Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-06-19
4 Bah, q ann peeree.

munster, and the representative OF the
republican, had called to inquire about
the health of the Minister'S baby
daughter. Tsu Shan Pung, First Seere-
tary OF Legation, had said that the very
young lady was in excellent health and
spirits and was growing rapidly. Then
the reporter said he had q very delicate
question TO ask, and begged the secre-
tary not to be offended; but if the In
quiry was violation of Oriental eti-
quette to at once inform him and they
would talk about the weather or some
other harmless subject. 1T is CUSTOM
airy, you know" continued the reporter,
in this country to publish quite minute
details of the private life of high-born
babies and
Il understand said the secretary,
over whose face there had crept a smile
of appreciation and amusement, .'you
want to know about the baby's feet.
Some one has said that they were al
ready bound. l assure YOU that it is no
such thing. Her feet are Just like any
American baby's."
But is it not true that the growth of
the feet of noble Chinese girls is stopped
early in life?''
Certainly it is true, just as it is true
that the waists of al high-born Ameri-
can ladies are compressed and the
secretary illustrated by COMPRISING his
own rather slender waist with his two
hands. ''To make the ladies feet
small" he continued, lis Chinese
fashion; to make their waists small an
American fashion. 1t is demand of
fashion or custom in both cases, and
nothing more.''
st what age are the feet bound?"
when the little girl is six or seven
years old. The process is so gradual
that, | think. there is no pain about it
whatever: no more than when an Amer
lean girl binds her waist"
is there nothing peculiar, then,
about the very early life OF a Chinese
maiden?"
Nothing in the world. She is just
like an American baby. About two
months ago the members of the Chi
nese embassy celebrated the day she
was 4 month old by dinner at Worm
ley's. The next celebration in her hon
or will he when she is old enough to go
to school. Then there will be another
dinner. There will be no more festivi-
titS III HCI lllCu ullll1 Sic Is
when will she be old enough to go
to scEool?"
when she is seven or eight years
DID,
Il suppose you mean by going to
school that an instructress will be
brought into the family?''
'tNot always. Sometimes a rich lit
tie Chinese girl will have goyerness
in the house, but often several wealthy
families employ a tutoress together and
send their children to her for instruc-
ton 1t is private school,
just then there came down from the
upper regions OF the house a long, Wig
orous, infantile wall.
There" sac the secretary. laugh
ing, lis Chinese baby crying in good
English. :"
''Is she the Minister'S first child?"
"Oh, no. He has several children at
home, but this is the first one and the
first Chinese baby born in Washington.
She is great pet for the Minister and
his wife y
''And would be of all the embassy, l
suppose, if she was only boy?"
''Oh, that makes no difference. Little
boys and girls are treated Just alike.
II is only when they are grown that our
etiquette requires the seclusion of the
ladies'
The reporter inquired with much eau
ton and fear of offending why it was
that the Chinese Minister'S wife did not
receive and 90 out at all
E''That.' said the secretary, sis only
because she does not speak English. and
it would be highly improper, according
to our etiquette, for gentleman to
translate for her. Neither does the
Minister speak English. and there is no
one who could translate for his wife. :"
Chow is it that the Minister can not
speak English when you speak it so
wellP'
s. acquired the language in Hong
Kong, but the Minister is now an old
man, about siXty-one years DID, never
theless, he is studying the language.
Returning to the more interesting
gested that the wife of the Chinese Min
lister at Paris was quite favorite in So
ciety and went out very often.
That is" said the secretary, - be-
cause she has very charming young
lady daughter, highly educated, and
speaking European languages well. She
can translate for her mother
"Is the Minister'S wife the only Chi
nese lady heres9'
Yes; the other members of the en-
| bassy, if they are married, must leave
their wives ut home. The Minister'S
wife has two Chinese maids with her,
but there is really no room for any more
ladies in the house, said the secie
laughing. He then sex1 u q 1t tIle
term Of 8dlce ~ ntn}f "a u 10 CT II TIE
! epfbas4J s5hsv MI lL6feh
| - hids N xlIl5fI li5' 8e6kl5f absence
ki1,igI itk1et kgtoH China and visit their
families before returning, if they did
return, which was optional with them.
The present is the second Chinese en-
hassy, and there are but two members
OF it who were here with the first en-
bassy. As the secretary said, three
years is quite long enough to be separ-
ated from ones family. The seclusion
Of the Minister s wife has not been gen
orally understood, but the secretary
stated that the reason given above was
the only one. She occasionally goes out
riding, but makes no calls and has no
society. The advent of the baby must
have been blessing to her secluded
! life. National Republican.