The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-08

ace, either as eunuchs, servants or in off,
his bad temper, and looked upon him as
one who fought to be spanked" 1t was
eaid that his own private apartment was
a museum Of all the most wonderful in
ventions, the most intricate machinery and
the most complicated productions of mod
srn art, science and inv entfon that he had
been able to gathe- and that his will
must not be crossed IL any circumstances,
for he was just as liable to dash fine
Swiss watch to the floor breaking 1t into
n thousand pieces, as a peevish child is to
destroy Its doll.
Knowing the disposition OF the boy,
the officials sought out all kinds of intri-
cate and peculiar machines as presents to
MIN in order to enhance their official In
terests and prospects, and IN doing so
they troubled us at the Pekin University
until we Oct them have our phonograph
10 make as a present to his majesty.
Doubtless these toys awakened his inter-
est In foreign affairs generally.
But as the child grew he began to de-
velop other notions not less peculiar, per-
haps, but more in harmony with his po-
sition. duties and responsibilities When
the ladies, both Chinese and foreign, pre-
scented the Empress Dowager with a mag
nificent copy of the New Testament,
printed on the finest paper, with new type
specially manufactured for that book,
bound in silver, encased in a silver box,
which was again enclosed in a fine plush
case. the thing interested His Majesty, to
judge from his conduct, more than it did
the Dowager Empress herself.
Studied the Bible.
The day after the present reached the
palace an order came to the American
Bible Society in Pekin, which attracted
the special attention Of the agent of that
society. The man who brought the order
was a eunuch. He seemed very partic-
ulsr to retain the little slip of paper on
which the order was written, and insisted
upon its return to him after II had been
copied. They then discovered that the
order was from the Emperor and that il
was for Bibles-both Old and New Tesla
ments-such as the society was selling
90 his people.
The society Of course. Gid not under
stand the import of such a move on the
part Of the Emperor, but II was not long
before we discovered what the young man
was doing.
I was personally well acquainted and
associated with a horticuturist and gard
ener who for many years went daily to
the palace with his flowers and vege-
presents OF fowers-large grated chry-
santhemums-such as he took to the pail
ace. He discovered that there was a
change Of sentiment among the eunuchs
not only toward him, but also toward
ell foreign and government and for
eign affairs as whole. The eu-
nuchs were constantly introducing the
subject OF Christianity in their talks with
the florist, and, as he was Christian
they urged him to explain its doctrines to
them. and in consequence, he often sat
and talked with them for hours. OF
course. they discovered that this was con-
suming a large amount OF his time, and
fearing lest this might lead him to lose
interest in the matter and in them. they
of their own free will advanced him taels
500 900 ounces OF silver to invest in his
business, telling him they did not wish
him 10 pay It back but that they would
take II out IN flowers and vegetables
on one occasion, when they had kept
him longer than usual-and IL Is 40 be
remembered that all the time they were
conversing on subjects related to Chris
tianity--he made several excuses 10 get
away but was unable 20 do so. He fin
ally said:
But ] must go. have not YET had
my dinner, and It is now late in the
day"
"oh. that IS all right" they answered.
I'VE can give you your dinner" which
they proceeded TO do, and he remained
with them until evening. telling them
about the nature of Christianity.
During one OF these conversations enc