Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-03
That is the Season When Foreigners
Enjoy Themselves.
LIVELY TIMES ON The Kinks
3ut Pai-tze Picnics Are the
Greatest Fun of All.
LUNCHEONS ON THE ICE
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star
Once again the L. S. S. Monocacv Is to be
tied to the Tien Tsin bund for a winter in
the ice. Evidently that faithful old grand
mother of a gunboat has not outlived her
usefulness, even though she has seen bet
ter days. A navy officer who served on the
Monocacy during one of her Tien Tsin
winters is regretting that the "cherub who
sits up aloft' in the Navy Department has
not looked OUT for him by sending him
up the Peiho again. He says that the win
ter pleasures of Tien TSin are so rrepres-
sible they will assuredly rise from the
smoke of the summers battles and con-
tribute very much to the gayety of the ma
tons represented there now.
The climate of north China is intense in
its winter cold-as in its summer heat-but
even in mdwinter it is warm enough in the
middle of the day to discard overcoats and
wraps; and it never rains or SHOWS. The
only storms are dust storms but they
are not frequent. They are very disagree
able, however, because the dust is SO fine
and IT is swirled with such force it pene-
trates even ones bureau drawers
me country about Tien Tsin is perfectly
nat and featureless except for the low
round grave mounds. Those are dotted
everywhere But the plains, though mo-
notonous in the lack of grass and trees
oi iiOONcu with yellow sunshine, which
makes them seem always in a golden
afternoon 1t is said that the invariable
brightness and dryness of the climate is
very trying to the nerves, and the irrta-
BILE temper of those who live there continu-
ously for a long time should not be at
tributed wholly to curry and chutney
however true that may be- the unfaiIing
sunshine certainly glorifies the landscape
The Autumn Races.
The gay season is formally opened with
the early autumn races At these races
the jockeys are gentlemen, who ride their
own or their friends horses, and every
body is Interested in them; even children
have their little betting books and invest a
few taels in the sweepstakes while their
elders visit the stables between heats and
go to swagger tiffins there The Monocacy
lieutenant remembers one notably elegant
tiftin given In the stable of the French
bank. and one in the stable of the Hong
Kong and Shanghai bank which was nota-
bly, jolly. for bank pony had won a race
and the triumph had put the hosts into
cCntagiouSly good spirits. The rider of the
successful pony was one of the firm, and
as he rode off the course he was I-Ited from
the saddle by enthusiastic admirers, car
rled on their shoulders to the apartment
OF the sideboard,'' and warmly toasted, of
course.
Besides the gentlemen races, there was
mafOo race-the mafooS of that country
are the groOmS of ourS-and a sailor race
in which some Monocacy jackies took part
To the regret of the Mon0cacy officers look
ing on their sailors We're distanced by one
from the German gunboat, also wintering
in the Peiho river.
The crowd at the races was composed of
the Europeans of the settlement, the dipIo-
matte set from Pekin officers and sailors
from all the men-of-war in port and many
Cinnamon. There We're English women and
children horseback superbly mounted
and wearing perfectly built habits; Ger