The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-07-16
When 1t Was Written She Was
in Peril.
Thousands Of Boxers at
Pao Ting Flu.
Letter Was Written the Last
Day of May.

A letter was received from Miss Annie
A. Gould Saturday afternoon, mailed at
Pao Ting Flu and bearing the usual
Chinese postinark, with date of May
81-the date when Miss Gould's letter
closes. 1t also has the usual Tien Tsin
postmark dated June and Shanghai
(Chinese June II, also Shanghai Jap
anese) June 10. 1t has therefore come
along without more than the usual delay
but is doubtless the last that win be re-
ceiyed for many days. The letter fol-
lows:
Pao-Ting-Fu, China, Tuesday, May 81.
1900
was to have started for mission
meeting today, but the Boxers didn't
let me. HoWP They objected to having
French soldiers sent to Pekin and as the
railroad facilitates the moving of troops
they proceeded to tear up part of the road,
burned three stations and a bridge, and
cut the telegraph wires. I am not going
overland with the country in such a COM
motion; moreover can't leave for so
long time. If / was 'up'' in Cicero
could quote him better. | have q recOl-
lection OF his asking something like this:
In what age in what country are we
liying? Boatmen, carriers, innkeepers,
ETC.. naturally do not like the railroad
because it takes away traffic from them.
The man with whom the Boxer move
ment practically originated is intensely
anti-foreign. Originally he suggested it
to the people of his district as a scheme to
protect themselves against bandits. Later
it took on the anti-fOreign spirit and
now has assumed these proportions.
The Governor of Shantung was re-
moved because the fOrei gners insisted up.
on it, but he was thereupon made Govern
or OF Shansl and already the foreign 9rs
feel it; they cannot rent a house any
where, whereas there has never before
been the slightest trouble in Isl Yuan
Flu
Recently at town on the railroad
there were a good many Boxers. One,
General Yang went up to investigate
matters. They fired on him, killing his
horse. His body guard fled and he was
killed, A relative who went to investi-
gate his death was also set upon and killed
by the Boxers. We shall see what Will
come OF all this.
A few days ago a good many soldiers,
Chinese, but foreign trained, arrived here
to protect the city. Miss Morrill, has seen
them on her way to her work in the sub
urbs They dress differently from the
soldiers we usually see around here, look
ing more trig or sOldierly.
Last Monday (May 28) after the railroad
was torn up the French who ara in
charge Of the railroad all left Some of
their ladies insisted on going and pre-
vailed against the better Judgment of the
men So thirty in all started in twelve
boats with q guard of fifty soldiers and a
crowd to watch them off. There were
black looks and angry lnutterings. 1t was
fortunate for their peace of mind that
they did not understand what was said.
Some Of our mission Chinese said they
were doing fOOlishly. They may get away
safely but the Boxers viii send word
down the river and attack them on their
way to lien Tsin.
That was Monday. Today, Thursday,
May 3l,we hear that they have had a very
hard time, the river being low, and the
Boxers have sworn to kill any foreigners
they can lay their hands on. Along the
river therefore it Will be dOubly danger
GUS Yesterday, man who is on very
good terms with foreigners advised Mr..
BagnaIl missionary in a round about
way to leave before the Boxers got any
more furious against us, but we don t
want TO desert our posts. Mr.. Bagnall
has gone to see Mr.. WI (Great-man-
that is his title) and we wait his report.
Some of us think it impossible that our
compound can be troubled, it is so near
to the city. On the other hand there are
about 1000 Boxers in PaO-Iing-Fu, and
more in the villages. What can the few
soldiers do, especially as they viii not
fire on the Boxers to defend US. We may
be killed. and our property looted; or we
may escape with the skin of our teeth; or
we may be unmOlested.
God knows I know perfectly we'll the
possibilities of danger but it does not
weigh on me; or when it does / just pray
for grit. l am glad to remember that
you pray for us; last night when was
praying that Gods will might be done l
remembered what mother says the
nearest way to China is by the way of
the throne, and it comforted me.
Perhaps you can understand why with
all this disturbance and my sleepiness [
can't put my thoughts on paper Ii
live will send you another letter soon.
Love from Mary and me. 1t not on
earth, we'n meet in heaven.
Your daughter
ANNIE A. GOULD.