Connecticut western news., 1888-02-08
PEKIN.
A Vivid Pen Picture of the Great
 Chinese City.
Its Dirty Streets, Queer Shops,
 and Emperor's Palace.

When Sir Henry Parkes returned to Pekin he said he had come back to "dust, dirt and disdain;" and most travellers will find this sentence. sweep ing though it may be, rather lacking in D's than otherwise. However much Pekin may be d,scribcl, it's condition would sail! remain incoaceivable 10, those who have not seen it; all the filth thrown into the roadw,y-.-a mixture of mud and abominatlons, in the ruts in which the springlcss cart wheels are forever sticking! You get along Curio strcet---supposcd by some people to be the most beautiful in China--by walking along the little bits of crumbling ground in front of each shop, and then swinging yourself around tn, wooden pillar that supports the roof. so as to avoid getting soilcd by the quagmire below. The shop fronts are of wondrous carved wood; highly gildcd signs hang out into the street; wonderful beams with curved ends project across tho roadway, and strings from which dangle red feathers. But I mu say that tho last thing 1 am struck with is the. magnificcnco of the scene. The shops | are pleasant enough. One goes into back parlor, set out like miniature museum; through that courtyard; then an inner sanctum not overcrowded with pretty things, and with plenty of chairs. But the prices of the curios are ex- orbitant; so that one can only be glad that Pekin shopkeepers bow and smile as politely on non-buyors as on custom CTS. Indeed, it is customary for them to send their wares on inspection to the different hou,es day after day. ''Num- Der one thing six dollars" say they. Reply unwarily with ''Half dollar" and it is yours; whereupon you feel sure at once tho thing is no real curio at all and worth nothing. This bargaining is great amusement each day after break fast. Pekin furs are lovely, and there are lovely white feather like Thibetan shecpskins, rcd backed Mong olian squir- rels, and, most fascinating of all, cinna- mon or cream colored fox skins, so soft that they could almost bo passed through the traditional ring.
 | The great sights of Pekin are behind closed gates at present. Sometimes some are open; others never. We go to tho clock tower; wattle fence is hur- riedly erected across the opening as we approach. We go to the examination hall-sometimes open, but shut today. Of course you can go again, if you liked the smells last time. It is adjoining tho observatory; where the carved bronze supports of the instruments weird dragons chained to mountains lest they should escape, redundant foliage, etc. c.-dcserve to bo one of the wonders of the world. am glad to have seen them; Ishou!d like to see them again. But, oh dear! the smells! and the man with loathsome sores and tho hideous voice, who wants to try gentlemen's cigars for them and to touch ladies dresses, who fights with strangers for a larger tip when he has moro than enough already. That man is of piece with Pekin.
 The outside of tho emperor's palace all that any European has ever seen of it since tho days of Marco Polo-is ideal
 fairy palace. High walls shut in the forbidden city; moat surrounds
 them; and then there are the glistcning yellow tiles, the roofs built by tho old Mongols in imitation of their tents. Then there is the green hill with its trees, and palace roofs climbing up it
 The entrances arc of deep blue, bright green, golden dragoned, with here and there touch of vermilion. The sky is
 blue above, the sun shines, and there in
 the road way sits child stark naked, its face so dirty that it is impossible to see what it is like, its head misshapon
 with disease. No wonder the present emperor never cares to come outside, and is supposed never to have done so The world inside must be far more de- lightful, if it matches with those glitter ing fairy roofs. s.-[St James Budget