People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1899-03-07
Visit to Foreign Legations,

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Mrs Lizzie Griffin of this city, has
received the following entertaining
letter from Mrs. Mary E. Bntkin,
formerly Of Wellington, descriptive of
a visit to the Chinese, English and
Russian legations at Washington,
DEL
Although so busy visiting the differ.
ent places of interest, | must stop and
write you a few lines. Last
Friday we went to the Chinese lega-
tion. 1t was very interesting call.
Mr.. WI Ting Fang is the pane Of the
Chinese minister, and his wife is called
Madame WI. They occupy a house,
the architectural features OF which
are the finest Of any 10 the city. Mrs.
Scott, a resident OF Washington,
DC, accompanied US and she told G>
so much about the place. Mr.. Frank
Snyder, the architect, built the house
for his home and then left it. think
the Chinese have only occupied it d
year or two.
The Chinese minister receives with
nis wife, and / don't suppose there
is another as popular resort 10 the
city as the Chinese legation. Nine
hundred persons called the day we
were there. We took Frances Willard
and Paul. Paul said: II spoke to
the little Chinese boy, but it did not
speak to me-" This little boy is len
years old. We saw two other boy of
the family. The minister speaks
English quite fluently and his wife is
learning rapidly. He says she would
learn more rapidly but she won't talk
English TO him. They enjoy society
exceedingly and are quite popular.
They dress in Chinese costumes Of
fine silk and seem to have quite a
variety. Madame WI wears a great
deal of jewelry. Her hair was pasted
close to her head. Her small feet were
incaSed in very handsome high heeled
slippers. OF course she sits in receiv-
ing.
We first entered the middle room, to
the right OF which was parlOr quite
American in appearance. Here we
were presented to the minister and
wife. They paid especial attention to
Paul and Frances Willard, asking
their names and ages. In the next
room we found some Chinese pictures,
one Of the minister, in oil; also some
vases and embroidery from China.
The next room was small reception
room with a mosaic floor, a pretty
table and few chairs. A large book.
case in the wall contained Chinese
books whose titles could be plainly
read through the glass doors If one
understood the Chinese language.
We next stepped into tie dining
room. l suppose this room is forty
feet long by thirty feet wide. On one
side is gallery for the orchestra.
Two more little reception rooms open
from the dining room, which would be
quite dreary were it not for the bril-
liant electric lights. 1t has no win
dows and the only daylight it receives
Is that which comes from the four
adjoining rooms. The floor is waxed.
Around the walls extends magnif.
cent bronze frieze about two feet in
width. A table and chairs are the
only furnishings of this room. ] have
an idea this is now the ball room a.
there was no side board and only a
small table, before which we all stood
and waited eagerly for u drink of that
most delicious Chinese tea. 1t was
served by an American lady. 1t was,
decidedly, the best tea | ever drank.
One lady liked it so well she thought
she would buy pound to take home,
so when she was ready to start she