The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-06
real emf EROR
OF OLD CHINA
Pen Picture Of the Young Monarch
Who Is NominalIy the Head Of
the Most Ant.quated King
dom in the World.
dom in the World.
3Gy Prof Isaac s. Head,ana, of the Uni

yersity of 5Pekin.)
The Chinese Emperor KuanS Hsu, de-
posed two years ago by the Empress
#Dowaser, and said recently TO nave COM
ruitted suicide. is in some respects one Q,
the most remarkable characters In the etrl-
pire at th> present time He is not what
NC. are accustomed 10 term strong
character. As a boy he was interested III
all kinds of foreign toys, and considered
everything brought from foreign countries,
from a railroad train. photograph. an
electric car. or a fine SWISS watch, as d
toy TO be played With.
Like many other ricl. children, he was
INDUCED in every imaginable want, ana
the populace regarded him in the light OF
a spoiled child. The Chinese of the better
class. who were in touch with those con-
nected with the Palace. either as eunuchs,
servants, or in official relations, We're iuii
OF stories about his bad temper.
It was SAID that his own private apart
ment was a museum of all the most Won
de.ful inventions. the most intricate ma
chinery. and tie most complicated pro-
auctions OF modern arr, science ana IN
vention that he had been able TO gather.
and that his will must not be crossed IN
any circumstances. for he was just as
liable 10 dash q. fine Swiss watch to the
floor, breaking it into thousand pieces,
as a neevish child IS II destroyzits doll
Knowing the disposition of the boy. the
officials sought out al: kinds of Intricate
and peculiar machines as presents TO MN
in order to enhance their official interests
and prospects. and in doing SO they
troubled US at the Pelsin University until
we let them have our photograph TO ma ke
as a present to his Majesty Doubtless
these toys awakened his interest IN for
eign affairs generally.
But as the child grew he began to de-
velop other notions not less peculiar per-
| 7. will r,
sition duties and responsibilities w men
the ladies. both Chinese and foreign, pre-.
sented the Empress Dowa ger with q mag
nificent COPY of the New Testament
printed on the finest paper. with new type
specially manufactured for mat Door.
bound in silver, ercased in SILVER poN.
which was again enclosed IL q fine plush
case. the thing interested His Majesty. 10
judge from his conduct. more than II ui'A
the Dowager Empress herself
4 RELIGIOUS LAD
The day after the present reached the
palace an order came to the Bible society
in Pekin, which attracted the special at
tention Of the agent of that society. me
man WHO brought the order was n eunuch-
He seemed very particular to retain the
little slip of paper on which the order was
written. and insisted upon its return TO
him after it had been copied They then
discovered that the order was from tue
Emperor and that it was for Bibles-bottl
Old and New Testaments-such as the So
ciety was selling to his people
I was personally we'll acquainted ana
associated with a horticulturist and gar
deuer who. for many years, went daily to
the Dalace with his flowers and vegetables
He discovered that there was change or
sentiment among the eunuchs not only
toward him, but also toward all foreign
Governments and foreign affairs as
whole The eunuchs We're constantly IN
PRODUCING the subject of Christianity In
their talks with the florist and, as he was
a Christian they urged him to explain its
doctrines to them, and, in consequence, ne
often sat and talked with them for hours
During one OF these conversations one
of the eunuctls was especially interested.
and in conversation with my friend told
him that the Emperor daily had parts or
the Gospel OF Luke written in large char
acters on sheets of paper and that ne thus
studied them This eunuch was the En-
peror's personal servant, and stood in the
room all tbs time he was studying the
Bible.
OF course, it is well-known fact. which
has perhaps been already reported great
number of times, that the young Emperor
began studying English about the same
Tine and those who were getting books
for him came to our compound and Sc
cured a small volume which had been
taken to China by the man who induced
me to go to Pelzn, as :, textbook for his
little daughter. When the Emperor be-
gan the study of English he departed from
TIE usual methods of men in his position.
and allowed his teacher to sit and teach
him instead of forcing him to kneel in his
presence. myself Worked for some time
with the grandson of this teacher. teaching
him English, and in return he taught me
Chinese.
The study of English. the study of the
Bible. and all the foreign toys the En-
peror had played with including the great
inventions which mark the progress of adj
vancing civilization. inspired in him dis
position to see the world and to know
more of what was going on in it than had
ever been known by any other occupant
of the Dragon Throne. He therefore be-
sart buying ali kinds of books pertaining,
to foreign affairs
VERY STUDIOUS
II was known to him that there were
various institutions of learning connected
with the missions OF the various churches.
and that each OF these schools had trans
lated some of the mos, important text
books of the countries they represented
into Chinese They Were issued by tract
societies and societies for the distribution
of general and Christian knowledge: and
there were books prepared by scientists
and physicians and scholars of various
kinds. together with learned natives. who
had put out volumes both in the Chinese
coloquial and the classical language of
the empire and il was these which he
sought to obtain.
One of the eunuchs from the pnIace
$4,000 Il