The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1881-07-02

merry jingle of the bells, and feel at
the same time the thump, thump,
bump, bump, of that rough old cart,
as it battered along at a break neck
rate of speed over the stony road.
All the romance of "merry bells
aud "spotlcss snow" was dissipated
by the practical roughness of this
mode of transit.
We saw little of interest that day,
except two fine
STONE BRIDGES,
well built, of no small size, indicat-
ing that.in former times, and under
a thrifty King, the Chinese did "mend
their ways" and look after public in
terests in particular communities.
We saw couple of days after, a
novel bridge, the equal of which none
but a Yankee could invent. The
bridge was made of
BROOM CORN STALKS,
and over this prccarious looking
structure we passed in safety. The
stream is perhaps fifty yards wide,
and not much water fowing-but is
a bed of quicksand, where man
might sink out sight and not buh-
BILE rise to tell the tale. In the rainy
season this stream is swollen. and
none but high and expensive bridge
would answer, so they have solved the
difficulty by building low bridge,
and building it over every year.
They drive piles irto the sand, and
on this erect bridge of cosn stalks
laid at right angles to the passage
way, and over foot deep, and then
they throw sand on this to keep the
cart wheels from breaking the fodder.
When / saw it, and the donkeys
crossing it, / declared it to be true
pOns aSstaorum.
The second night we stayed ut a
small inn, back of which was steep
hill, piled over with black, motley
rocks. From this point we deter
mined to deviatc from the main road,
in order to visit
TACI SHAN,
the most celebrated mountain in
CHINA mountain that has for -four
thousand years been noted place
for worship to the devout Chinaman,
up whose steep sides climbed Conln-
cius, and all those other worthless OF
his time, whose thoughts were mould
ed into unity, the diverse strugglings
| of whole nations heart. Like ev-
cry other mountain, it deceives You
by its appearance. When you stand
at its foot you loose sight of its
greatness. You are only able to ap-
preciate its true grandeur when at q
distance. There are tens of thous-
ands pilgrims come to this hill every
year to worship. 1t is another Mecca
The childless come to pray for chill
dren. The sick, who have been spar
ed to fulfill the VOW they made in
extremity The young to get bless
ings and rewards. The old to pre-
pare for that other journey from
which no traveller returns. Hundreds
of temples line the pathway at tho
summit. Monuments of historic in
terest to the scholar and antiquarian
are thick upon every hand. A wind
ing ascent of stone steps, now gent
ly rising, leads up the mountain side
Here surrounding groves of trees ris
ing in bold relief upon the face Of
the rocks. Up you 60 until just be.
fore you stands stone arch and
doorway, called the "Tien Men" =
Heavens gate. Through this you
pass to the small area of a few acres
upon the summit. This is the high
est point in the Province of Shan
tung. But you must by no means
take for granted that l reached that
exalted point-nearly mile above
the surrounding country. We began
the ascent too late in the day, but
had some fine views that amply re
paid my going up. A city lay at oul
feet. The foot hills had dwindled
to hillocks. We stood above all but
the mountain top before us. We on
ly assembled as far as the halfway
gate, and then returned, promising
ourselves another visit when cleal
! sky and the absence of snow would
make our ascent. We used chairs
part of the time. The mountain
chair is carried by man at each
side, and it is much easier than go
going up step by step ourselves. But
| have already exhausted your pa
thence, and not spoken of half the
trip.
We found Isl Ming pleasant
town, on the banks of the great ca
nal, and city of some commercial
Importance There Mr.. McIlvaine
labored so faithfully for three long
years that we cannot abandon the
work, now that he is gone. 1t is
agreed that / am to take charge OF
that station. / will visit it twice a
year, spending a month each time
both preaching and dispensing medi-
cine.
The trip returning had little of in
terest to record, for we came by the
same road, leaving Tai Shan to the
right, however We arrived home
safely, after an absence of twelve
days, and found our children and
wives as happy and contented as
they would have been in any city Of
our own great land. What pleas
ure it is to feel that whatever rude
| man NAV COW To Won IN Stroat yout