs.
vetiezliy above the heads Of the
eord-holders.
They ft kind of -E0liAa apPara-
tas 20 them, almost iHpereepiibly
small. which initiates the songs Of
birds or voices Of men. snd, when the
air i crowded With kites, produces ;
tremendous noise; and they send
meSsengers7 up the cords with az
ineomp-ehenSible dexteEity Anoth-
er singular mgsseal invention de-
SERVES special notice. They make
tiny -Eoli2n harps, hardly heavier
than soap bubbles, bot beautifully
worked. and asiix them 10 ihe t&ils
Of doves aud pigeons, fastening them
10 the two central feathers; as the
birds strike the cir. II resounds
through their harps. loudly OF pa
theticAlly. zceo-oing 70 the speed Of
their sight Nor are these INV tn
umphs Of ingenuity merely meehan-
zeal inu.dities. Ike 20 nany Chinese
esrios. They serve to save the birds
from the claws Of the yHltures which
swoop in eminous foeks above the
bsssions
Outside the trading quarter COM
ussnee the horrors Of the ancient cap
i,oI and the unwary traveller, fol-
lowing the multitude peacefully par-
suing their way. eaGieriy indifferent
themselves, and uneoasciou. thai
strangers may not be 20 engiably
constituted, kads himself in the sv
enee Of executions, which Is sinply
the junction between the two thor
oaghfsres- The whole apparatus Of
justice consists OF shed and bench.
In 'front.' Of which groups Of condemn
ed criminals are ranged. whose heads
the exeeufi0ner strikes od, each with
one blow Of the sword There is no
aar1rroov NJ, v~srlS m Soiz-r-5-- 4.