Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-08

the 0iher udS tneS were, piObapIN, tilS
most dminutive specimens of colored ur-
chins that had ever appeared before the
august body known as the grand jury Mr..
Harvey Given, looking back through an ex-
perience of many years, had no recollection
on any former occasion of the appearance
of witnesses young. In his capacity as
an assistant clerk of the Supreme Court Of
the District of Columbia, Mr.. Given is
charged with the duty of administering the
oath to those summoned to testify before
the grand jury
reasonable doubt existed in the mind of
Mr.. Given regarding the competency of the
little fellows to be sworn as witnesses. He
was not quite sure that they clearly under
stood and appreciated the nature of legal
oath. Therefore Mr.. Given assumed the
rCle Of cross-examiner.
do you boys go to Sunday SCHOOL, in
Quired the clerk.
Yes. sir was the prompt reply, in
chorus.
do you know there is heaven?"
Yes sir
And bad place." persisted the clerk.
Yes. sir
THAT is most all free
DO you know what it Is to tell lie?''
ooh. yes. sir
Then" said Mr. Given, greatly encour
aged "of course you know where you
would go if you should tell a lie now?
Indeed we do. declared the lads. Wed
be sent TO the reform school"
The grand jurors smiled as Mr.. Given ad-
Uinistered the oath.
1t is the belief Of well-informed mission
aries in China" said a newspaper corre
spondent. that kuang Hsu, the Chinese
emperor. Is Christian. and that he be-
came converted to the Christian religion
during the reform period in 1898. recent
ly saw the agent at Pekin of the American
Bible Society. He holds to the same opin-
ION as the others. and furnishes ground for
his beliefs. He says that in 1898 the Bible
Society received request from the en-
reror for 40 books. The list sent in
the emperors name. How he had gotten
list of that many was not known, as the
Bible Society did not have over eighty
nine In its possession. They sent that num-
Der to the emperor and received his thanks.
On failing to get all the books he had
asked for the emperor sent some of his
eCnuchs around to the headquarters of the
different missionary societies for copies of
works the Bible Society did not have
Nearly all of the books asked for We're of
religious nature One a life OF
Christ. The emperor also requested
story of Peter the Great of Russia. the
story of Japan great rise in the world and
the work ON the reconstruction of France
after the war with Germany. The requests
were considered significant. Peter the
Great IL will be remembered made a mag
nltcent nation out of rude material.
France rapidly recupera ted from the eff
fects of the German war, and Japan has
made the most marvellous progress in mod
ern times. 1t Is regarded as certain that
the Chinese emperor is coming to a reali-
cation of what he could do and that he
Is trying to see light If he ever gets free
from the surroundings which make him a
ngurehead he may make a mark in the
world
There was a remarkable mix-up in the
corridor of the State, War and Navy De-
partments last week that involved a mes
senser, an electric bell and an assistant
secretary. The assistant secretary in uues-
ton Is an exceedingly able official, but very
deaf and somewhat irascibe. The mes
senger Is a model of devotion to his chief
and thoroughly Injured to his ways. while
the electric bell is just plain electric
bell and nothing more. To understand
the situation thoroughly one must under
stand that the ordinary solid doors to the
Secretary's offices are reinforced on the
outside by Venetian Stat doors which may
be locked from the inside. denying access
to the room although the inner door is still
open.
On the morning in question the electric
bell started with a few short sharp rat
ties to call the messenger. Then the STAG
cato rings grew into a long roll as though
drummer were endeavoring to beat up q
whole army from its midnight slumber
Finally the bell got tired and took a rest
Then 1t started again and rang as though
the wires had got crossed and never in
tended to untangle themselves. Meanwhile
the messenger, ordinarily attentive to his
official duties, sat quietly outside of the
door with one foot on the table and his
napkin spread out on his lap. eating his
lunch. One might have imagined that he
had caught his chiefs oral affiction but
this was not the case. Several Diplomat Is
passing down the corridor toward Score
tary Hays office took In the scene with
wondering glances. smiled and passed on.
Half dozen messengers and as many
newspaper men. attracted by the racket
stopped to inquire what was the matter
and why the ordinarily attentive messen-
ger did not answer the bell. He explained
between mouthfuls of sandwich that some
time previously his chief in fit of temper
at being interrupted some important
work had dashed out from his desk locked
the Stat door on the inside and going back
TO his desk had promptly forgotten about
the occurrence and was at that moment
using untold volts of good government
electricity in trying to call his messenger