Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-21
THE HEART OF FORT TCHEU.

Written for The E~ening Star by E. and H. Heron
Overlooking the blue waters of the China
seas. and. in its turn, overlooked by a
tropical sun. stands an ancient fertilization.
from the summit of which the British flag
lags Iazily in the stiu air. Away to the
rim of sight the shallow swells wash
among many sprinkled islands, where the
dim life of the far east still dreams on I'M
touched by the centuries. 1t is a water
Junk haunted, and where it slips up into
the mainland through long and tortuous
inlets pirates are said to dwell in sun
srnitten Iagoons. Yellow pirates. blue anne
thyst seas. black and unhandy sailing craft,
and occasionally the long smoke-tral OF a
big steamer nearing the end of her run to-
ward the rising sun. The site of the fort
had been chosen by some IOng-forgotten
stIatag ist. It's natural powers Of defense
were remarkable. and good deal of mod
ern masonry engrafted upon these old
world beginnings still lifted an uneven yet
solid front seawards.
Such is Fort Tcheu. viewed close at hand
From tn home standpoint things look
different 1t is no more than an outlying
post Of the empire about which we worry
very little, although feyerish Canton cor
respondents invariably mention 1t III con-
nection with French interests Yet We re-
fuse to believe that the French have COyet-
ed Fort Tcheu for at least a decade Their
gunbOatS and cruisers nose stealthily in
and about the little bay under the fort to
recOUno4ttT. their officers are entertained
by TCheu'S small garrison. and dfterwaTd
Ions reports as to the strength of the bat
teries and Outworks som how find their
way to Paris for the editicati0n of the war
office there. For it happens that a mile or
so to the southwest, and almost out of
sight behind the sheltering ridge, an island.
rooted in with houses its shores frttted
with shipping. lives out its hot, busy life
under British rule. The loot of that island
hive serves as dream 10 the navies of the
world
During certain War scare, not yet grown
gray. French gunDoat of 1000 tens, more
or less drew slowly up out of the SHIN
Eerlug dawn and lay to in the bay; and the
rattle of her anchor chains strucK clear
across the lonely morning water.
The French captain was on the bridge
with his first lieutenant. saZing at the twin
hills. az the right II one Of which the old
fort sat like broken crown
My friend said the captain, short
legged Gaul with pointed beard, We
must not fail Presently we go ashore.
when you will carry the little camera Sir
Ronald Brasil has given me letter Of In
PRODUCTION to Col. Leunard They say NJ.
Re Commandment has daughter He grin
ned significantly at the slender handsome
young fellow beside him. You, Francois,
will engage the attentions Of this young
lady, and by some little ruse of a tender
nature procure for me photographs OF the
defenses we have 20 long desired. TO lin
ger with Tnademolselie the roof after
dinner-how natural. How delightful. You
comprehend?
Lieut.. Francois intimated that he entire
ly understood. He only deprecated the fact
that mademoiselle must inevitably possess
the teeth Of AlbiOn-so large, SO en- evil
dence-
NJ lie Captaine shrugged his shoulders.
a of fARf hllr of
photographs Of the dsfenses, the strength
and position Of the batteries. For his part,
he had met several beautiful Englishwo-
mer-uerc he laughed in suggeS lively
reminiscent manner. For the sake of his
lieutenant he hoped the girl was beautiful;
but. II not, he urged upon Francois that the
ugly ones appreciate fattery all the more.
However. ore would see. To begin with.
Colonel Lennard would be invited to in
SpeCt the LOUp-garou.
Francois remained on deck while the dawn
changed into orange morning; and he re-
Elected that after all in China even an Eng.
HSh miss would help to pass the time be-
sides keeping his hand in for future sue
CeSSeS among the most desirable of his own
country women As ne thought over these
things the chink Of picks from the direction
Of the fort travelled to his ears, and the
sandstone. buckets and brooms 10 clean the
decks in anticipation of an exchange of in.
ternational courtesies.
ened - the fact that a gunboat had com.
up from Tonquin station They had heard
OF the Lgup-sarou and Of her commander
captain Meroringe. before He had beer
recently appointed. and was proportionate
ly fun Of zeal and curiosity.
4 know exactly what We shall all be ex
pected to do. Miss Lennard said to he
father over the breakfast table while tn,
breeze from the Sea famed the prett,
chestnut curls upon her forehead. &c
Through the same stupid program Twt
p esr1 tel IA
invitation to US to visit the ship. and al
the while bowling and compliments for yo,
and Mr.. Cannon"
None for you. Cordelia? That does no
accord with my experience" Colonel Len
nard laughed.
'Oh. Of course. a share for me. too, Ru
don't IKE the French. They are toto,
what shall | call it?-too French in fact
Still. there may be some amusement tn h.
thoughtfully.
Colonel Ilennard put down hfs corrse on,
and wrtnkled his forehead
NO amusement for me. at any rate Tn
iact IS. Cordelia- the French want some
thlng- ihey never come here without rea
son MS time they have brought a Iette
from Sir Robert, and are to have run n
the bay for week while thew ara wsittn,
70 M their bunkers from the next collie
that comes along And that means inas
SAINT bother. I must send for Cannon
Now. 1t happened that AT this period For
Tcheu was credited with possessing a haar
go - Ali1e during the
ously calculated number OF Centuries I, Ia,
frowned from the bare desoiation ~ N,
Wang-Tcheu-Fung ridge. The expIana,in,
Is simple, Miss Lennsrd had appsaraS q
few Of the rare festivities given a1onS -
coast. and some British suhaltern ~ ~,
amorous moment had spoken OF her as ..,b
o heart OF Fort Tcheu-" The epithet c,,,n,
as epithets will. especially since for man,
reasons 1t was considered a peculiarly han
BY Inspiration. r
Miss Lennard helped herself TO rru,
while she listened to the echo of rapid 4sa
ascending the dong flight Of steps benin
the veranda- Il hear some one coming