The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-08-17

Once a Slave Girl, She Controls an
Empire Now.

AHS tiur StoIy Oh lne NOHldu NhV 10
at the head of the Chinese empire. and
who has just summoned Ii Hung
Chang back TO power, is of extraordi-
nary significance. as well as interest.
II has been told how. disappointed with
her sons weak, and characterless rule.
she has again taken into her own
hands. openly the reins of power which
she has held In truth for generation.
This monarch, who is comparable to
Catharine OF Russia in her sagacity
and shrewdness and judicial wisdom.
was once a slave. When she was lit
tie girl she was sold by her father 10 be
slave In the family of a viceroy I'm a
remote province OF China. Her father
was OF Tartar blood, and one OF those
who could read, and would not have
thought or selling his child, aithoush
she was nothing but a girl" but as
the family had become destitute in a
rebellion, the little girl of ii suggested
this means OF getting bread for her
mother and little brother and her
father, the little brother, who long after
she sought out and made rich and pow
erful. Tyen served the viceroy's wifi, wife
spinning apd other useful arts by their
maids. When she was II she embroi-
dered a beautiful tunic for the viceroy,
and he was so delighted with II that he
offered the little slave whatever she
wished most Then Tuen fell on her
knees and declared her hearts desire.
She wanted to learn TO read like her
father! III was a most extraordinary
request. The viceroy told her that girls
could not learn such thing. but Tuen
told him she was not to blame that the
gods had made her a girl, and she
could not help longing to know how to
read. SO her master had her taught,
and his own daughter dying after
time she was adopted as a daughter OF
the house and given beautiful clothes
as well as lessons. Later the viceroy
received some political honor from the
emperor Of China. and being desirous to
give him beautiful and worthy pres
ent in token of acknowledgment he fol-
lowed the artless Oriental custom and
sent Tuen to Pekin. The girls feet
had never been bound of course, and
she could walk upon them. and her
mind was developed beyond that of
most Chinese women. The favorite
slave of the emperor OF China bece.sie
the favorite wife. and when the en-
press consort died she became empress
OF China. On the journey by river to
Pekin, with servants sent with her by
the viceroy. she had given a ring to a
drowning in the river. She had prom
ised the ring to any one who would
save the drowning man. The youth to
whom she gave the ring had bright.
Intelligent face; he was sailor in the
coarse clothes Of the lower class. That
was Ii Hung Chang.
During her sons minority Tuen was
regent. and now as empress dowager
she again assumes command. The en-
peror is about "a. the empress is so.
Bishop Galloway says that her birth
day was to have been celebrated with
great pomp, but the Chinese-Japanese
war prevented. He says truly that 1t
is significant that in China, where
women are at discount, are secluded
and kept In Ignorance, are protested
against at birth, and regarded as a
calamity In youth, the ruling spirit i'm
all national affairs is a woman In
''Tuen. Slave and Empress" by Katha-
rine Nelson. her story is told, and the
tale closes with the history of a gift
made to her at the time Of her dis
couragement after the Japanese war.
all others I'm one of the beautiful gar
dens Of the palace. She motioned away
the kneeling servant who brought her
news of the gift OF teak box, but he
dared to tell her that it was strange
and unusual gift, for 1t had come from
the barbarians who teach the Jesus
doctrine in China" With her own
hand she raised the lid of this casket.
what jewel or article of
priceless value these strangers had
sent her. while the ladies of the court
peeped eagerly over. But what she
saw when the lid fell back was a book.
whose covers were of silver embossed
in bamboo designs, while in one corner
In letters of gold was the name of the
Nav oct nd koI&
graved Scriptures for the Salvation
of the World" and words showing that
the gift was from the Christian women
Of China.-Boston Transcript.