The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-13

LIS Yankee ways.
The Buffalo Courier says it's private
Pekn wire brings an interesting account
of the audience which the dowager em-
press gave to Ii Hung Change last week
on his arrival IN the Celestial city. The
viceroy, approaching the effulgent pre-
serve of the throne on his hands and
knees, lightly brushed the dust from her
majesty's diminutive sandals with his lips
and, rising to a kneeling posture, asked:
Glow old are"
The absent-minded earl did not check
himself in time, and his face grew ashy
pale as the eyes of the dowager empress
transfixed him. The courtiers held their
breath, and few who hated Ii sniggered
in their ample sleeves.
What nonsense is this, LIP" asked the
empress. How dare you ask how old l
am? You have my birdthday book haven t
your
Pardon, pardon. o Light of ASIA
cried Ii. For the moment I thought
was addressing Victoria of England"
well, that was stupid Of you, I'm sure, -
said the empress, drumming impatiently
on the arms of the throne. 81 hope you
don't think l look like that dowdy old
trump"
the last thing in the way Of royalty that
l forgot where 1 was att
Where you were what?"
"At. That's an Americanism, you know.
Say, you ought to go to America. IT
knocks the eye out of any country
travelled through"
rs that an Americanism, too, that OPP
teal observation"
Sure. Say, you can talk any old way In
America and it goes. See? All you want is
thoughts, and you can let your mouth
make just the language it likes to fit the
thoughts It's out of sight when you get
onto it. But talking about America, if you
go there itll kill you dead to
There was a shrek from the dowager
empress. Guards! Guards!' she cried.
"Oh, what will? What will?"
"What'n what?" asked Ii, petulantly.
"What'll kill me dead?' And the dowageI
empress shuddered.
Ii uttered blood-curdling American
| oath under his breath. Then aloud he said
Nothing would, / guess. / simply meant
that you would be amazed to see the tall
| buildings in America-twenty stories high
ten times as high as your majesty's imper-
| ial palace. There's not a pagoda in all
| China half as high as the highest of these. y
The dowager narrowed her eyelids and
| smiled superciliously. I'VE always hello
! you in high esteem as liar, Lii" said she
! but you seem to have added to your ac'
complishments during your sojourn in for
eign parts. What'll you take"
"Oh, any old thing
whats that?"
Pardon again, o daughter of heaven.
meant that left the matter to your un'
paralleled self. But if be commanded tc
| choose, let it be a gin rickey."
what in the name Of all that's celestial
is that?"
ITS hot stuff. o empress; a. new drink
| -, A statesman
10 Feng Luh can mix it to your sacred
majesty's exalted taste, to say nothing o.
| my humble and wretched one"
Lo Feng Luh retreated backward out o.
| the presence to mix the gin hickey, and l.
| continued: "Your omnivorous-I mean ON
niscient majesty may doubt me when
speak of the tall buildings of America, bu
even they are not so amazing as the eleva
tors in them. 1 had heard tell OF these
machines. but experience of them surpass
| es the widest preconception. They are ou
| of sight"
"There you go dropping into America
again. Let's see, how is it you say 1t? on
| yes Ttll kill you dead If you don't cure
yourself of that habit
THAT isn't just the way they use it In
| America" said Lii You ought to make
it more hgurative, so to speak.
"Well, 1 didn't mean it in fgurativt
sense at all. Ii. meant is literally
| Please to bear that in mind. An, tnere'
10 with the drinks. What do you call m
ricketts?"
"Rickeys; gin rickeys. Here's to you c
light of Asia, flower of the sun, daughter
| of the gods, and so forth; and to America
and to Mr. Hickey Down you go! May
you live long and pro-wugh-br-r-r-"
The heads of the dowager empress and
Ii were tipped back, and were only tipped
forward again when the glasses wert
drained. The dowager empress thoughs
! fully smacked her lips, and looked critical
ly into the glass.
"Well," said L. "it's great. isn't 1T"
Il don't think" said the dowager en-
press. A wild burst of laughter broke
from the lips of Ii Hung Chang. FL
doubled up on the floor and rolled mirth
| fully at the feet of the dowager EN-
| press. She with wrathful eyes bent upcr
him, commanded him to speak. Are you
mad she cried.
L don't think shrieked Lii, and ROLLED
again in eonvulsive merriment, I dom
think That's too good. Why, that's ar
awful Americanism?
81 was about to say, when You inter
rupted me-" snapped the dowager EN-
press. that I don't think l like your
friend Mr.. Rickeys drink"
oh" said Ii.
Eyes. Oh You've got into too free
way of interrupting and doing the talk
ing yourself, Ii. You are banished from
our presence for thirty days"
And that is why and how Ii Hung
Chang is in disgrace for disregarding the
formalities in the dowager empress pal
ace.
On the Raging Canawl.