Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-08-17
Letter from China.
TIENTsN, China, Feb. IA, 1881

receive your letter, though from stranger
because it breathed the spirit which binds
us in one common brotherhood TO Christ
TO attempt an answer for you is not an
easy task, because one always feels in
writing such letter. that not knowing
your man, as well as he not knowing you,
it is difficult to find a good starting point.
You are not certain if the thread of the
story is the string he wants to pull, and
whether it should be long or short will
not introduce myself-we may consider
ourselves acquainted, and my letter shall
be part of the journal of one of my last
missionary tours.
My objective point was Tsun, Hua Chou
circuit, distant from Tientsin to the north
east about one hundred and twenty-five
miles. My conveyance was a cart for my
extra clothing, bedding and provision box,
with books and tracts for distribution along
our line of travel.
rode my Mongol pony. My company
was native colporteur and the carter.
We started from home about 9: so A. NJ. of
December 9TH. The weather was cold,
with raw wind blowing from the north
full in our faces. Crossing the Psi no at
Tientsin, we kept along its eastern bank
for some ten miles, when turning abruptly,
we bore across the great marsh which
during summer is impossible, but at this
season is dry, hard good travelling.
During the afternoon of that day we
reached the market town of Mel Chang,
twenty miles from Tientsin. After eating
dinner went on the street and sold
books, selling in all about one hundred
volumes. These realized in money about
forty-fve cents. These sales occupied our
time until dark, when we returned to the
inn and put up for the night.
The next morning. as the inn could
furnish no satisfactory bl eakfast, cooked
it for myself over charcoal fire. 1t con
sisted of coffee, bread, Bologna sausage,
eggs, Jelly and butter. Most of these
were from my provision hox, eggs being
the only exception.
The cart left the inn at o'clock, and l
with my horse directly after. The day
was so stingingly cold that was obliged
to do considerable walking to keep myself
warm.
Twelve miles from Mel Chang we came
to the market town of Tsin Huang X on,
place of two thousand families, or as
the Chinese allow five persons to family
about ten thousand inhabitants. A fair
was in progress, but as we were in a hurry
we avoided the lam on the street and
passed on to Pa K'on T'un, where we
took dinner. My room was crowded by
the curious during the entire meal. In
this town of three thousand inhabitants
there are a great many Roman Catholics.
and was told also in the surrounding
villages may be found large numbers, and
they are in excellent repute among their
neighbors for teaching men to do that
which is right
At night we reached the village of
white Temple" having travelled during
the day thirty-two miles. This village
has population of seventeen families.
In it are three inns-two large and one
small One of the large ones was in the
midst of wedding festivities and would
not receive guests; the second was en-
gagged by five large carts hauling dried
grapes from the province of Shan Shi to
some point outside the bars. There being
no help for it. we stopped in the little one,
The colporteur and slept in the same
room, on the same bed Because there
was no shed for the animals, l hired the
room adjoining ours for my horse. As
charcoal was scarce I went to bed early to
keep warm, but failed signally. l shiver
oil with cold nearly all night, and found in
the morning that l had caught a severe
cold.
During to-day, December 9th, we pa ssed
through the town of Hsia T'sang, where
fancy fine field for missionary work is
waiting, crossed the Yin Sin river, which
empties into the sea, and is navigabe tt
within few miles Of this point; dined at
another large and interesting market town
where missionaries have not yet had time
to work; passed through the southern and
eastern suburbs of the walled city oI
Fade Field where have formerly solo
books and tracts, and preached upon the
streets; but this time we did not stop. Al
| wa, feeling poorly exchanged convey
ances with the colporteur, he taking m,
horse and the cart, and we continued oul
journey until $3.50 P. M. we reached tn
market town of va Hung Chiao. Her,
we found plenty of charcoal, and had 1
warm kaey, or brick bed, and so passed I
comfortable night.
On Friday, the 10th, we reached small
market town where a fair was in progress
These fairs are held on certain days O
each Chinese month for market purposes
The people collect from the surrounding
towns and villages, bringing grain, veg
etables, fruit; in fact, any marketabl
thing they may desire to sell, while other
go to make necessary purchases, rs bette
bargains can usually be made at sue
times than by purchasing at the shops G
stores.
At this fair we each took an armful G
books and tracts and attempted to Sc
them We also found An open plaC
where traffic would not be interrupted
and preached. The people were curiou
and interested in the foreigner, his bearc
his clothes, his strange appearance, whi
some of them listened attentively to wins
we had to say. They were at first quit
shy of our books, but after awhile becam
more confident and bought quite a nun
Der.
Near this place is coal min5 opened
Chinese company, but under the manag