The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-09-06

black and yellow banner and hesitated.
Then the firing ceased and he was sur
rounded by his countrymen rushing
through the breach. In his amazement
he still was able to cry Good China.
manr
"Show your gum" was the reply. The
barrel was still warm.
"Your hands" His hands were black
with powder.
They pushed him back against the wall
and fred. He died in ignorance of his
offense
With the arrival of winter Colonel
Gordon was before Soochow, and
opened the siege with which his name is
inseparably connected. Soochow is the
Venice of the east. When the city of
abe Foscari was o marshy waste poets
were singing the glories of Soochow, the
splendor of its temples, the beauty of
its women. Its canals traced their way
through arches of osier and weeping
willow. Its shops and streets wore an
al. of Partisan gayety. In the Morning
Palace the Mowang or commandant of
the city wandered among exquisite
grottos and summer houses. Girls
famed him as he reclined in his divan;
musical boxes tinkled in his halls. De.
spite his righteousness he was Q man of
character and ability. He was the ia.
vorite disciple of the chisf revolutionist,
and differed in every respect from the
other wangs, whose banners were ut all
times Haunting through the city and
whose soldiers quarrelled and fought in
the tea houses. Meanwhile the cannon
OF the common enemy was making itself
heard. The Low-mun stockade, one of
the keys to the town, had been captured.
From the great stone wall and the water
gate the rebels had poured fire of
grape, canister and musketry. Finding
his native troops too cowardly to fight at
night-for after twilight they feared
their own shadows-Gordon had dashed
into the moat with his European fol-
lowers, had swum across in the face of a
murderous volley, had snatched the
snake flag of the commandant from the
breastwork and had planted his own
within hundred yards of the city.
When the Narwang, who was second
in command, heard of this bold advance
he held O secret conference with the
other subordinate wangs, and was rowed
down the Grand Canal into Gordon's
camp. He offered to throw open the
gates of the city if he and his followers
were granted an unconditional pardon.
Gordon communicated this order to
General Ching, who commanded the i'm.
perial troops, and it was speedily &C.
cepted. Narwang then called the con-
spirators together, and they repaired to
the palace of the Mowang.
Here, in the hall of the heavenly
Father, surrounded by representatives OF
the passion of Christ, prayers were offered
and tile Mowang assembled the throne in
his robe and crown. He made q short
ad dress to the captains, saying that 500.
chow should never yield to infidels. At
the last word the Congwang rose in the
hall, took off his robe, walked to the
steps of the throne and deliberately
stabbed the speaker to the heart. The
the throne, and the other wangs seized
him and decapitated him. Then they
mounted their horses, rode each to his
palace, and the head was sent to Gordon
as peace Offering.
The colonel was not man to waste
time in fruitless threats. He had prom.
ised these wretches immunity and he
meant to keep his word. The entry hav.
ing been affected peacefully enough, he
walked up alone to the neighboring
heights, feeling for the first time dis.
couraged and sick at heart. In the plain
below he suddenly noticed a great COM
motion. The imperial troops were rush
ing in wild confusion through the gates.
Yells and shouts filed the air. Not
without misgivings he made his way to
the Morning Palace and found it in
ruins, half molten bronzes choking up
the passage and only q solitary drum
standing as sentinel at the gate. Enter
ing one of the cham ers and calling for
his servant he learned that the imperial
list had beheaded him. The courtyard
round the palace was filled with an angry
mob; swords we're being drawn and
pistols fred. In the midst of the hub.
bub Gordon appeared on the threshold.
The crowd fell back as though lightning
had stricken them. Calmly the colonel
raised his hand and the noise ceased.
A passage was cleared for him, and.
touching his pith helmet in ironical
salute, he walked ct an easy pace TO Gen
eral Ching's stockade. There. in .
ghastly row, were the heads Of all the
Wangs. The bodies had been FLASHED
down the chest; the wounds ON the head
were most terrible. Gordon said not .
word. me knew that great clamor of
treschery would be raised against him;
but be silently turned away, went back
10 the palace, scrawled four words on
paper-''Thou prince OF liars"-sent