The evening times., 1900-06-28
TRAITS OF THE EMPRESS.
A Priests Pen Portrait of ChIna's
DowaEer Ruler.

DowaEer Ruler.
Father p. p. Coldre. one of those CathO-
lie missionaries who weSe the most in
iuential and therefore che most hated
foreign devils in China, has published
in the Revue de Paris" an article mainly
designed to give a sketch of the Dowager
Empress as a woman and a sovereign. OF
course the portrait deIineated by the
priest of an adversary of his religion may
have some tsint OF unfriendliness, but
when looked at among other portraits OF
the same parsonage a correct idea may be
had Of the moral and physical traits Of
the Chinese female ruler
1T has been said" writes Father Col
dre. that the Empress WIS born from low
parentage. and that it was by cunningness
and intrigue that she had raised herself
from the ignominious condition OF a slave
to the rank of Empress. Well. the father
O: Tsou Hsi was a Tartar marshal. with
out wealth. but Of good nobility He gave
his daughters Such a perfect educ4t-oa that
two Of them were chosen as brides for In
perial princes TsOg HsfS sister married
Prince Chouen, the father OF the present
Emperor. The Dogager Empress is there
fore the aunt OF EwaES 81. after having
been the mother of his predecessor, who
died il 1915.
.-Sae was born in 1884. and is therefore
s,xty-six years old She entered il 1850
ne harem OF the new Emperor, Hen
Fong. not as Empress-the place already
occupied by the Empress of tAe East-but
as secondary wife. and she had been chos-
en- especially by the mother Empress The
legitimate wife had the misfortune not 10
give any male child TO Hen FOns during
the FIVE years which followed his elevation
TO the crown This blessing wes reserved
TO he other wife the daughter Of the Tar
tar marzhaI BY this stroke OF fortune
she Fayel her master fgc-n the decheanCe.
bsiug custed from power for aaY Empe-
TO, wh0 during I'VE years does not baTe
male heir IS compelled 10 designate him
self, OF let be designated. his eventual
successor-that IS. 10 abdica;e portion
Of has right
Prom the day she was the mother OF
the future Emperor. the young Tartar
Princess received the title Of MercIful
Beasfaetress.' and was installed in .he
Palace OF the West. sal. her child did
not belong 10 her O1lcially-Jhs sterile
Empress OF the East Wa proclaimed as
being his legitimate mother But bcth
women contributed TO his education. or
rather the ofs3cial mother surrendered her
power 70 the real mother
"TzOu Hsi was then a very beautiful
woman II is Impossible 10 ind any au-
thenuc portrait Of her for the face OF the
Far East sovereign is not popU!arized BY
photography. as in the Oceideat- But
poet has depicted TsCu HSi a. follows n
his verses. Her BODY IS graceful aEd sup
PIE Ike the neck ., TIE cygnet on the wa
: ters the oval face takss birth on the
rounding form Of q capTiciORs chin. and IS
noblY crowned BY tho Harmonious arch OF a
wide fOrhe2d. the nCss Is or a line. pure,
; cOqUettish. straight. thin. SiRguia-ly NOV
able according 70 rleat2l Impressions. The
I ace Is lighted by daTA aE1 sparkling eyes.
etc DOES this Tartar Venus posSess the
. InaSe-sine and sDCrtiTe .sStes attributed
4 % her By British ch-Oa.SseFSZ
: The DOWager Empress siVes too Eluch time
i 20 state affairs 20 Be able to reserve a
! -1rse portion Of IL TO gyTas=.>t!c exercises
-Stsu IL can b affirmed that her heart
: has rot remained inactive. Ths great en-
J presses like Catherine Il have known the
/ weaknesses Of an ardent temper But N
many women politics IS always associated
/ vita the movements OF passion and directs
f them most often Il is thus that the first
! T-vorl-e Of Tsou Esi wa Prince Ku7S. her
. husbands brother. an Intelligent man and
( q rcTorriist. whom she always supported.
I until his recent death. against the reac-
/ j;c-ary parties. Il IS quite probable that
+ she had somewhat similar relations with
4
/ State Ministers. like Ii Hung Chang
I This ardent women never hesit2ted 10
/ use all means even violence. in order to
/ execute her will The fist Of her cOups
. d-etaL followed Immediately the death OF
/ her husband, the Emperor Hen Fong- He
I had Instituted a Council Of Regency. ez-
. Guiding the two E-lpre sses from the direc-
tion Cf public affairs On the very return
from the funeral OF Hen Fong. Ts0u Hsi
had al the regents beheaGed. with the eX-
. Ceptioa Of Prince Tch0u1g. who. belonging
. 10 the Imperial family, was permitted 70
. drink a cup Of golden leaves. which are
I the Esmlock Of China In 1873 Emperor
/ Tong Tche. son CT Tsou rs. became Of
age He was bad specimen o. humanity.
; After two years CT a disease caused by his
T debauches he died. TO be soon followed TO
. the grave By his young widow. This re-
! calls the history OF AErippina-
In 1SSS, en- ths night Of September q to
/ %, TsOu Hsi. who had caused the elevation
to the throne Of KEa1g-Su. her sisters
/ faVorite sen. having become displeased
( with his government. penetrated into his
room with some friends devoted to her.
J She accused the Emperor Of all kinds Of
crimes. AID slapped has face when he de
2ied the accusations Being teTrOTized
he surrendered the seals OF state to the
terrible woman aad signed the decree de-
Claring her Regent OF the Empire. /"
do not aim at writing here the history
o. China l merely tried TO sketch the
phys;OgnOIay CT the extraordinary woman
who IS accused OF organizing the massacre
OF all the foreigners il the Celestial En-
pire."