Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-08-19
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the true 0tUGy Vi tlIS WOQ18u WHO u
1t the head Of the Chinese empire and
who has just summoned Ii Hung
Chang back to power II OF extraordi-
nary Significance. as well a. interest.
Il has been told how. disappointed with
her sons weak and characterless rule,
ne has again taken into her own
hands, openly. the reins Of power which
she has held In truth for q generation.
Tkis monarch. who Is comparable to
Eatharine Of Russia IN her sagacity
and shrewdness and judicial wisdom,
was once a slave. When she was IT.
tie girl she was sold by her father ia
be slave In the family Of Z viceroy In
q remote province Of China. Her
father was Of Tartar blood and-cne Of
those who could read. ana would NOT
have thought OF selling his child, al
though she was nothing but 4 girl
but as the family had become destitute
in n rebellion the little girl OF II sug-
gested this means Of getting bread for
her mother and little brother and her
father, the little brother who, long af-
ter, she sought out and made rich and
powerful. Tuen served the viceroy'a
wife and mother-ln-law and was
taught spinning and other useful arta
by their maids. When she was ~ she
embroidered a beautiful tunic for the
viceroy, and he was 10 delighted With
1t that he offered the little slave what
ever she wished most. Then Taen fell
on her knees and declared i1er hearts
desire. She wanted to learn 70 read
like her father! It was most extra
ordinary request. The viceroy told her
that girls could not learn such 4 thing,
but Tuen told him she was mot to
blame that the gods had made her 4
girl and she could not help longing to
know how to read. 30 her master had
her taught, and his own daughter dy-
ing after time. she was adopted a. Z
daughter of the house and given beau
tiful clothes as well as lessons. Later
the viceroy received some political hon.
or from the Emperor Of China. and be-
ing DESTROYS to give him q beautiful
and worthy present in token Of &C
Acknowledgement he followed the art~
less 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 devei-
oped beyond that Of most Chinese
women. The favorite slave Of the EN-
peror Of China became the favorite
wife. and when the empress 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 ring to a young lad
who saved a man from drowning in the
river. She had promised the ring to
anyone who would save the drowning
man. The youth to whom she gave
the ring had a bright, intelligent face.
He was a 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
is about twenty four. the en-
press is sixty. Bishop Galloway says
that her birthday was to;have been eel
ebratedswish great ponspI but the Chi
nese-Jananese war prevented. . He
says truly that 1t is significant that in
China. where women are at q dis
count, are secluded and kept In igno-
rance. are protested agaansutat birth
and regarded as a calAanity inpy youth,
the ruling spirit in all national affairs
is woman" In "Tuen, Slave and
Empress" by Katharine Nelson, her
story is told and the tale closes with
the history OF a gift made to her at the
time OF her encouragement after the
Japanese war. She was alone, a little
distance from all others, in one Of the
beautiful gardens of the palace. She
motioned away the kneeling servant
who brought her news Of the gift Of a
teak-box. but he dared to tell her that
it was a strange and unusual gift. for
it had come from the barbarians
who teach the Jesus doctrine inChi-
ma" With her own hand she raised
the lid Of the casket. wondering 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 sill
yer embossed In bamboo designs,
while in ono corner in letters of gold
was the name of the New Testament,
and below was engraved Scriptures
for the Salvation of the World" and
words showing that the gift was from
the Christian women Of China.-Bos-
ton Transcript.