The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-21

mans life and is thenceforth shut up
with her elder sisters, If she has them, or
alone If she is so unfortunate az to be an
only daughter-never to be seen Of men
until she is married, to a stranger whom
her parents have selected.
Even then her habits are not greatly
changed, for in her husbands home she re-
mains in strict seclusion from the outer
world of men and women, though she lives
to the age of 100. But Minister Ye is a
progressive man, who entertains opinions
as novel in his own country as the first
new woman was In this-and he has
wisely decided while in Rome to do as the
Romans as nearly as he can. so the
American social code, with considerable
modification, has been adopted at the kor-
can legation and Madame Ye has her
day at home, Wednesday, and goes into
society constantly with her husband; and
stranger stiu, she sits at the table with
her husband and all the gentlemen of the
lesation-an ohense which erstwhile in
the Hermit Land would have been con-
sidered bow-stringable, to coin brand
new word. They have discovered that
American families sit at meat together,
and now all the members of the legation
surround the table, Minister Ye presiding
at the head and madame at the foot. Fan
cy the astonishment that would create in
the illustrious family of Ye at home,
could they witness such going on When
the ambassadors wife receives her guests
in the legation, she often wears gown of
neaVy blue silk which somewhat resem-
bles the make up of what we call the
Empire" style. But for foreigners 1t is
unsurpassed While the round full skirt
sleeves are vivid scarlet; and on her head
is a little black cap, from the back of
which hang two long streamers, or silken
sashes, on which are fastened bits of jade
and coral denoting the Wearers rank. The
fullness of the skirt too, in the costumes
of both Minister and Mrs Ye, indicate
their high degree-for in Korea, the fuller
the skirt and the more petticoats under It,,
the higher the rank of the Wearer. The
remained at home to look after the ances-
trial estates The little son here is named
Chin We Ye and is a bright little laddie
who is rapidly mastering the intricacies of
our language. He attends kindergarten,
and is also being taught English and
Chinese by tutor in the legation. He
wears his hair In the style of all youthful
Koreans, since the days of Confuclus-
parted in the middle and drawn down over
the ears into braids behind, something as
American ladies Wore their hair before the
"shingled;" and if in his own country
when engaged to be married, he will sig
nalize that important event by DOMINIC a
yellow straw hat, which he will never
leave off-at least by day-until with mat
rimony he falls heir to transparent
horse-hair tile, such as distinguishes his
tall parent and other grown up Koreans.
There are several able diplomats in the
legation. The two secretaries, Bong Sum
PAX and Ton E Ye were both here during
Mr.. SOhs regime and rendered such eX-
cellent service that they have lately been
granted the honorable title of Yung Gam,
which is equivalent TO the rank of Baron
and entities them to wear 1.-The piastron
bearing two cranes. Among the attaches
is Mr.. Koi Sok We and Mr. Foster Jen-
nings. The former is an elderly gentle
man. and a very eminent scholar, Versed
Fin the classics of ConfuciuS and Buddha
and the long cycles of his country's his
tory. His writings in Chinese characters
stand out on the Korean paper, (Which Is
made from the bark of a tree like steel
cuts, and he executes il with lightning ra-
pidity. Mr.. jennings Is the English inter-
prefer who has given such good ssNA fac
ton TO his employers that the king OF Ko-
rea lately conferred upon him the degree
of Shok u. Shan, and sent him the stun
ming green silk robe and tall hat which his
rank entities him to wear, together with
the decoration of one crane. For more than
1900 years Korea has had a sort of civil
service similar to our new system, which
includes competitive examination for
minor civil positions. Even so was 1t
written by CONTIGUOUS himself in the Book
| of Rites which is the answering law of
| the nation Taken all in ALL there is no
more curious place in Washington than
| the house of the unpretentious exterior on
| Iowa Circle, where these people live. The
Koreans are d remarkable race of skilled
worlImen, whose long yellow fingers seem
| endOWned with inventive genius. Their
| Siiken fabrics surpass in hnenesS and ar
| tistic beauty of pattern the rarest pro-
| auctions of China and Japan. Their pot
| terry and bronze and lacqueF-Work are also
| speaking of Buddhism and Confucianism
| and oriental mythology from the morning
| twilight of time. One sees the legends re-
| produced in the carvings of the Lakewood
| furniture, the bronze lamps and rare table
service, the embroidered hangingS and
| rugs, and everything in the legation, Nine
| We is herself q tireleSS needle woman, do
! ing endless storks and gods and grotesque
figures on silk and satin. She makes her
| own gowns, too. and those of the little
| We Ye; and IL is said that she even fash
| ions some of the ambassadors clothes-for
| in all this (to them) heather country there
| is no Korean tailor.