The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-02-26

AbE%@tt ~ ~ A&%<-& " 49, *<1eA
re&zs1 the age OF = years. AancE1a
girls consider it q xreat iavsr 70 h
faken into the palace. ard their fari-
hes regard Il an honor They hare nc
sroassse Ia finding husEssslds d they
ARE permitted 70 cons oct agzirir Bat
while IN the palace th4sr associate
with none tsut the king and his
euraebs.
FayoKsrEs o. nnTskTT-
The eanachs 81 the palacs are the
most influential ssfn Of the conrt.
TheT have been the servants Of the
Chinese emperor a. far back - tie
| ssrse Of Christ, and tney are mentioned
lin the Chinese history rs existing 1000
INC There are $3.50 eunrchs in the
trunersai palaee at Picking according
TO 4 late Report on the subject 10 the
sfats Department, and this report
states that no person NOT Of royal
bIesd has the right TO p0ssesss or en-
pIov cunuchs. IL states that princes
ard Processes OF royal blood, sons
and daughters OF the emperor. may
use 30 eunuehs. but that nepsiews and
Younger sons are restricted TO 10.
Every fifth year each Of certain princes
Of China IL required to furnish for the
use Of the palace eight young eunuchs,
and these princes are paid about 500
apiece fos them. The n lama priests
who supply the spiritual warts Of the
ladies' OF the imperial house
hold are eunuehs. and the
two or three thousand men
81 this class In the palace are divided
/ into s. departments They have each
their duties, and those Of the ordinary
rank receive from 81 10 si2 per month.
They make more OF course, by their
per cenfage on the sales made 10 the
palace, and some of them, through Of
/ flciai favor, grow quite wealthy.
! This Is especially 50 70 the favorltes
OF the empress tlowager and the lead
| ing ladies. One OF the eunHchs OF the
court grew angry week ~ 40 ago be-
cause wealthy Chlnanat.s who lived
not far from the palace walls. had sent
up d sky-rocket. the shaft OF which
happened 10 fall In bis yard. He con-
cluded 70 be revenged, and taking the
empress to the top Of her palace, be
showed her this mans residence and
told her she ought TO have Il for a Ger
tain purpose, He persuaded her that
he was right, and as the emperor and
empress are supposed TO own all China.
notice was sent TO this Chinaman
that he must raise Immediately an
enormous sum Of money or his place
would be confscated by the empress.
He could not raise the money. He did
not want TO give up his palace, and in
his despair he hanged himself. This
was about three weeks ago.
The empress dowagef, who, not
wilhssanding the boy emperor has as
cended the throne. still remains EN-
press regent, is one OF the most re-
markabIe women in Chinese history.
She has ruled China for 25 years, and
she became empress regent in connec-
ton with the eastern empress in 1851,
when the emperor Hen Feng died.
leaving two wives. The eastern EN-
press died six years ago, and there
was at this time great excitement In
Picking because il was thought that
the western empress, or this noted
Lay, who was the real ruler OF China,
was sick. The most noted doctors OF
China were called to court. Their
medicines awaited nothing, and they
visited DIR. Dudge0n, an eminent Scot
fish practitioner OF Picking, and asked
him for some medicine and advice.
Dudgeon replied that II the empress
wanted his services she could call him
in, but that he did not intend TO risk
advice and medicine ~ second hand.
The result was the eastern empress
died and the present empress dowager
ruled. During the last sickness of the
empress she could for long time take
only milk, and ii took GO wet nurses TO
keep her alive. The present empress
regent is now over SO, and she Is said
TO lie well formed and dignified. She
combs her hair, am told, in the but
/ terfiy fashion common 20 the Man
chus, having horns six inches long at
the hack of her head, and she fastens
| IL with gold hairpin. She is rather
/ independent in thought and does as
she pleases, regardless OF Chinese ETH
quette. she is said TO practice archery
inside the walls OF the palace. and she
il reported as having taken lessons IN
boxing from IA old eunuch. Minister
DENLY tells rue that she stig.es and
understands ell subjects committed to
her. and that she is very industrious.
He thinks she win 90 down TO history
as one OF the great rulers OF the world,
and says that through her China has
attained its presesst high position
among the nations.
HIS MAJESTY is LIKE MOST BOYS.
The boy emueror of China is now IL
years ois.. He is q slender. yellow
faced. almond eyed. black-aueued.
young Tartar. who. / am told, has all
the .isticts Of the ordinary boy, and
WHO likes fun as well as any boy
s.saaong his subjects. A few days ago
4 he went out 10 visit some small steam
launches. aud 80 the horror of his
eunachs. rushed past shom and down
/ into the engine room. He here found
a eoalie with a dirty handkerchief
around his head, oiling the machin-
ery. He asked him his nationality
and the coolie replied that be was a
Chinaman, a reply that was very
pleasing 10 the em peror. Ii Is said that
his majesty IS not very good student
and that he has petulant disposition.
he is variable in his tastes. and IL may
be on this account that the empress
regent still holds the position as royal
adviser. He viii have. however, un-
limited power in short time, and il
depends ON him whether China shali
follow Japan in the march OF civiliza.
ton or not. The empress regent has
ntSn one Q{ the MOST ttIOEfE-Saff
thinkers among the Chinese. and con.
sidcring the isolation Of China IL seems
strange To record that in short time
these palaces viii be lighted with GOO
electric lights, and that the emperor
viii eat his breakfast with ivory chop
sticks tipped with gold under the rays
OF electricity.
His majesty rises aboss; O'Clock in
the morning. as ! am told by his tn
tor. He tastes light breakfast at
about 30 and by is ready for work
lie receives his ministers AZ 1, ; or q
O'Clock, and II Is at this time that he
usually starts out 10 perform his holy
duties. He has his second breakfast
az II aud he dimes later In the day.
going Ia bed very early. His favorise
dishes are unknown 10 hiss subjects
bat the Chinese books state that there
shall be daily placed before him 80
pounds of meat in basin and seven
pounds boiled into soap. He has
the daily allowance Of more
than pound os hog's fat
and butter. and be has also two
sheep, two fowl< and two ducks, the
milk of "a COWS and IS parcels OF tea.
The empress receives tae milk OF -
cews, 10 parcels of tea, II pounds of
meat ia piatteTs and Is pounds boiled
With vegetables. She has one fews
! and one duck and IL xsaRih seem that