The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1895-10-26
IN CHINA.
1t Is a Very Peculiar Process-What Some
Letters Show.

eos'.
Letters Show.
Lovemaking in. China must be a
very peculiar process, to say the
least. Some curious specimens Of
letters have come to light regarding
the marriage of the son of the an
Gent family of Tan and a daughter
of the equally old and respectable
house of o.
The following is a literal transla-
ton of the proposal of the young
man:
The ashamed younger brother,
surnamed Tan, named Su, with
washed head, makes obeisance and
writes this letter to the greatly vir
tuous and humble gentleman whose
surname is o, old teacher, great
man, and presents it at the foot of
the gallery. The satin curtains are
enveloped in mist, rejecting the
beauty of the river and hills. In the
fields of the blue gem are planted
willows, close together, arranging
and ditfusing the commencement of
genial influences and consequently
adding to the good of the old year.
Il duly reverence your lofty door.
The guest of the Sue country de-
sends from a good stock. The orr
gin of the female of the Hui country
likewise lis sc too).
Il, the mean one, am ashamed Of
myself, just as rotten wood is in the
presence of aromatic herbs. I now
receive your indulgence, inasmuch
as you have listened to the words Of
the matchmaker and given Miss 81
in marriage to the mean ones eldest
son, named Kang. Your assentint
TO it is worth more to me than /. OOt
pieces of gold.
The marriage business will b,
conducted according to the six rules
of propriety, and l will reverently
announce the business to my ances-
tors, with presents of gems and
silks. l will arrange the things az.
ranged in your baskets, so that all
who tread the threshold of my door
may enjoy them.
From this time forward the two
surnames will be united, and I trust
the union will be a felicitous one and
last for 100 years and realize the de-
lights experienced by the union of
the two countries, Chin and Chin.
Il hope that your honorable be-
n%evolence and consideration will de-
fend me increasingly. At present the
dragon flies in Sin Hal term, the first
month, lucky day. l, Mr.. Su, bow
respectfully. Light before"
On this decoction of the essential
oil of modesty the young Miss O's
father looks with favor, so he re-
spends in a state of still more pro-
foundly polite humility.
1.-The younger brother, surnamed
o, names Tus of the family to be re.
lated by marriage, his head clean,
knocks his head and bows and writes
) this marriage letter in reply to the
far famed and virtuous gentleman
named Tan, the venerable teacher
and great mar who manages this
business.
""Tis matter of congratulation the
union of 100 years. reverence your
lofty gate. The prognostic is good,
also the divination of the lucky bird,
The stars are bright, and the drag.
ons meet together.
I'm every succeeding dynasty Off.
ces will be held, aud for many 6
generation official v..stments will be
worn (not only those of your family
surname will enjoy all the afore
+ mentioned felicity, more especially
, will you, honorable gentleman, who
, possess abilities great and deep
Your manners are dignifie.l and pure
II, the foolish one, am ashamed Of
!, my diminutiveness. I for a long
. time have desired your dragon pow
, ers. Now you have not looked dowl
upon me with contempt, but have
entertained the statement of thu
matchmaker and agree to give Mr.
Kang to be united to my ~despicabl'
f daughter.
a II praise your son, who is like
y fairy horse, who can cross over thu
water and is able to ride upon thu
i wind and waves. But my tiny daugh
a ter is like green willow and a feebl'
plant and is not worthy of becoming
the subject of verse.
Nov l hope your honorable be
nevolence will always remember nj
without end.
Now the dragon flies in the Sill
. Hal term, first month. lucky day
Mr.. Tu makes obeisance. May tn
future be prosperous"
The modesty of the old gentleman
is SO painful that we are almos
4 afraid to guess what may have BEEF
the feelings of Master Tan and Mis-
O.-Exchange.
A Phenomenon of Light.
st is remarkably strange, not to sa
unaccountablc," unused Harold Holding
ton, THAT when l am seated in my smaI
and lonely bachelor apartment the con
bined radiance of three or our great fla
ing gas burners is scarcely sufficient I
dispel the gloom and furnish enough ligt
to enable me to read from the printed pag