Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-02

tional health. 1t is we'll known In the
Information bureaus Of the different armies
that the Russians sent secret messengers
to the empress and Kwang-su. 1t is also
very we'll understood that the Russian pro-
posals to the imperial yellow pair suggest
ed that they come, under Russian escort.
to the summer palace. where they We're
guaranteed ample protection against the
other powers. For some reason that part
of the scheme didn't work Though the
dowager empress Is growing old. she is
far from simple. Doubtless she under
stood just why the Russians wanted her
presence and that of the little man who
goes by the name of the Son of Heaven"
The Russians meant to use them as figure
heads and set up a Chinese government to
be managed from Pekin. AS the Russians
show no intention of leaving the summer
palace. doesn't it look as though they still
entertain some hopes that the imperial
party may yet walk into the trap?
My ten-mile trip Of yesterday wasn't due
entirely to a desire to the mere palaces.
wanted still more to get, if possible, some
notion of what the Russians were doing,
or trying to do. The only method of
travel at present, unless you are at least
brigadier and can commander an am
bulance, is to go on the back Of a donkey.
So Chinese boy and his donkey were
at the door of my hotel in Legation street
| early in the morning. With all my Amer
lean Impotence l impressed upon that
boy that I wanted to travel "chop-chop''
which is pigeon English for mighty
quick" He nodded and promised. That
was all he did / can understand fully why
the Chinese haven't made any swifter pro-
gress in civilization in four or five thou
sand years. That donkey travelled at
rate of speed that made me frequently dis
| mount. walk ahead and then wait for the
creature
Hard Road to Travel.
We went through the east gate of the
imperial city and around the corner of the
forbidden city. 1 found myself smiling
reminiscently when l remembered how
| many of the correspondents had failed to
| march in with the troops on that 18th Of
August. In the still water of the moat
| around the forbidden city the lotus plants
were blooming rankly. We went north past
Coal Hill, past the Drum Tower and the
Bell Tower. and out through the North
Gate of the city.
! We We're out in the country now, travel
| ing over once magnificent stone cause
way For generations this roadway has
! been allowed to fall into increasing decay.
Now and then a few hundred coolies have
been sent out to do work here. but the re-
| suits do not show. On this road meant for
| an emperor the donkey fell into so many
| holes that my neck was in almost constant
peril.
Running along the side of the road was a
huge stone aaueduct that conveys water
| hidden city. The source Of this water
| supply Is the Black Dragon spring. There
| Is some wonderful legend connected with
| the spring. My boy" started to tell 1t to
| me. but l didn't pay close attention. This
| yellow wretch Is a very ordinary fourth
\ rate liar. who doesn't even know how to be
| interesting
| Before we had gone may miles we be-
| gan to come upon the Russians-first stroll
ers. singly or in pairs, and conspicuous at