The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-15

A Physician's story of His Reception by
One Of the Wives of IA Prince.

i MN hI'h - VI WV '''' 49,"
lie l have been permitted to have a glimpse OF
a Chinese harem. ! am inclined, indeed, 10 be
lieve that / am the first white man Of any nation
atty who has talked AT length with IA Royal TN
nese Princess in fact, ! might say, with several
Processes, for altogetl er my conversation was
principally with one, yet many others came in'
and before left there vas scarcely standing
room only" about me.
II came about In this way Reading IN the
Pekin Ga,ste that the Empress Dowager had
called all the PrinCeSses of the bluod, members
Of the Cabinet and Presidents Of the Six Boards
TO a solemn ~conclnye within the palace, ! was
certain that some business Of more than usual
importance was To he transacted and my bust
ness was to find ou, ms rapidly as possible what
was on foot decided 10 pay a risi, I" PTinre
Tsai Fcng and try and obtain from him the
event Of the day. Fortunately only q i'"
days before. his little daughter, to whom lie is de-
yo,edly attached, had come down with measles
and he had requested me TO send him n fever
mixture, and if in the neighhorh"od to drop IN
and see her Remembering this, | decided to
visit the child and So interview the father Aver
a cold ride Of an hour in a Pehm cart | found
myself in the outer court If the Tsal palace
but alas. WAS told by the ga,eman that the
lTN'' IFll 'fN "l''' -
press to burn incense al = certain s%acrifcial TEN
PIE some mi,e> away and would not lie
home until after DARK. %Summoning up all my
courage, ! replied
"Yes. | know he is away, but he has invited
me to see his little sick daughter and cannot
come at any other time. Have the goodness
TO inform the Princess that in obedience 20 her
husbands commands want I" see the cllld
Which Princess he inquired
The sick girls mother, ~ | replied, not know
Ing what other answer to give.
waited some ten minutes in my cert and then
tie man returned with a eunuch, saying; The
Princess will receive you This %teunuch viii
lead you within the harem"
We BASED through four different courtyards,
each lined with buildings, and then entered a
fifth court. at the head Of which, raised len feet
above ground, stood a building Of the ordinary
style Of Chinese architecture Of one story
only it was larger and more gandily painted
than the others upon the platform IN front
Of the door stood a lady Hrrayed IN many cot
ored silks. and win face painted u bright yer
million. passed up tie steps. and, h"Ning low
before her. entered the room ahead Of her, As
Chinese custom il. and proceeded to the karg,
which vas covered with handsome skins and
Ellt TUkN one FNN' - fF
the X sng, seusraled from me by n little square
table eight inches high.
The eunuch tells me my husband has requested
Won to cnII. and am very sorry. he hes appar
emily forgotten the appointment, FOR he said moth
ing 10 me about it Hut as YOU cannot call again
| have decided to see you and show you the child
MANY thanks" / replied Il, IL very good Of
YOU The journey To your place is long and
III .,La,u,.a slnnld come nxalu How Is
the hide girl"
oh, ever 50 much better, she replied.
When we commenced speaking only the, lady
myself and two eunuchs were in the room, but
nv this time the three doors leading into the apart
men, were filed with painted faces and silk roDcd
wives. concubines and attendants Of my much
mn rried friend, 1sdi Feng =,
The little girl was carried In by a eunuch, and
upon my pronouncing her quito well the mother
was very much pleased.
How many chlllren have YOU" ! v%entured
Alas, alas" she answered, Tour girls, but no
You are nearly as badly YI ms your Emperor,
On, d. You know that'" she asked, Poor
man Le * To- have n son appointed for him lo.
dsy' and # misraka not At Vii ne either the son
al pnurr Lien. Prince IuHn ~ Duke Ian
Too Ind yDu hHNr not y son remarked
Then you might som" day p" mother OF an EN-
40. that would b" impossible, she replied,
as We nre not Of the ]g'n"nt'%n from which .
| puuc, can br chosen emperor We or' descended
rom the Emperor hrfur" iI,ion Frng, and the
chulc' must h. IN Tn" lower generation
DO YOU think foreign clothes so very ugly"
" eli, they are certainly not pretty, she fmnkly
rpul,nd Your mems clothes M too tight and
,hinlnnE ne. and saw several ~ your Indies
from my sedan chair window y few WEEKS ago
and they looked lii" hour glasses, I'll squr"Ied
| together in the middle, 50 thGt wondered how
think our costumes much p~rctuet" Sh" asked,
giving herself y c%uutant"d going over III a hltl"
looking glass she hnd SUSPENDED from her walsi
no q SILK cord Then lied most tremendously
our LADIES' would see III" adyNntag" # changing
10 the Chinese costume. She was very pleased
and assured me n would surely come IN "n'.
We'll, then, You could take = Chinese wife"
she suggested
jectPd.
oh. that's no matter Ru .kqli fLer hus
hands personal name has three besides ne her,
and her end h"r. p]oinung, to TIRE rather pretty
in the room. all 4 them much Younger then her
self she seemed about 80. why don't You
! take n second wife, one of our thIneSe girls. ]
hear some # your country men hive done so
Thanks very much Tor the suggestion, an
swsrrd, but according to our su0'l code my
lady mind, | am Surr sh" would Of ct
Would she, INDEED How funny, and MI the
room laughed at and ulund me-.
Ten was now served Tor NJ" Second time and |
saw II WINS n signal Tor my departure.
Thanking her H,Ehn"ss Tor seeing mo and bow.
ing loW three tInoS n the door. 10 which she es-
cnrted me-, ! followed tn" ounuchs back 10 the
second court. Whrr' th" Princes male attendants
awaited me and saw ne To my cart
The next morning I received the following
note from In" Prince
"EsrEEMED FRIEND: Ny wife yesterday com
mitt"d - gr'nt indiScrurn in r"rcIvlne you IN
nv absence. rs !, IS against al rll"s ~ Cllnos-
etiquette, hut as II wAS w. sne our sick child II is
On "ycuSahl" fault Kindly. however, mention
il 10 no on" IN pekin, ~ u would in'urn Ms IN our
cirrln. rs YOU can well understand Ter con
vprSrtion. which che hrs r'rretcd ~ ne. touched
uuIu s'yU raj guliural uuo-tluus Pleas" con
sidar her remark. but silly hahble. Wishing YOU
golden peace, vour slave. 1sAr FENG"