The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-05-19
A LONELY LADY.

The WIG af the Chinese Minister, Who
Lives In Seclusion At Washington.
Just ct time when American women
have succeeded in causing each house
OF the national legislature to appoint q
committee whose special duty it will be
to consider the question Of admitting
women to all the privileges Of citizen
ship enjoyed by men, it is a little sim
gular that there happens to be in our
national capital a woman whose condi-
ton fairly represents IL it's least barba.
ious phase that from which the EEK
have gradually risen to their present
independent condition. AT the Chinese
legation. one of the handsomsst resi-
dences in the city, lives lady of rank
in that country, tho wife Of the present
minister-Cheng Tsao Ja She lives in
a. strict seclusion here in the National
Capital OF our free country as il still in
the capital Of her native land. Even
here she must obey the national law
within their homes. She has never
been ont since she removed from the
Arlington hotel, where her husband and
his suite were until the legation was
made ready for their occupancy. which
was before the middle OF January.
While the names OF the wives OF other
gentlemen OF the diplomatic corps who
are married, and the names of the wife
and daughter OF Mr.. Bartlett, the
American secretary OF the Chinese lega.
ton, appears always on the official:: dip
lomatic list published by the
State Department. the name Of the
Chinese minister's wife is not there
on. She receives no company ut all,
and must not be allowed to see q man
except her husband. Conse quently she
being alone with her Chinese women
attendants, has no opportunity to learn
English. She is the fourth wife the
other three, hear, are living in China)
and she, it is said, was permitted to ac.
company her husband on bis travels
because the youngest and comliest
Of the number. I hear they have not
been married long. She is under
twenty five years Of age.
The Chinese minister Waits and at
tends parties daily. and although he as
yet knows no English no one appears to
enjoy society more than he. Through
his interpreter, who always accom-.
paniss him. he talks merrily with ladies
He thinks Miss West, the British min
istsrs young daughter, very bright, be
cause she has memorized some Chinese
phrases taught by the interpreter and
repeated them to him. Two Philadel
phia ladies at . recent reception KEEP,
up an animated conversation with hin
through the interpreter, and he laughed
heartily over some Of their sallies.
Az no one below the grade OF Min
lister or Charge d Affairs Is ever in
vited to dine with one Of our President
the Chinese interpreter could not &C
company the Minister TO the dinner a
thsWhits House, and thus, where all tn,
languages OF the civilized world ar,
spoken. he was the only one presen
who did not understand any Of them
The japanese Charge d Affaires wit
attended there being no Minister her
now to represent that nation) commu
nicated with the Chinese gentlemen il
writing on this occasion. though b
could not speak their language. Th
Chinese Minister did not appear to fee
lonely Of the dinner. but ate and dram
heartily, and. ~ he closely watched III
others about him, committed no fan
Washington Letfe.