The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-08
LI'S YANKEE VA rs.
The True story OF How He Incurred the
Empress's Temporary DispIeasure.
From the Buffalo Courier.

From the Buffalo Courier.
The Courter's private Pekin wire brings an In
teresting account OF the audience which the
Dowager Empress gave to Ii Hung Chang last
week on his arrival in the Celestial City. Tho
viceroy, approaching the effulgent preserve of
the throne on his hands and knees. lightly
brushed the dust from her majesty's diminutive
sandals with his lips, aud. rising to a kneeling
posture, asked: How old aro--?"
The absentmindedE Earl did not check himself
in time. and his face grew ashy pale as the eyes
of tho Dowager Empress transfxed him.. Tho
c~ourtiers held their breath, and q few who
hated Ii sniggered in their ample sleeves.
What nonsense is this. Ii 2' asked tho En-
press. How dare you ask how old am You
Pardon, pardon, o Light of Asia" cried Ii.
For the poment | thought 1 was addressing
Wei. that was stupid Of you. I'm sure" said
the Empress drumming imratiently on the
look ike that dowdy old ffGPppmn p.% 'A'AA !
Goodness, no." said Ii. but she was the
ras' .r sI ' and for an instant uHatI' forgot where sh% 81 I
Where you were what?"
AT. That's an Americanism, you know,
Say. you ought to 20 to America 1t knocks
the eye out of any country travelled
Is that an Americanism. too, that optical OBJ
Am msass; a ssy' Il yo goes. can Seal. .sif 4 Az y Sa want WAN is is
thoughts, and you can let your month mako
It's out of sight when you get onto it. But. talk.
Ing about America, IL you 20 there it'll kill you
There was a shrek from the Dowager EN-
press. "Guards! Guards" she cried. "oh.
"wha.Il XII mo deadF' And the Dowager
under his breath. Then aloud he said: Moth
ing would, l guess: simply meant that you
x%%eTics DC S@aaes Stories ri :f sls sho ten sa' ti Dn..a as Sia n
a !, Ds sSSi mai IN ali CHINA KRalf as high as the thH'i highest sss
superciliousIy. We always held you in high
your ssOjouFn in foreign parts. whatll you
"oh. any old thing"
Pardon again o daughter Of heaven. I
leled self. But II be commanded to choose, let
VIVA in the name of all that's celestial is
TIN" "it's hot stun. o Empress: a new drink lately
Luh can mix it TO your sacred Majesty's ex-
allied taste. to say nothing of my humble and
Lo Feng Luh rctreated backward out of the
presence TO mix the gin rickey, and Ii %contin-
Nsa; 1oar ANN Emm'y ms \. mean omniscient
buildings Of America. but oven they are not 30
amazing as tho elevators in them. | had heard
tell OF these machines, but experience Of them
out OF sight
There you go dropping into America again.
Let's see. how is IL you say il? oh. yes: It'll
kill you dead II you don't cure yourself of that
habit"
That isG't just the way they use II in Ameri-
ca" said Ia; "YoS ought to make it more fig
We'll. l didn't mean 1t in a fRurative sense
at all. Ii. meant It literally. Please to bear
What do you call m ricketts2"
"Rickeys: gin rickeys. Here's to you, o
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
The heads of the DowaRer Empress and LII
were tipped back, and were only tipped forward
again when the glasses were drained. The
Dowager, Empress thoughtfully smacked her
lips; Shd looked CRITICALLY into the glass.
81 don't think-'s said the DowAger Empress.
A wild burst OF laughter broke from the lips OF
Ii Hung Chang. He doubled up on the floor
and rolled mlrthfully ut the feet of the Dowa-
ger Empress. She with wrathful eyes bent upon
mad, /" she cried.
81 don't think shrieked L.. and rolled again
In convulsiye merriment, i don't think That's
too good. Why. that's an awful Americunism!"
me- snapped the Dowager mpress. that /
drink
Yes. ON You've got into too free a way
Of interrnpting and doing tho talking yourself.
days"
And that Is why ana how Ii Hung Chang is in
disgrace for disregardinR the formalities In the
Dowager Empress's palace.