Bismarck weekly tribune., 1889-10-11

be seen behind counters making barga1ns,
and the farmers wives and daughters hoe in
the fields and herd the cattle, or do such other
odd chores us their domestic duties will per-
NIT. Boatmen hold the rudder and their wo-
men WELD the oars. Men gather the grain,
and the women thresh out the grain with
fails as their share in the bread winning pro.
cess
The women are not educated in the schools,
as rule; although many Of them can read
to some extent The men say that a woman
can cook rice, wash shirt or row boat no
better by being educated than without. and
time spent at school is time lost
Women never eat at the same table with
men, and take no part in the amusements Of
the country. Female roles on the stage are
taken, without exception, by men. Nor do
women frequent theatres, not that their
modesty would be shocked by so doing, but
theatres are for amusement, and women do
not need amusing.
Foot binding is one of the most character
isttc fashions among the race, and just when
and how it became first established is not
clearly understood by the natives now living.
It is said that one of the olden time emperors
found among his numerous wives one who
was disposed to sgad around" more than
pleased his fancy, and partly as punish
ment and partly to disable her walking pow
ers he caused her feet to be bound Some Of
her neighbors saw her, and, like the fox with
the tail and trap story, she concluded that 1t
was the proper caper to keep in the fashion as
set in the royal harem, and Immediately
bound her feet Thus the fashion was set,
and one after another followed suit until the
custom was thoroughly established There is
no law regulating this custom other than the
inexorable law Of custom, and now each class
endeavors to show as small foot as the ma
ture of their occupations will admit Many
Of the 400" class are unable to walk except
by the aid of staff or being led by a servant.
The binding is done during infancy when the
bones are pliable, and it is done with a ban
dage skillfully applied in such manner as to
stop the normal growth Of the foot It is ex-
ceedingly painful, but there is no alternative
but for the victim to 'sgrin and bear it,"
The women, as rule, are small, their
growth no doubt being somewhat dwarfed
by the foot binding process The faces are
round and features are smooth, with raven
black hair, teeth pearly white, and the skin
rich olive tint; one sees many really hand
some faces. No bonnets are worn, the head
covering being the rich and abundant growth
of hair, plastered over with grease and orna-
mented with gaudy metal, glass, or stone
ornaments, according to the fancy of the
men or the amount of money they are will
ing to give up for the purpose. The gar
ments are worn on the same patterns as that
Of the men, and cover a..wide range as to
style and fabric, from the coarsest home spun
cottons to the finest and most highly col
ored silks.
There is perhaps more good, honest SYM
pathy uselessy expended by the charitably
inclined women of America on the Chinese
women than upon any other class of sub
jects.
say uselessly expended, for the reason
that it is utterly impossible to change the
status of Chinese women in any way short of
absolute revolution of the entire social and
political system Of the empire. And such
revolutions are not accomplished by argu-
ments or charity, but by swords and bullets;
and these are not the weapons employed in
the case.
So long as China remains the China of the
present and past thousands of years, SO long
will their women occupy the position Of
menials and practical slavery. When Eng
land or the republic or some other powerful
Anglo-Saxon nation wants the territory now
occupied on sufferance by the Mongolians,
then means will be found equal to meet the
requirements Of the conquerors, to do away
with the present state of things and the peo-
pie at the same time. B. N. Ton.