The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-16
4Pig-Tails.''
.vengeful. ill-conditoned and half-sayage

We had those Wlttlil, as Wen as mus
without, to Withstand. Ine GO o!ei. Estt i
tiveiy young and unquaiiaedjy hot-pieoo-
ed, was to Us. who recognized the intense
gravity OF the situation. a trial ne could
rot b. aroush. to an adequate sense OF
after the danger had passed. and / aoaot
IL ever has Since. lie insisted ne never
would forgive us FOR not letting nam M!
a dozen, more or less, of the ruihaas. 1Sol
only as husband and father was he
aroused to sanguinary combatvenSss, but
his dignity in mis- representative capacity
was outraged. This spurred him on in MS
madness. for such In the eSigency it really
was. and he kept us In a continual state
of trepidation. When strapping big
Chinan,an with dev.lish lee- reached ovsr
the snoa der Of native woman to lay
hold of the ends of the ribbon encirciins
the neck Of the Colonei's wife had TO
throw nv arm around her husband. and
hold him by sheer strength. While ! be-
sought him to retain caiTnness 10 meet me
much worse emergencies which apHsatea
inevitable / could not b anne nm, put
the slightest movement on our part toward
paysicai resistance meant death Tor every
man OF US, and to the women worse tilah
death.
THE WOMEN SHOWED COURAGE.
With the pressing in upon us. and By
this time there was no yfsaoie ou{iHt n
the eulncs;ling circle, there appeared the
design to spATa1e the men Oh our party
forcing them away from the women, and,
by getting each within a ring of soldiers,
making more sure the quick work OF dis
patching, IL to such untoward end mat
ters should verge To avoid Lle conSaTn-
nation of this obvious pan required an
exertion Of patience and strength com
bined. which became all but intolerabie
II was only with masterful sef-control
that Their. could be the restraint from
,;r-+c afoI1 hC.ra
1,;anv ugly heads to hit. Still, by Showing,
elbowing and bearing the weight of the
body against those who enGeaVored 10
block the way, we managed, WITHOUT pro-
yoking a direct assault, to mold intact our
circle surrounding the women. Ifere was
everything to admire in the admlrap:e
rornDos,re the latter maintained, the
snlendid nerve and undaunted courage dis
played throughout the whole of the time,
which was OF a, nature surely to try the
Souls of men. Not one Of the seven
finched or betrayed fear. There were
pale lips. and / saw one of the mission
aries deliberately bite hers to keep me
color in them. Strained lines about the
eyes vet smiles and even quick mods OF
the head, as if the interest in all gong
on was particularly enjoyable Sharp
casps of the breath in the midst OF little
laugh told how forced it was, and how
much easier it would have been to cry.
Conyulsive trenors from head TO 1eet
betekened the strain. which was Tar more
than merely physical as minutes length
ened into hours.
All the time these devoted women were
praying in their hearts, and keeping UP
faces so brave, the dirty brown haHas OF
Others of their own sex. and at times OF
the opposite sex as we'll, were passing over
their garments, as If the very texture was
an object Of the deepest concern. Hepul-
-lNtN hot
were about the neck, or in some way
added to the toilet, while bonnets and hats
were being similarly trespassed upon. their
parti-colored flowers. leaves. fruit. piumes,
or feathers causing no end OF lmpuuent
wonderment as to where and how such
things could grow o. have being IN such
juXt4position.
A CRITICAL PERIOD.
The missionary In flaming red was my
especial charge Poor girl. that waist and
the accompanying hat, which was a flower
garden combined with a fernery, and u
suggestion of a fruit orchard as an Incl
dental feature, made her not only the
cynosure of native eyes. hut the magnet
for hands as well. 1t was positively mad
denine: for man in full possession of his
strength. and something OF a boxer him
self, to remain quiescent and see woman
of his own nationality, a good woman and
true clawed and mauled over by a lot OF
jabberinS idiots and not punch them.
After what appeared an interminabie
period the train which was to take US to
Tien-Tsin came in sight. slowly backing
into the station. 1t wasn't much after
the angel order, but it seemed as one of
de.fverance to us. and never was there
sweeter music made for our ears than the
breaking and clanFing of those car wheels
as they rolled toward the platform. Now
came the nest critical of emergencies,
that of the movement toward the train
The mass of Acknowledged browTl-skinned.
and pgtailed humanity sursins around
US was whirlpool centred at the one spot.
Every man having to do with the railway.
whether as to the station, the track, or
the train. was native born.
There was not white man, save our
selves. within twenty miles. When the
time came for the train to leave it would
go, whether We were aboard or not.
Manifestly if we werefnot to remain and
continue the sport of the Boxers until
aggravated to pitch of madness we must
make for the train. If we could not I'M
derstand What the Chinese said to each
other, no more could they comprehend our
remarks. and with it understand we should
continue rs VIC We're. that is, the men
OIL the outside and the women within the
circle, We started. The solid.ty of our move
ment created surprise which operated TO
way Of the living mass between us and
the track. Almost before we could scarce
" appreciate it ourselves we We're at
the side entrance to a car. The interior
would not ordinarily have been inviting
With its dirty tobacco-stained floors. UNI
cushioned seats and barn-like windows.
nevertheless it was very palace coach,
a Pullman of luxuriousness to us just
then. Into it without standing upon the
order of precedence went our women: the
men following with equal lack of cere-
mony-
OUTRAGEOUS CONDUCT.
Safe at last we thought and drew the
longest and deepest of breat!ls- But no
such good luck. Instead. arother period
of suspense A half hour frausht with more
danger ihan ali chat had gone before.
The side door of the car was closed after
NC were ali in ans the shutters Of the
windows drawn UP. BIZ, the door flew
open and with 4 bang down went the
shutters. Locking the dor led to its be-
ing Immediately kicked hinseless and one
more pulling up Of The shutters settle1
ifeir usefulness forever. The mob about
the train now appeared TO embrace every
body from the camp and the small boys
Il, the province They were everywhere.
Hanging upon the sides Of our car. over
running The roof and clambering. wherever
foot or hand hold could lie secured. on cars