The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-01-08
The Origin OF SILK.

WI "a LIZ AAkAAAAN I0a a. wv Na"H AA
the figures are dressed in real silk
dresses.
More than three thousand years ago,
the Emperor Of China, whose queer name
was Ho-ang-ti, received a visit from an
old woman, who laid at his feet a great
many small bundles, begging him TO re.
ceive them from her granddaughter, who
also had a queer name-Su-ling-shi.
Ordering his Grand Chamberlain to
open the bundles, there appeared to his
astonished gaze the most beautiful
fabrics ever seen. Hssent for the ladies
Of his household, for there was a dress
for each, and you can imagine their
delight. Demanding Of the old woman
the secret OF her prize, che gave this
reply (drst reyerently naming several
Of the emperor's many titles, as was the
CUSTOM:
Most Gracious Son OF Heaven, Lord
OF the Earth, Light Of the Empire, and
King Of the Golden Dragon, our Great
Prophet Fo, says: What is told in the
ear is often heard a hundred miles off,
and also Give not away that which is
not thine own The secret is rot mine.
The secret belongeth to my daughter and
granddaughter And here the grand
mother (who was not a very old woman,
as women marry very young in Ohina)
bowed her head nine times to the earth.
The emperor ordered a large sum Of
money to be presented to the woman,
and with his w august hands gave
her magnificent strings of pearls for her
daughter and granddaughter. Also for
the granddaughter he gave a badge of
honor, bidding the grandmother bring
the maiden before the next moon, for
he must know her secret, and should
her words be straight words, he would
honor her as never lowly maid was
honored before.
The heart of Su-ling-shi was filed
with delight when she heard the words
of her grandmother. Busly was her
loom set to work that she ms ~ have a
dress so magnificent for II buteecasion
that the King of the GoldefaoRragon'
might find pleasure in beholdiGasE her.
The great day at length dawned, the
heart of Su.ling.shi iuttered with fear
and delight as -arrayed in a dress of
rose pink silk and sky-blue tunic en-
broidered with gold, the pearls in her
hair and golden badge upon her busom-
she approached with trembling foot.
steps his Fragrant Majesty whose
subjects bend their forehsads to the
ground, not daring to gaze upon him.
Look at this FAM said Aunt Maggie;
you will see the Great King Of the
Dragon seated upon a chair which bears
the sign Of the dragon, the symbol of
the Chinese Empire. His robe, sent
him by Su-ling-shi, is of royal yellow
silk, with q golden sun upon his breast
and a royal ~peacock's feather in his cap.
Next to him is the Grand Mandarin
of Household clothed in scarlet. The
great Mandarin of War, General Hea-
ling 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 1
ofttimes noticed q worm that spun a ball
for a house in which to live. These
balls 1 often took within my dwelling
and l found that in a little time q moth
Crept out from each and few away. /
amused La-See, my daughter, with the
silken balls. This is all that / have
done. 'Siao tie kin 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 dress, bowed nine times, say
ing: Most Gracious Ten Thousand
Years, whilst amusing myself watching
the caterpillar, 1 found that its house or
cocoon would unwind, and l used it as
thread with which to embroider the 6ne
muslin, Woven Wind. Afterward /
taught my daughter to do the same
This, my Gracious King, is all that l
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 a thousand years } and saw that it
was this inject which laid the eggs upon
the mulberry tree, and which afterward
became the BOm6ye mort, or caterpil-
lar. This fed upon the mulberry leaves
thirty-two days, and, casting its skin
four times, began TO spin it's cocoon,
winding always the same way. My
mother (may Fo bless her } 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 Keeling the threads together
1 hit upon the idea of weaving them.-