The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-12-24
QUEER CUSTOMS IN CHINA.
The Foot OF the Enpress-Ffogging a
Constable-PuuisIiing Suicides.

ConstabIe-Punishing suicides
A number of American doctors, who
have for three years been practicing
their profession in the hospital at Shang-
hal, China. returned recently to this
country, bringing with them many curl
Gus mementoes OF their stay in the Ce-
lestial Empire, and many strange and
amusing stories of the customs of the
people.
..Of 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 newspapers IN China,
but they are stale, always Their circu-
lation is small, because the people, as
rule, don't Ike to read. The news OF
the day is circulated at the tea-drinking
shops in all the cities. where the people
congregate in the evening. A few who
have read the daily papers do the talk
ing, the others gathering around to hear
the news, and all commenting upon
whatever is of interest.
The Empress foot?n he continued,
in answer to an inquiry. ''Oh, yes, it's
of pretty good size; about No. 2, L
should judge. There have never been
any clamps on her foot. But the ladies
of the Imperial court. Their little, de-
formed, shapeless feet are curiosities.
Some Of these elegant ladies came to the
hospital one day and had the pleasure
of showing them through the institu-
ton. They were accompanied by nu-
merous attendants, whose chief duty
seemed to be to support their mistresses,
for actually the latter were not able to
stand alone, much less to walk. Their
feet, I think, did not exceed four inches
in length.
lone night at 500 Chow l was awall-
ened by loud ringing of gongs. So
unusual was the sound that l got up,
dressed and went cut in the street ex-
pecting to see the whole city on fire.
But it was only a policeman patrolling
his beat. The operations of the police
are all open and above board. They
would rather frighten thief than ar
rest 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 disappearing.
In America the Chinese have repu-
tation for thieyery; | don't know why.
In my experience with them | have dis
covered that they follow the old rule of
the horse-thief-never to steal horse
unless he is the fastest horse in the
neighborhood. | mean to say that they
never steal when there is the slightest
possibility of their being detected. When
they do steal, however, they steal sys-
tematically and in gangs. These gangs
are all responsible, and are obliged to
report to the constituted head of the
profession, called the king. He is in
with the officials of the different cities.
and any one familiar with the fact and
possessed Of sufficient means, need never
lose anything in China, for all he has to
do to secure the return of stolen prop
ertv is to make these officials a reason
able offer for it,
The Chinese city, as a rule, has no
fire department, and it is the duty of the
constable to prevent fires breaking out,
failure to do so, being considered neglect,
and subiecting him TO public flogging.
While destructive fire was raging in
500 Chow, in the course of my visit
there the populacc, instead of making
an attempt to quench the flames, de-
voted their entire attention to the whip
ping of the poor constable who was Sc
unfortunate as to be caught looking on
the scene. [ have learned since then
that The constable is permitted to hire 4
substitute TO take his tiogging. He pays
the man a small monthly salary to fill
bis place, but if the fellow happens moi
to be present in case of an emergency
the constable himself is made to suffer.
OF course, whenever he takes a thrashine
he deducts SO much from the pay of the
substitute.
In the matter of suicides there is a
curious analogy in China to the old GUS
tom in England Of burying the body OF
one who has taken his own life, at q
| crossroads, with stake through the
| body. In China the body OF one who IS
| SO irreverent as to commit suicide with
in the precincts of that portion of Pekin
IN which the Imperial court is situated
is solemnly brought to some public place
"a bridge, for instance-and fogged.
Whether the effect produced by such
tiogging is wholesome or not | have 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 it until a friend demonstrated, tell
ing him that the brute was dead. 4
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 for
eign consul generally occupies the
bench with the legal magistrate and the
two hear the eases together. Sometimes
they get at loggerheads, and case is
| not decided for several days because of
their disagreement, have known the
| white Judge 10 remain away from court
for week at time because China
| man, having been bought up by one of
the litigants, wished to decide in his
favor, and the white man wouldn't agree
TO DO so. After 4 while one or the other
the Chinaman generally-yields, and
the court proceeds 10 the Subtraction, or
dissatisfaction, as the case may be, OF
all concerned. ~. T. Tribune