Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-11-27
COREA'S CAPITAL.
IRREGULARITIES OF THE HOUSES
AND THE OUTER WALL.

NNO Tx w U En- "AILs
Massive Folding Gates which Close
Against the Laggard-The Curfew and
the "Woman's Hour"-A Temptation
TO the Lawless.
/. The Corean houses all face the south.
No matter if the entrance gate is on the
north, there will be way around to the
reception rooms which will invariably
open toward the south. The cities are so
laid out that, If possible, there shall be
rugged mountain on the north and
green, wooded hill or mountain on the |
south. This is in accordance with their |
ideas Of harmony. Certain ii is thai it |
makes a very picturesque effect. The |
capital, Seoul is laid out in the cine
way, and they succeeded in finding !; c.te |
that exactly suited.
Seoul is a city within a wall. t':ris
wall is from twenty to sixty feet in height |
and some twenty feet in thickness. 1t
follows the ridges of the hills and mount |
aims which form the amphitheatcr Eoid- |
ing the city. In some places the wall |
climbs dizzy mountain peaks, where the |
building materials could only have been |
approaches are by means of gates, some |
eight in all, one of which is walled up on |
the outside, so as TO be completely OBJ |
scured, and is meant to be used % u |
means Of egress if all other means are |
despaired of. Two of these gates are
very large, with bastionS leading up to |
them, from which they can easily be pro |
tected The arch is high as the wall, |
-. ~, t. al, 20 ct,
led, pagoda-like building. The smaller |
gates are built on the same plan. with |
smaller arches and lower superstruc-
lures. Each gate is closed with massive
folding doors, covered by iron plates, Eoltcd
on. These are closed at a certain hour
in the evening, and all unfortunate
travellers who have failed to reach the
portal in time are compelled to seek
nights lodging in the extensive suburbs
or risk their lives in a hand-OY tr-hand |
climb over the wall, providing they Offer
the gateman enough tone to induce him
TO lower his rope. In many places
regular way is worn up the wall by this
illegitimate scaling.
THE CCRFEw.
In the center Of the capital of COrea
stands small pagoda-like building, |
surrounded by wooden palings and con-
tanning only a huge bell some twelve
feet in height, which is made to give
forth its music by means of log sus
pended by q chain, so that on being |
drawn back by man and then let go il
strikes the outer surface of the bell,
which gives forth o rich, mellow and
far-resounding music. This bell is |
struck in the evening, varying, as to the
hour, from 2 to 0, according to the sea-
sons. Upon hearing its rich tones all
men hasten off the streets unless they be
officers or official messengers, for the
woman's hour has arrived and the men
must stay indoors. Soon many little Ian
terms begin to fit along the narrow
streets, each one held by the fair hand of
q timid female, who, even in the dark
ness and quiet Of the night, go we'll
muffled up in their queer green and red
tunics. These robes, which strike
stranger as being very singular, are q
part of every decent woman's wardrobe,
be she ever so poor. No lady, or wife of
even well-tO-do artisan, will appear on
the street unveiled or unaccompanied by |
an elderly duenna, and II they can afford |
it they only 90 out in the daytime in a
closed chair; but after the curfew has |
sounded and the men have disappeared |
they go about freely. Even then, how
ever, they are yelled in this long gown,
which, supported by the head, hides the
face and the most of the body, leaving |
only an eye to spy out the way and steal
sly chances at the strange foreigner who |
muses. on the loneliness thus concealed. |
Green is the color belonging peculiarly to |
the queen; hence the women choose it for |
their veil-like garment The red sleeves |
arc also a symbol of national loyalty, fol |
these garments are meant in time of war
to be hastily placed upon their brave
husbands, brothers and sons, to be used |
as their outer garment, and the sleeves
are made of red, that the brave defenders
of their homes may wipe their bloody |
swords upon them without making the
CORY traces too noticeable.
TIMID CREATURES.
Though the curfew's call clears the |
streets and leaves their darkness to the |
women alone, yet they seem to be in |
great fear lest they should be seen Of
men, and on the approach Of one of these |
much-feared creatures the prOmenaders |
run together like hens, and try to hide |
their heads beneath each others clothes, |
or gaze intontly on the blank wall of the |
nearest house, under whose caves they |
run as though to get rs far out Of the
reach Of danger as is possible. Some OF
these women are richly dressed, and it is |
therefore great temptation 10 the law
less to waylay and rob them, notwith- |
standing the fact that, in addition to |
violating the law in not obeying the cur |
few call, the punishment for theft is de- |
capitation. At a call from one of these |
distressed women all of the adjoining |
householders must rush out and lend |
their assistance. But for two reasons the |
women will not call If she be person of |
wisdom and forethought The first rea-
son is these robbers are known TO carry |
long, sharp swords, which they weld |
with unerring skill and the strength Of |
desperation, knowing as they do that |
capture means death and murder is their |
only escape.
The second reason is more powerful |
than the first in that it touches what is |
more dear to woman than life, be she of |
whatever nation. Society with her is so |
constituted that to be detected in COM
pany with q strange man, be he even a |
robber in the act of stealing her jewels, |
is q disgrace worse than the loss Of her |
muCh-priZed ornaments; so that rather |
than call a crowd of witnesses to her dis |
grace she will part with her valuables |
and keep quiet, eXcuSing their loss to her |
husband or master as best she may. |
There are certain festival occasions when |
the curfew regulations are set aside, |
and then all mingle freely in the festivi-
ties under the light Of the moon. Even |
then, however, the women who appear |
remain securely veiled.-COrea Cor. San |
Francisco Chronicle.
Wy Geronimo Was Afraid.
Uncle S..m-Under what terms did you |
surrender, GeronimO-l only asked o |
free pass TO Florida "Ho! no! You |
IL,