The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-03-22
MISSIONARY MApRoMa

Of the Chinsss AGinistsr.
.Did you ever hear the story Of tho
origin Of the series of private balls at
the Chinese Legationp" asked gos-
sipy young diplomat Of tho corre-
spondcnt the other evening. '.NoP
Of course You want to hear II, and I
will tell you. It illustrates beautifully
the enterprise. as we'll as the kind
heartedness Of certain Of your Ameri.
can women. who try SO hard here in
Washington especially to make It
pleasant for the strangers within your
gates, and who are not averse even to
taking up tho heather Chinee, II ho
has money enough to dofray the neces-
sary expense.
swell, 1t seems that wealthy ma
tron, not famous for her beauty, early
In the season wroic to the Chinese
Minister in the name of herself and
nineteen other ladies'. informing him
that they had taken pity Oil his lonely
state and wished to come up to Castle
Stewart aud show him how to enter
tain in tho American style by giving
. few receptions and balls Tho
unsophisticated and semi barbarous
Chinaman. It seems. did not appreci-
ate the delicate consideration under.
lying the proposal Of the twenty mis-
sionary matrons. and was inclined
to snub them for impertiment inter-
lopera H, wanted to answer tina he
had not heard Of any committee un-
dertakihg to show members OF other
Legations how to entertain in the
American style. and, moreover, rs the
Chinese legation was bachelors es-
tablishment, he did not think Qf they
would pardon poor unenlightened
heathen for saying iD that the thing
would be quite proper
'This Is how the unappreciative Chi
naman, who has been in this country
but . couple Of years. desired to an.
swer the note Of the twenty matrons.
But his secretary. who has longer en-
joyed the refining influences of Wash.
ington society. told him that would
not do at all; that the Chinese were
not too popular. as it was. in this coun-
try, and that reply OF the kind the
Minister proposed would not have a
tendency to make them more so. The
secretary advised the Minister to ac-
cept the offer Of the twenty missionary
matrons. and the Minister at last did
80. So the enterprising matron, who
Is not famed for hcr beauty.
and who, 1t seems, does
not ask much assistance from tho
other nineteen NATIONS to whom she
referred in her letter, now goes up to
the big building where dwell the meek
and almond.eyed Celestials once in q
fortnight. or So takes possession.
orders in the decor ators. tells the Min
lister that he may prepare feast and
put plenty Of wine on ice, invites q
hundred or so of her friends to join
her, and whom night oom es they have
q right merry time. undaunted by any
thought of the bills to be paid in tho
morning.
''The poor minister. It is said, does
not even dare to ask to these merry
makings his own friends, and people
who. in other seasons. were nc
customed to be bidden to the Celestial
feasts, now find themselves out In the
cold"
The diplomats story seemed hardly
creditablesS but inquiry In other
quarters seemed to confirm its truth.
Tbs Chinese Minister. 1t is said. made
his immense fortune out of the saw
ings Of his salary as tax-gatherer In a
Chinese province. and he must now
feel that the tables have been CON-
pletely turned on him in this capital Of
the great American nation, and.
worst Of ALL by women. whom the
Orientals regard as playthlngs or
slaves Washington Cor. Waterbury
american.