The evening bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1887-1905, 1896-05-02

Meanwhile the years passed ON. Misery
increased In the land and riot never ceased
In the palace. Woo Chi Tien remained
still young and beautiful, while those who
tried to initiate her shriveled up and died
In the furnaces of passion.
After 15 years rumor came down from
the bleak hills of Manchuria that there
was up there youth whom the people
called the son of Ly Khan and his wife
Wan tn. Woo Chi Tien knew of the birth
of this child and had given orders to have
1t strangled. The body of a murdered in
FAINT was shown her at the time and she
was content. The story of the young
prince ran, though an effort was made to
suppress 1t through the kingdom, and by
night the people met secretly in the silent
temples and prayed for the coming of one
whom they regarded as a divine deliverer.
Wise even in her reckless dissipation,
Woo Chi had strengthened the army, and
by great favors kept the leaders on her
side. A revolt broke out in Manchuria
under "the imposter," Missile called the
young prince. Woo Chi Tien knew the
Importance Of checking this rebellion at
once. She summoned a great army, and
when the day came for it to march she
mounted O fine horse, and, dressed In
armor and holding aloft the flaming drag
on flag of the Middle Flowery Kingdom,
she rode down the lines of the army, call
ing out:
II am your empress will share your
danger and load you against the impostor
and the rebels Of ManchuriaW
She looked so beautiful and brave that
the whole army was thrilled. And when
she rode at the head as it marched north
even those whom she had so cruelty wrong
ed were filed with O temporary admiration.
The young prince was now over 16, but
life in the mountains had matured him
and Injured him to arms and hardship.
The servant who carried him off the night
Of his birth had with him the proofs of the
child's descent. A secret society was
formed to care for the boy till the time
was ripe to assert his claim.
The march of the empress was rapid
They came up with the rebels in time, and
unwisely on the part of the princes ad-
visers a great battle was rislSed and
fought. Woo Chi Tien was successful
and the rebels were scattered.
The next day young man dressed as
the prince, and with the arms of Ty Khan
on his jewels, was found wandering in the
hills. He declared he was a shepherd but
his dress contradicted that, so he was exc
cuted, and Woo Chi Tien, satisfied that she
had crushed the rebellion and destroyed
dangerous rival, hurried back to the CAPT.
tai
Again night was turned into day and
pleasure ran riot, and tho taxes of the peo-
pie were increased, because " the war it
was claimed.
But the story told by the lad whom Woo
Chi Tien executed was true. The young
prince had become separated from his
companions, and it was the shepherd who
insisted on a change of dress, in the hope
of saving his young master.
Woo Chi Tien enjoyed few more years
of peace and riot. In the meantime the
safety Of the prince was known to his
friends. Secret societies of his adherents
were formed throughout the empire. Gov
errors entered into the conspiracy. The
army was corrupted. Then one day came
when the whole Middle Flowery Kingdom
was in state of rebellion.
Woo Chi Tien was among the first to
realize the danger. The capital had been
strongly fortified and into this she gath
cred the faithful.
A few weeks and under the banners of
Ly Khan the Second, as he was now
called, great army besieged Picking. Aft
er repeated assaults the place was carried
by storm and Woo Chi Tien was seized
just as she was about to end her own life.
1t mars the romance of this story, but
1t Is consistent with Chinese methods to
record that Woo Chi Tien and her advisers
were wrapped up in inaammable material
and the night of their capture they were
placed on the walls and, like living
torches, burned to death in sight of the
people they had so wronged
ALFRED r. CALHOUN.