The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-12-11
The Origin OF Silk.

1 look at this curious Chinese fan, which
1 hold in my hand, you win see that all
the figures are dressed in real silk
dresses. ti07iH
"More than three thousand years ago,
the Emperor of China, whose queer
name was Ho-ang-ti, received visit
from an old woman, who laid az his feet
a great many small bundles, begging
him to receive them from her grand
daughter, who also had a queer name
Su-ling-shi. f'a
" Ordering his Grand Chamberlain TO
open the bundles, there appeared to his
astonished gaze the most beautiful fab
RIGS ever seen. He sent for the ladies of
his household, for there was dress for
each, and you can imagine their de-
light. Demanding of the old woman
the secret of her prize, she gave this re-
ply first reverently naming several Of
| the Emperor's many titles, as was the
custom) -u...I 20 -.. 4
"sMost Gracious Son of Heaven, Lord
of the Earth, Light of the Empire, and
I King of the Golden Dragon, our Great
J Prophet Fo, says: "What is told in the
ear is often heard hundred miles off ~
and also "Give not away that which is
not thine own The secret is not
mine. The secret belongeth to my
daughter and granddaughter And
here the grandmother (who was not
such very old woman, as women mar
~ very young in China) bowed her
head nine times to the earth.
r" The Emperor ordered large sum
of money to be presented to the woman,
and with his own august hands gave her
magnificent strings of pearls for her
daughter and granddaughter. Also for
the granddaughter he gave a golden
badge of honor, bidding the grand
mother bring the maiden before the
next new moon, for he must know her
secret, and should her words be straight
words, he would honor her rs never
lowly maid was honored before. 81
1.-The heart of Su-ling-shi was filed
with delight when she, heard the words,
of her grandmother. Busily. was her
loom set to work that she might have a
dress so magnificent for the occasion
that the King of the Golden Dragon
might find pleasure in beholding her.
"The great day at length -dawned,
the heart of Su-ling-shi fluttered with
fear and delight as arrayed in dress of
rose-pink silk and sky-blue tunie. en-
broidered with gold, the pearls in her
hair and golden badge upon her bosom
she approached with trembling foot
steps his Fragrant Majesty whose
subjects bend their foreheads to the
ground, not daring to gaze upon him.
"Look on the fan, said Aunt Mag
gle; ''you will see the Great King of
the Dragon seated upon chair which
bears the sign of a dragon, the symbol
of the Chinese Empire. His robe, sent
him by Su-Hng-shi, is of royal yellow
silk, with a golden sun upon his breast
and a royal peacock's feather in his cap.
"Next to him is the Grand Manda-
rim of the Household, clothed in scarlet.
The great Mandarin of War, General
Hae-nng-ah, in scarlet robes and blue
sash, stands with drawn sword to warn
them that death is always the penalty of
an untruth before the great Emperor.
"The grandmother, in dress of green
silk with yellow collar, standing behind
the General, advanced first, and bowling
nine times to the ground, said: Know,
Most Mighty King, that in my garden
grows a mulberry tree, upon which |
Ofttimes noticed worm that spun ball
for house in which to live. These balls
| often took within my dwelling, and |
found that within little time moth
crept out from each and few away. l
amused La-See, my daughter, with the
silken balls. This is all that | have
done. "Siao tie kim" 1t is very little.
Let my daughter La-See speak ..
"Then the mother, whom you see
next with the royal pearls in her hair
and pink silk, bowed nine times, saying:
Most Gracious Ten Thousand Years,
whilst amusing myself watching the
caterpillar, | found that its house or CO.
coon would unwind, and | used it as
thread with which to embroider the fine
muslin, sWoven Wind" Afterward,
| taught my daughter to do the same.
This, my Gracious King, is all that
have done. Let my daughter speak
Then came Su-ling-shi, and after
nine bows, she proudly raised her head
and said: If His Most Gracious
Majesty and Light of the Empire will
deign to cast his eyes upon these insects,
he will see they are but common moths,
which here let fly from my hand. |
followed the example of my wise
parents (may they live thousand
yearsi), and saw that it was this insect
which laid the eggs upon the mulberry
tree. and which afterward became the
BonlGge mort, or caterpillar. This fed
upon the mulberry leaves thirty-tw0
days, and, casting its skin four times,
began to spin its cocoon, winding al
ways the same way. My mother may
70 bless herb had learned to unwind
the cocoon and had planted many trees.
THUS it was, Most Mighty King, that ]
was enabled to gather many cocoons,
and reeling the threads together, i hit
upon the idea of weaving them. This,
/ nv Sovereign, is the cocoon, and in this
roll you viii find the result--a piece OF
4 silk, which | hope may prove worthy of
the acceptance of your Gracious Loft
mess, to whom | surrender my knOwl-
4,edge.' And again she bowed her fore
head to the ground. f.y-iL
"'Behold maiden possessed of all
the virtues said the Emperor. And
then turning to her, he said Rise, fair
maid; such wisdom, such industry, and
such beauty are worthy of an empire.
Half nv throne shall be thine And,
taking the hand of the blushing Su-ling-
shi, he seated her beside him. II
"'My lords, he continued, prepare
for the bridal ceremony. Summon the
ladies. of the Court, and henceforth
know our mother as the Princess La-See,
and our grandmother as the Princess
4 Sahg. Honor them as such, and let
the whole land know our Dragon willi'
n "You will see on the FAM" continued
Aunt Maggie, that the court ladies