Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-28
THE LANOOFMORNlN CALM
Lecture on COrea by Chief Engineer Web
ster. Q n.
PecuIinrities and Habits Of the peo-
tfonnI Geographic society.

The first Of series of popular meetings
auder the auspices Of the National Geo
graphic Society WAS held Friday evening
al the First Congregational Church. A
large and representative gathering was
present.
The subject Of the lecture was the Her
init Nation Corea and the lecturer was
Mr.. Harrie W. Webster. chief engineer.
I. S. y. who. in part. said:
In ancient days roadside inscriptions
read. II YOU meet a foreigner. kill him:
he who lets him go by is a traitor TO his
country For centuries this nation kept
It's doors closed against the outside bar
barjaus, aud Only so recently as Iss2-S2
the wall of sec1usion broken down by that
most cT'crprising of all men. American
naval officer Commodore Y. W. Schufeldt.
In the treaty made about fifteen years
ago between COrea AMI the United States
ii Is stipulated that this treaty and future
official correspondence between the two
contracting powers shall be made. the
part Of Chosen. IN the Chinese language.
The United States shall either use the Chi
HeSe language, or. If English be used II
shall b" accompanied with a Chinese YER
sion, In order to avoid MISUNDERSTANDING
The natives of this singular country call
their kingdom Chosen. The Land of Morn
ing Calm. and. as is the case with every
nation in the world. ascribe TO its people
lllf most remote antiquity Inc pi-St nj
ruler of Corca il a pleasant. amiable man.
and has a great admiration for and conf
dence in the only nation at whose hands he
has received fair treatment. l refer to
America. Il was present al an audience in
the palace in Seoul in October. 1s!J on thu
occasion Of his first attempt at shaking
hands in tho western style. Fetween ia
pan. Russia and his own people the poor
little king is having a pretty hard time in
HIS reign.
C"rran Woman.
The Corcan woman Is generally not very
rruch in evidence. but al the washing place
will always be found a crowd engaged in
The most primitive laundry work. a Co
rtan washcrw0mau's requisites are not
mum, rrus- water. but not too much; p fla
stone and "a hardwood club. 10 soap. INT
plenty Of elbow grease Their clothing has
no buttons. neither did ours when returned
Fl um the wash. Travelling is unassiSted 10y
any form Of rapid transit, but Is Tar from
uncomfortable
Teaching the young idea how 10 shoe.
= one Of The simplest processes in Corea.
All repeat their lessons in a drOnng mono
tone. NiSbchaviur catches II pretty muCl;
as with more advanced people. The old
adage as 10 sTarIns the rod applies in Co
Tea-
The priest essaS of Buddha are fond of
being Photographed and are Of great amia
r.lIty. Their religious duties consist In the
care Of shrines and looking after the affairs
Of their temples. They never marry, and
women are not permitted 10 become priest
csscs until at least twenty-five years old.
Some / saw appeared TO be ten times that
age From the costumes il is not easy TO
tell one sex from the other. The priests
labor in their gardens. pray in their tenn
PIES and attend this sick. a priest Is always
present at a funeral.
throughout Corea and China monu-
nirutS. known as shrines are frequently |
seen. and consist of a huge stone tortoise |
supporting an engraved stone slab. often |
fImrs these slabs are filed with beautiful |