The San Francisco call., 1898-12-11
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lage that he is willing to commit sui eide for a fixed price. Now allowing that I am a wealthy man, and you are my enemy. I can hire this man to Kill himself on your premises.
 T had an enemy in my native town We had quarreled over the administra- tion of justice in a very simple case. I knew I was right and presumed had convinced him that he was wrong. The dispute continued for a year. when fin ally there was a murder done on his property. The victim was one of my family. A feud ensued which was kept up for months until one morning man was found dead at my door with bull let through his head.
 "Of course 1 was asked to explain away the mystery, which I was unable to do My property was immediately confiScated and I was given to under stand that if I could not produce the real culprit within a given time, my life must pay the penalty.
 'So am here in California earning my living with my pen. have no com- plaint to make of the poor people of my province They know no better. They are firm believers in what you call the old Mosaic law, An eye for an eye, and tooth for tooth But l do think my government might have done some thing for my relief. However, God has been very kind to me. l am given all that need to support the body, and 1 can easily bury the nalns of mental starvation in my faith.
 "Yes, I have the privilege of address ing the Emperor direct. I won that honor through passing my last civil ex- animation at Peking in 1890, after hav- ing first passed all the local examina- tions in the province of Kwang Tong. The last degree entitled me to the hon. orable office of Holder of the Seals. This is my official seal. No, I cannot give you an impression of 1t as 1t is against the ethics we are all bound to observe. I am very proud of 1t. of course, and it insdres the safe delivery of my communications to the Emperor in person, which; as you may imagine, is very great advantage.
 "The highbinder wars which are so common in San francisco are prolific of correspondence between the people and our Government, and I believe am the only person in this part of the world who can have letter delivered to the head of the Imperial Govern ment. So you see l am kept pretty busy, and assure you I do all in my power to quiet these worse than silly quarrels between the people, many of which have been carried across the sea. where they have been in state of revolution for more than century No, I scarcely think they will ever be defi- nitely settled. It is one of the evils of paternal form of local government which these simple creatures have hugged to their bosoms, as it were, since the history of man.
 No, I in no way interfere with the labors of the imperi- consulate of this State. They are for the most part wise and honest men who do all in their. power for the poor people they repre- sent. But the Chinese as an individual has long since lost all confidence in his. Government, and never claims even it's protection unless it be the last resort
 "Oh, to be sure we are all delicate on the subject of the Manchu dynasty, but with that subject have nothing to do. Let the bearers of arms settle questions of war" w. c. RUNNER.