Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-11-21
oUEER CUSTOMS IN CHINA.

ouEER CUSTOMS IN CHINA.
rn. Foot OF the Empress-Flogeipg Con-
stsble-Punishing Suicides.
New York Tribune.
A number of American doctors who
have for three years been .practlclng
Their profession in the hospital at Shang-
hal China, returned recently to this
country. bringing with them many
c,rious mementos of their stay In the
Calesfial empire and many strange and
amusing stories of the customs OF the
"6f course we take the New York pa
,,ors sa;d DIR. Park. "We've got to do
that to keep abreast of the times. There
eye many newspapers in China, but they
ore stale. ALWAYS. Their circulation is
small because the people, as rule, don't
like to read. The news of the day is cir
culated at the tea-drinking shops In all
The cities where the people congregate
in the evening. A few who have read
tba daily papers do the talking, the
others gathering around to hear the news,
and ALI commenting upon whatever Is OF
interest.
"The empress foot?" he continued. in
answer TO an inquiry. "Oh, yes, it's of q
nre.ty good size; about No. 2, l should
indce. There have never been any
clan,ns on her foot. But the ladies of the
imnerial court, their little, deformed,
shameless feet are curiosities. Some of
these elegant ladies came to the hospital
one day and had the pleasure of show
ing them through the institution. Ihey
81 Ixy otfond.
ants whose chief duty seemed to De 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 inchesin length.
zone night at 500 Chow l was awak-
ened by loud ringing of gongs. SO un.
usual was the sound that got up, dressed
and went out on the street, expecting to
see the whole city on fire. But it was
only a policeman patroling his beat.
The operations of the police are all open
and above board. They would rather
frIehten a 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 ample time for dis
appearing. .o ,-,;no.. h.ve O renu-
tation for thieyery; don't know why.
In NV experience with them have dis
covered that they follow the old rule of
the horse-.hief; never to steal q horse
unless he is the fastest horse in the
neiphborhood. ! mean that they never
steal when there's the slightest possl-
oility of being detected. When they do
steal, however, they steal systematically
and in gangs. These gangs are all res
poSsibal, and are obliged to report to
The constituted head of the profession,
called the king. He is in with the Of
ficials of the different cities, and anyone
familiar with the fact and possessed of
efficient means need never lose nything
in China, for all he has to do to secure
the returlof stolen property is to make
these officials q reasonable offer for it.
"The Chinese city, as rule, has no fire
department, and it is the duty of the
constable to prevent fires breaking out,
failure to do 80 being considered neg
ligence and subjecting him to public
fiogging. While destructive fire was
raging in 500 Chow, in the course OF my
visit there, the populace. instead of max
ing an attempt to quench the flames, de-
voted their entire attention to the whip
ping of the poor constable who was 80
unfortunate as to be caught looking on
the scene. l have learned since that the
constable is permitted to hire substitute
to take his foggings. He pays the man
a small monthly salary to fill this place,
but if the fellow happens not to be
present in case of an emergency the con.
stable himself is made TO suffer. OF
course. whenever he takes thrashing
he deducts so much from the pay of the
substitute.
"In the matter of suicide there is
curious analogy in China to the old
custom in England Of burying the body
of one who has taken his own life at
crossroads, with a stake through the
body of one who is so irreverent as to
commit suicide within the precincts of
that portion of Pekin in which the i'm
lperial court is situated, is solemnly
brought to some public plsce-a bridge,
for instance and logged. Whether the
effect produced by such fogging 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, continued to beat and kick 1t
until friend demonstrated, telling him
that the brute was dead. i know he's
dead he said, between his teeth, but
I'll teach him, gol darn him, that there's
some hell and punishment after death.
"In police court in Shanghai a for
eign consul generally occupies the bench
with the local magistrate and the two
hear the case together. Sometimes they
get at loggerheads and case is not de-
cided for several days because of their
disagreement. have known the white
Judge to remain away from court for q
week at time because the Chlnaman
having been bought up by one of the lit.
igants, wished to decide in his favor, and
the white man wouldn't agree to do go.
Alter while one or the other-the
chinaman generally-yields, and court
proceeds to the satisfaction or dissatis'
faction. as the case may be, of all con-
cerned."