Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-30

tlon of the emperor. gave it as his opinion
mat hwanS-Hsu would live eight mont rs
at the utmost. This period is now long
past, and though the emperor has not re-
covered, and the idea that he will ever he
IN perfect health again is altogether i'm,
PROBABLE, his condition has not grown ma
terldlly worse. This, at least. is the i'm
preston gained by fore gners who saw hin,
soon after the palace revolution. and again
last summer at the diplomatic receptions
1t is true that all Sacrificial rites ana
other ritual acts, which. otherwise Accord
ing 10 custom, are celebrated by The en-
peror In person, as head Of the Chinese
theocracy, are performed by deputy But
TINS may be done for the sake of economy
as well as for the emDeror's health he
cause a sacrificial festival at which a fuuc-
llohary ofhciates does not cost nearly as
much as II the Son of Heaven appeared
IN person and. on the other hand, the fear
Is removed that Kwang-Hsu may use his
absence from the palace as an opportunity
for flight.
Soon after his oppression on September
= OF last year the emperor ATTEMPTED
night as is now known for the purpose of
seeking the protection Of the British en-
oassy- But this scheme was BETRAYED and
frustrated. While the Chinese amba -sa,i'[r
in England declared that the most cordial
relations existed between aunt and nenhaw
Ihe latter was imprisoned upon a small is
land IN a little lake within the palace
grounds. The stone bridge which connect
ed thls island with the extensive gardens
was destroyed. and a board Of contrNa.ce
"t1S ptVNldeu WHICH Is only nut in plaCa
when a eunuch brings the meas foI 80
Son of Heaven" or when the legal ruler
OF over 4O0,O00.0o0 people is taken away
in litter to participate as a silent fp1Ira
IN some council of state where the edfcts
are framed which declare his best friends
10 De traitors or denounce his reformatory
DEGREES and recall them.
Gradually the delhruned ruler seemed IN
become reconciled to his fate and he was
given quarters in the palace in the center
o. reklhs, near the rooms used by the
9oWager empress, He still lives there I'M
Ger the closest surveillance. When the wo-
men OF the foreign embassies in Picking
were received by the dowager empress. last
month h"ans-Hsu was present as a silent
spectator He occupied a seat of sIa,e
when was placed a little lower than thai
OF his aunt, and as the seven women u,srs
presented he shook the hand of each. sfnil-
ing awkwardly.
During the present year the emperor has
repeatedly received foreign ministers vii h.
out The presence of the dowager empress.
scarcely saying word, VIII befyrv The
coup detat he used to speak quite freely IN
thin. boyish voice. 1t is said that in the
councils Of state he never saws anvtbiny
ana that he declines to participate in any
OF the business transacted. II this is done
out OF spite ii would appear as If his
resigned attitude is only simulated
quite recently the rumor gained circula-
ton that the emperor made another Of
tempt at escape in having himself uJrar,ss5
In blankets and carried from the palace bv
eunuchs who are devoted to him. or rather
We're devoted, because they were later
bastinadoed to death. 1t is also said that
through the medium Of the Japanese am
bassador in Picking he mas PRAYED assist
ance from the Emperor of Japan What
truth there is in these rumors is hard to
say. but the existence Of them leads to the
conclusion that the young emperor is by no
means reconciled to his fate
however, aid must come, If at all from
the outside, for 1t is certain that Kwang-
Hsu has not the requisite energy to HELM
himself. He cannot count upon delivery by
personal followers in China, for loyalty and
devotion are flowers which
do not thrive in the atmosphere of the
Chinese imperial court.