The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-01


son still for avoiding csteutation. The
more they show. the more will be asked
OF Them by way OF squeeze" Squeese Is
the tax levied by the higher classes on the
lower Ia a ratio that varies with official
rank. The higher the official the larger
the squeeze. To make q parade Of wealth
only increases the amount OF this irregular
taxation. 10 pay for the misgovernment
Of the empire, so all men practice the vir-
tue OF discreet modcsty that contracts
strangely with the plutocrsey Of the New
World. I visited at Pekln the house OF
a gentleman who was said TO draw an in
come OF over f5o0oo a year from iudicious
investments In pawnahops. but his living
could hardly have cost him as many tens
Of pounds. In order 10 evade the higher
rae Of squeeze all his property stool in
the name OF trusty servants. ana he was
able 20 prove conclusiyely to the Yamen
runners that his worldly possessions were
Insignificant.
Lis Residence and Curios.
Rich and now In years as Ii Is. Il might
be thought that. after all his European
experiences, he would require certain
amount OF comfort. even Of luxury, In his
surroundings but In Pekin II pigs ~
- much as any other Chinese grandee
Although he owns a large house OF his
turn from abroad. and until his appoint
msnt TO Canton. he rented rambling Odd
Buddhist temple not far from the second
wall-somewhnt notable In that IN Il are
set up the memorial tablets OF several
Of the present dynasty. Facing the gate
there Is a yellow-uled pavilion contain
ing a fine tablet planted upon the broad
back OF monster tortoise. and In the
Joss house" behind services are con-
"a
emn occasions. one would imagine that
the changing OF bells and the chanting
Of palms must be a noisy accompanl-
ment 20 the transaction Of state affairs.
All the courts are Uttered up with the
usual slovenliness Of a Chinese house
hold, and the servants would be the bes-
Ter for the supervision Of European
eye The rooms. which II himself oc-
cupicd are on two sides OF the last court
with low roofs and Chinese paper and
wooden windows In one OF them he usu-
ally received his visitors. and round Il
are hung the portraits OF many OF The
sovereigns Of Europe. presented TO him in
1856 Two presentation pictures are Of "A
different sort. one h a picture OF fow-
ers thar the French government must
have taken out OF the lumber room Of an
old exhibition. ana che other. the gift
~ the Belgian crown. Is supposed 10 de-
pict Ii and his suite watching some tar
get practice with big guns. Whether
The Bclgians wished thus 20 impress thu
old secretary Tith their military prowess
I know nos. but the painting Is Of prim-
tive and made io-erdcr pattern. More in
terosting are two long. straight scrolls
Of imperial yellow silk. hanging on the
further walls. They look like glorined
text banners from country chapel. and
on them are inscribed In black ink some
huge Chincss characters denoiing happi-
mess. These came as a present from the
Dowager Empress on his lass birthday.
and the writing Is IN her own royal
hand. The old lady and Ii have worked
together FOR many years, and n graft
tnde be "a Chinese quality. which the mis-
slonaries deny. she probably feels CRATE
ful to him for his untiring service. Any
how. In spite OF the japanese war. he
has received many marks Of imperial
favors during the last four years.
Tho other rooms OF the templo-the old
guest rooms-are all OF the same shape
ana size, and ia two OF them the old
vicefoy was wont to sleep and eat. the
day when l had the honor Of being r.
ceived By him ne was suffering from
severe chill. aggravated by the neces-
slty Of posting on TO the palace az three
aud four o'clock IN the morning on Of
l-ial business Small wonder that most
Of the grandees OF China are men OF
sol.ndid physique ana colossal strength
II IL indeed. a case Of the survival OF the
atiest, for all but those who have consti-
tufious Of iron break down under the I'M
eaasiug strain OF tn higher work Of the
great cfnccs OF state. When they ma
time 20 sleep s. a mystery. as u Is the
tradltioral custom Of the Emperor TO hold
h : reception u and give audience 10 his
~
break Of day at an seasons OF the year.
A Chinese official tod me that the Vice
rov OF Houkwang. old Chang -Chi-Tung.
was often 50 tired out with lab9rs that
no fell asleep In writing out his own tele-
Grams The worst OF Il Is that he man
ia ins have no "wel-earned rest 10 lock
forward TO- Petitions TO be allowed TO
retire 70 their native cities are almost IN
vartahlv rejected DR.. Morrison msntions
the cnse OF Wong wcn-Shao the Niceroy
AZ Yunnan and Kweichau. After half q
century Of oficial life in the provinces
and the capital. no applied f3r leave 20
return 10 his ancestral home 10 die. The
application was refused. So IL always T..
10 ale In harness is the constant fortune
- The Chinere mandarin. and II his couu-
,rv has % take him al his own price,
they manage 20 keep him all his time here
on earth
The hiEh-fl1@a initHt nave hHApuht-
efllv the grand manner OF the Ola World
Court ~ with them g. a matter OF strict
regulations. and the French court ETH
nuesfe 81 'le Roi soleil' never approach
"a the Chinese in its perfection Of de-
IAN Every movement Is prescribed BY
er4er in council. and any variation OF
f,rr, Is IN itself an out-of-the-way In
st,lt. or compliment. as the case may be.
n himself Is the pink Of courtesy in his
own house. m though he was. no rose
,roun his chair a. greet US. and apologize
Tor not being able 20 meet US at the
door.
How ne Keeps Posted.
THE OLD man IS lucky IN having retained
+, his service 80 cultured well-informed,
ana aimeble a man as his private secre-
tnrv Mr.. Pethick. an American %sn-
llemap. who has lived IN China. with brief
,rtervnis. since the civil War. Every az
tsrnoon and evening Mr.. Pethick reads
hlm such extracts from the foreign pa
ncra a. are likely TO interest him, and
with Reuters slip Of kilograms every day,
he IL well posted In current news. Ii j.
ain a splendid looking man. bearing his
pIrb upop four-score years with Chinese
lnsIfference, and though he walks with
. tribe more dificulty than he did when he
Vas In England. he d ready for any labor
ara any tnufneys A. the present mo-