Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-09

over them, asking that they be delivered
from all diseases and misfortunes for the
next twelve months. They then give them
to the boys, who tear them to pieces to find
the greater the efficacy of the charm The
Coreans consider nine to be a lucky num-
Der. and they have all kinds of rain
prophets and dream signs.
Corcan Children.
I found many boys in this big COrean
monastery. They were studying to be
priests, and the chief priest took four of
them and posed them, in order that might
have their pictures taken. They were
bright little fellows, and they went over
the prayers of Buddha quite glibly. not
knowing what they mean. The children
form one of the most interesting features
of Corea. They are bright and good natur-
cd. and very polite. They tagged at my
heels wherever 1 Went and gave the chief
amusing features of the whole trip. In the
summer children ur6er six wear little more
than little jacket, which comes just down
below the aTm-pits. They eat great GUAM
titles of raw turnips and pumpkins, and the
whole of baby Corea may be said 10 be pot
bellied. The children have all kinds of
games, and they delight in The flying of
kites. Their kites are made differently
from ours. They ere square in shape with
Il hole as big around as a tin cup in the
middle. They let out the string by reel.
ard they have kite fights They use great
skill in this amusement, ard two rival
Kites will fight like live things hundreds Of
feet up in the air. Each one CT the fight
ers tries to entangle the other kites, to
break their strings and drag them down to
the ground. The greatest kite flying time
is during the New Year holidays. and the
men, as well as the boys, have their kites
Gambling in COrea.
The Coreans are fond of gambling, but
the laws provide that there shall be no
,le, hnr, only
among the friends of the deceased. This
makes the dead man very popular, and all
who have any claim whatever TO friend
ship or relationship with him appear at the
funeral. The ceremony usually lasts for
days. ard it is kind of cross between an
African hoodoo show and an Irish wake.
COrenn Graves.
Graves in Corea are quite as important
as they are in China. Every family has Its
burying ground and the dead are carried
for miles in order that they may be laid
with their kin. The monuments are usually
round mounds of earth, and the bigger the
man the bigger the mound. A rich man
will often take a whole hill to himself. and
the cemeteries usually located on the
sides of hills. When man dies hired
mourners called in, and these wall
They do this at night in the street in the
front of the door. The funerals of Seoul
have to pass out of certain gates of the
city, and must go through just at dusk.
The result is that they go to the grave
on run. for if they do not arrive there
in time they will have to squat down
and wait till the gates open in the morn
ing. Such funerals are always accompa-
MED by men, and there is dancing and mer-
ry-making on the way. i saw number
during my stay in Seoul. and there seemed
TO be more rejoicing than grief.
My next letter Will be the last on Corea.
1t will describe my trip to the harbor of
Gensiin, whence 1 went to Siberia, aitd
will show some queer unknown features
of the hermit kingdom.
I'll, ANIr q cARpLr N,l,ErIs