The herald., 1895-10-04
GOSSIP ABOUT
JOHN W. FOSTER, WHOM THE CHINESE
TREATED so WELL
GOSSIP AROIIT

John ". Foster is now the most talked
about man in Washington. He is looked
upon as the most successful diplomatist
this country has produced in genera
tons. The rule is that when an Amer
lean is attracted to the field of diplomacy
he must have fat bank account behind
him and willingness to part with a
good many of his hard earned dollars for
the G DRY of wearing title. Mr. Foster,
on the other hand. has made diplomacy
pay. He has grown rich IN the profess
sion. For ten or twelve years he has en-
joyed an income estimated as averaging
$50, 900 year. and now his success as
di plomatic adviser to the Chinese peace
commission has brought him a small
fortune. Some wild estimates have been
made as to the amount of Mr.. Fosters
honorarium from the Chinese govern
ment. Figures as high as $3.50, 900 have
been named, but have trustworthy in
formation that the actual sum is consid-
erably within 500, 900. Probably it is
$50, 900 or $50, 900 in gold. but in addition
to this Mr.. Foster will receive valuable
presents and decoration from the en-
peror. l asked Mr.. Foster if he would
not satisfy a natural public curiosity con-
corning the reward for his services, and
he replied ut is not necessary the pub
lie should know whether | received
So, OOo $50 900 or $1J0, 600. Reports of
such things are ALWAYS greatly exagger-
ated. 1t is enough for me to say that
the Chinese government treated me
with great liberality."
The first meeting between Mr.. Foster
and Ii Hung Chang, more than a year
ago, was rather interesting. Mr.. Foster
was in China as traveller. Being an Am
erican ex-secretary of state, the viceroy,
who Is also first secretary of state, felt it
n "a
came in great state, riding a gorgeous
yellow sedan chair with a co1tege nearly
mile long after him. He asked MI.
Fotser how old he WAS. what education he
had, what official posts he had held and
if he was rich. Mr.. Foster explained that
he was considered a rather poor man in
America, whereupon Lii Hung Chang ex-
pressed great astonishment.
You have held many offices?'
Eyes, quite number
And you are not Iich?'
"No."
"You have queer country" replied
the vicefoy, II cannot understand you"
After the viceIoy had paid his respects
to Mr.. Foster, the latter, as was natural
with an American. thought OF his wife
and the ladies of his party. One of the
! inter prefers was asked if he thought Ii
would consent to meet Mrs. Foster. mo,
no, that will not do,' replied the official.
The viceroy never receives ladies"
well, we will try it, anyway" said Mr.
Foster. When the viceroy was asked if
| he would meet the ladies he cheerfully
consented, and asked all three of them to
be his guests at a banquet which he was
to give in Mr.. Fosters honor. This was
the first time ladies had ever sat at the
viceroy's table, and all China marveled.
1t was wonderful dinner. There were
twelve courses of Chinese dishes and
twelve of European dishes. The decora-
| tons were gorgeous. A band played Yam
| kee Doodle. Ii sat on a dais, and his
| giant frame lowered over everything and
everybody. He ate with silver-mounted
chopstlcks. A servant stood on either
side of him, and now and then one would
! hold wine glass to LIS lips. Frequent
! ly one of the servants would wipe his
masters face with wet towel while the
other would put a lighted pipe to his
| mouth. holding it there while China s
greatest statesman took two or three
whiffs, and then withdraw.
= Mrs. Foster was littls nervous about
this dinner. She did not mind wearing q
high-necked dress, or being told that de-
collete would be objectionable to the
viceroy and his high official guests, but
she ~ondered how she was to be taken
into the banquet room. Some time be-
fore, it seems, Ii Hung Chang had been
| the guest OF honor at a dinner given by
the Russian am bassador, and being
aIked to take the ambassadors wife to
the dining 1on, proceeded o comply
| with liter mess which sstonished al