The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-06
Ii AS A WOMAN SAW HIM.
THE GREAT MANDARIN UN1ENDs
AND CHATS AWAY MERRILY.

CriticIses Her Foot and Presents
Her With His Photograph.
From the New York Sun.
| On Wednesday afternoon at 6 o'clock I
entered the Waldorf with the determina-
ton of seeing and talking with his ex-
cellency Ii Hung Chang. I am the for
tunate possessor Of a quaint Chinese ring
my only "open sesame" unto his august
presence Denned these lines on the
back of my card;
Miss D., from Georgia, begs that his
excellency will grant her his valuable ad-
vice concerning a hand-carved Chinese
ring"
The messenger returned. Earl Ii never
read notes sent him in that way. Dr.
| Mark regretted that the ambassadors
finger panied him to such an extent that
he had refused to see any one that even
ing. Would not Or. Mark see me? He
regretted 10 refuse but he was dining
| Possibly, however. DR.. Irwin would meet
me. A note similar to the first two was
sent the English physician. DR.. Irwin
was in, the desk clerk told several anx-
ious women at once, waving us toward
parlor that DR.. Irwin was just then en-
tering. We made a rush.
1 approached a distinguished looking
| curly-headed, elderly man of dimples, ac-
companyins the doctor. Was he DR.. r.
vim of the ambassadors suite? No, but it
was a natural mistake, he was the tall
| doctors friend, and would introduce me
in moment. I unburdened to the doc
tors friend. Couldn't he manage a meet
ing with the earl for me? Well, scarcely,
but the doctor who had attended Ii for
| nineteen years could effect it at once if
he saw At.
DR.. Irwin disengaged himself from the
other anxious women only to encounter a
repetition of the prayer to meet Li-frorn
myself. the friend seconding. DR.. Irwin was
dignihed, unbendng, grave. The serious
undertaking must be Abandoned he was
genuinely sorry of the impossibility of
permitting a moments meeting. But L
must see some one who would ask my i'm
portant question of the ambassador. To
whom should / apply2 With hesitation DR..
Irwin counselled me to write Col Edwin
b. Drew of the Chinese customs service
He might consent to disturb Earl Ii My
appeal 10 Col. Drew was rewarded with
the following note:
Mr. Drew regrets that it will be abso-
lutely impossible for him to arrange for
Miss D. to see the viceroy. He is now
dining, and will see no one else tonight"
When l read this the stout man of dim
pies came to know my fate. He guaranteed
that l should obtain at least view of Ii
Hung Chang if l returned next morning
at 6. He lived at the Waldorf and would
secure me a vantage point. Just then a
messenger came hurrying up. DIR. Mark
had consented to speak with me. A youth
ful Chinaman in purplue blue gown tripp-
ed toward me. Was / the lady D. from
the south? He signalled that follow him
| into the parlor Well, what must / see his
! excellency about? Oh, yes, that ring, yes,
come. He was smiling, unofficial, unstud-
| led.
We hurried into the elevator then down
the long turning hall past elegantly ROBBED
| Chinese, who stood in rows to prevent any
would-be intruder approaching even the
| outre walls of LIS private apartments.
| The Oriental hangings, the gorgeous APP
| pointments and many foreign faces, al
most frightened me, and | inYoluntarily
| exclaimed: ''Ohl how very many China
men," My merry guide laughingy assur-
ed me that they would not shoot; not to
/ be afraid.
The last portiere parted for us, and we
| entered the presence of his excellency Ii
| Hung Chang. He was resting in mod
ern armchair. his feet perched high on a
| stool He had discarded his black silk
/
| dressing-goWn robe of crimson plush,
! Tapped at the shoulder with two hand
some gold buttons. The loose sleeves fell
back, occasionally revealing flannel ribbed
undervest sleeves, rolled neatly at the
wrist, as any New Workers. would be. His
finger nails were remarkable for their per-
feet shape They are beautifully kept and
unusually long He has few lines in his
| face His complexion, with a faint clear
color in the cheeks, reveals robust health.
His wounded finger was tied up in fuzzy
little rag. His eXcellency half rose from
his chair, extending his hand in the most
| affable manner as / bowed. j grasped the
hand gingerly, as I dreaded immediate
Punishment for hurting the swollen finger.
Ii ordered a chair put close in front of
him, and our conversation of forty-five
minutes was opened by the happy old Chi
| naman
LII studied me as a freak, ordained for
his especial amusement. He waived any
and all questions of a sensible nature. To
my repeated inquiries as to his serious
opinions OF American women and many
other topics he merely smiled blandly, and
replied with innumerable questions of his
own. He was bent on being amused. There
were six or eight Chinese standing around,
all grinning, regarding me as a rare joke.
We were not disturbed by the presence of
any American.
His excellency, nodding often, chat
tered-quite as II / understood-that he
had been curious to meet type of our
far south, near that land of fiowers-ah!
called Florida-Florida water--and did /
USE that? IL smelled good. How long
had been in the big New York? How
far was Georgia? Had travelled by land,
day or several days journey? AS DR..
Mark enlightened him on these topics he
gazed interestedly at me with friendly
little hobs OF his head.
We were then diverted. A hugely fat
Chinaman came up Offering q queer pipe
to the ambassador The crooked stem was
quite yard long. The bowl OF silver was
like tiny Dutch stove; the stem Of gold.
Two other attendants held lighted tapers.
Ii put the pipe to his lips, but seeming
to remember my presence, he waved K
aside. / asked II II were opium.
DR.. Mark vigorously denied that Il was.
Ii bent toward me earnestly; he was OK
cited at my mistake. He asked me to
taste it. But did not smoke Would |
try only pun or two? The pipe was
brought to mo- DR.. Mark, at his dictA-
ton, instructed me in the art, and took
a Few whlffs. This gradhed his excellen-
cy. He urged that smoke the entire pipe.