The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-23

Some friendly soldiers talked with the men
at the burned station. VIC reached Pekin
in safety. While there trouble was feared
! on Friday, June /, as that was a feast day
! On Thursday, May 81. about 500 allied
! troops came up the road to protect tbs
! foreigners All was quiet during the feast
day. and, in fact. all through ,conferencc.
Departure of Missionaries.
Co Monday. Ja=e {, raost OF the visit
ing missionaries lef, Pekin. The others
expected to spend the most OF the summer
! in Pekin, as leo girls. who could not be
! sent over dangerous roads to homes, must
| be cared for. We took carts for the sta
zion, and no one molested us. As we
I neared the railroad some native preachers
| who had gone on ahead came back to say
( that We could not go, as another station
and bridge had been burned. The men
urged the natives to go On to the station
with us, as perhaps we might be able to
get out in some way; but they went back
to our mission. We went on. found a
crowd but all quiet train was tele-
graphed for, and after some delay 1t came.
The regular engineer was not on board,
and the new one said he did not know
whether We could get past the burned
the gravity of the situation demanded
anything, told him that We were armed,
and that the train must go through at
all hazards. He also sent back word to
those expecting to come on the afternoon
train 10 send a messenger to find out If
it would be possible for them TO get
through. We pulled out Of the station and
had a quiet run to the danger point. There
no disturbance was made. Whether the
NJ bp VIM m az
ence or not ! cannot say. We found the
station burned, but the bridge was only
charred al one end; so that we went over
safely. We had no fears for the rest of
the trip.
'Dr. Hopkins and Mr.. Hayner went i'm
mediately to Tsunhua. Mr.. Brown took
his family to Peitai-ho, where they planned
to spend the summer.
The last letter we received from Pekin,
and one Of the last received by any Of the
mission, was from DR.. Terry. She writes
on June 10: We owe our Minister vote
of thanks. He has made this decision
against the advice of the captain and every
one else. They all agree. however, that
this place is finely arranged for defence.
40 The chapel is to be the place where
all the women and children are to meet
in case Of attack (the chapel spoken of is
Asbury ChapeD, and Major Conger says
it can be defended against all the Box
ers that have ever been born. Holes have
been cut in the wire netting over the win
dows for the soldiers to shoot through,
and from the top. also, the place can be
defended. Mr.. Gamewell did not know he
was building a fort when he planned the
church. Last night a report came that
the property of the foreigners was all TO
be burned; so every precaution was taken,
but the attack was not made. The gates
of the court are all bricked up except the
main entrance and line of barbed wire
is put inside the wall. This may tangle
them some If they get over the wall, which
l doubt.
Exciting Times i'm TTentsin.
"a You probably have interesting and
exciting times in Tientsin. The last few
days have been full of changes. Friday |
morning June s. before breakfast all the |
Tungchow missionaries arrived (That is
a station of the American Board Of Com
,nissioners for Foreign Missions, fifteen |
miles from Pekin. where the workers had |
been in peril for days. They had been |
holding their annual meeting. and more |
han those stationed there were in perii) |
They started out about 2 or o'clock. |
It was great relief to see them. Before /
night all the friends from Teng-Shlh- |
K onr ian American board station in l
nekin) and Presbyterian missions were
also here. and we all moved over 20 the
1arent board compound. About seventy
oreigners are In the compound, besides
he twenty marines.
Friday night nine marines and one
crporal came. with promise OF more If
eeded. Last night the captain and nine
men came. The Minister was surprised
hat SO many Americans were here, and
bought it better 10 defend US.
% Yesterday was a feast day-the BIRTH
ay of the goddess OF the Boxers-and
eemed a critical time. 1t is over safely,
ut we do not know what will be next
re hear 500 foreign soldiers are on the
-ay. and hope they may get here. Yes
arday it was reported that the buildings
Tung Chow were pillaged, and today
hat they were being burned.
:" An the gentlemen and some OF the
aides are armed, but the captain says the
lace for the women is under the seats
I the chapel if anything happens. That
uts a damper on the martial spirit of
ONE Of cur brave women. Tne schoolgirls
ehave beautifully.
E" Yesterday and the day before we were
forking On some thinner clothes for the
marines.
=" Monday morning-Have passed an
Their quiet night. Courier started back for
'sunhau. All the gentlemen of the mis- {
ion signed strong plea for them to take
Tomen and children away from that sta ]
ion while there is time