Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-11-28

From the New York Tribune
A number of American doctors who have for
three years been practising their profession in
the hospital at Shanghai, China, returned re.
Gently to this country, bringing with them
many curious mementoes Of their stay in the
celestial empire and many strange and
amusing stories of the customs of the people.
W course we take the New York papers"
said Dr. Park We've got to do that to keep
abreast OF the times There are many news
Their circulation is small, because the people,
as a rule, don't like to read. The news OF the
all the cities where the people congregate in
the evening: few who have read the daily
papers papers, do the talking, the others gathering
upon whatever Is OF interest.
''The Empress's foot ?" he continued, in an
good SIZE an ab"nt 10 ss ss sd SG PT1Ss efs
have never been any clamps on her foot. But
the ladies Of the Imperial Court, their little,
OF these elegant ladies came to the hospital one
day and l had the pleasure Of showing them
through :, the Institution They were accom-,
duty seemed to be to support their mistresses,
for, actually, the latter were not able to stand
alone, much less to walk. Their feet, think,
did not exceed four inches in length
Gone night at 500 Chow was awakened by q
loud ringing of gongs. So unusual was the
the street, expecting to see the whole city on
i his But II was only a policeman patrolling
MS neat. Inc operations OF the police are all
open and above board. They would rather
Fighter thief than arrest him. They patrol
the streets at night armed with lanterns and
gongs. beating the latter, and any offender
within hearing of the unearthly noise has am
pie time for disappearing.
In America the Cnlnese have q reputation
for thfevery; don't know why. In my expe-
rience with them 1 have discovered that they
follow the old rule of the horse thief: never to
steal horse-unless he is the fastest horse in
never steal when there's the slightest possibility
OF being detected. When they do steal, how
eyer, they steal systematically and in gangs;
lhese gangs are all responsible and are obliged
to report TO the constituted head of the pro-
fession, called the king. He is in with the OFF,
with the fact and possessed of sufficient means
need never lose anything in China, for all lie
mas to do to secure the return of stolen property
is to make these officials areasOnab BILE offer for it.
1.-The Chinese city, as rule, has no fire depart
ment, and it is the duty of the constable to pre-
vent fires breaking out, failure to do so being
considered neglect, and subiecting him to a
public hogsing. While q destructive fire was
raging In 500 Chow, in the course of my visit
attempt to enench the flames, devoted their
entire attention to the whipping of the poor
constable, who wds so unfortunate as to be
caught looking on the scene. ! have learned
since that the constable is permitted to hire a
substitute to take his tioggings. He pays the
man small monthly salary to fill this place,
but II the fellow happens not to be present in
case Of an emergency the constable himself is
made to suffer. or course, whenever he takes a
tnrsaSnlng ne ueOuctS SO mucn from the pay OF
the substitute.
"In the matter of suicides there is a curious
analogy in China to the old custom in England
of burying the body of one who has taken his
own lie, at a crossroads, with stake through
the body. In China, the body of one who is SO
irreverent as to commit suicide within the pre-
cincts of that portion oil Pekin in which the I'm
perial court Is situated is solemnly brought to
some public place-a bridge, for ipstance-and
logged. Whether the effect produced by such
hogging Is wholesome or not, have had no
means of Judging, but the foolishness of the
custom reminds me of the story about the man
who, having killed the dog that bit him, con-
tlnued 10 beat and kick 1t until Il friend remon-
strated, telling him that the brute was dead.
i know he's Dead he said. between his teeth,
but ii teach him, gol darn him, that there's
some he'll and punishment after death.
I'm police court in Shanghai foreign con-
sui generally occupies the bench with the local
magistrate and the two hear the cases to-
gether; Sometimes they get at loggerheads and
case Is not decided for several days because of
their disagreement. / have known the white
Judge to remain away from court for a week at
time because the Chinaman, having been
bought up by one of the litigants, wished to de-
eide in his favor and the white man wouldn't
agree to do After while one or the
other-the Chinaman generally-yields, and
the court proceeds to the satisfaction or dissat-
1sfactiOn, AS the case may be, of all concerned.
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