The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-22

camels lying down, two more standing
up, two recumbent elephants, two others
erect, and so on, the effect being exceed
ingly striking and even wierd. The
tombs, at which the avenue terminates,
are about thirty miles northeast of Pc
king; they are in reality temples, con-
tanning roomy halls and well-wooded
courts. They are in good repair, though
the road leading to them has been per-
mitted to become almost obliterated. At
the entrance to the great avenue is the
finest gateway in China, of solid marble.
On the backs of the stone elephants the
traveller notices heaps of small stones,
which puzzle him somewhat until ne is
informed that every passer-by throws
one, the notion being that good luck is
indicated if the pebble remains, while
the opposite is the case If it falls off.
China is a country beset by
MULTITUDES OF DEVILS,
which would soon destroy the people, the
crops, and everything else, but for con-
slant offerings made to the gods. The
gods themselves are almost equally nu-
merous, and many of them are of fero-
ciouS aspect. Inasmuch as five different
religions are recognized in the country,
a multiplicity of divinites is inevitable;
but it is a great mistake to suppose that
the people worship idols in the ordinary
application of the term. From their point
of view, the statues of the various dietes
merely Symbolic the divine beings and
their attributes. Now and then a god
gets himself disliked, and his image is
destroyed. 1t is expected that divinity
shall behave himself, and, If he does not
bring good fortune to the people, they
cease to have any respect for him.
The most interesting of the photo
graphs reproduced with this article repre-
sents the execution of a criminal at Can
ton. According to most recent advices,
persons suspected of Boxer affiliations
are being dealt with in this manner in
that city at the present time at the rate
of about five day. When an offenders
head has been cut off, it is left with the
body at the place of punishment, and rel
atives usually gather up the remains and
sew the head and body together in prep
aration for burial This is deemed of
much Importance, as having to do with
the prospects of the victim in the next
world. From the Chinese viewpoint, this
world and the next are more closely con-
nected than we imagine them to be, and
the emperor, who himself is practically
divine being, has power to bestow pos
thumous dignities, elevating to superior
rank persons In heaven who are deem
ed worthy of such honor.
WOMEN CAN'T CLINE STAIRS.
One reason why Chinese dwelling hous-
es are almost invariably of one story only
is that the progress of spirits that bring
good luck might be impeded by high
buildings. Possibly, also, the custom of
cramping the feet, which prevents the
women from going up stairs easily, may
have had something to do with keeping
the rooms on level 1t Is not certain
how this custom originated Some au-
thorities say that it is derived from an
old-time empress who. had deformed feet,
and who set the fashion, like the fox in
the fable which had lost its tail. An
other theory is that the plan was de
vised to prevent women from gadding too
much. When the cramping process be-
gun in early childhood, it does not seem
to be very painful, but when 1t is not
started until the little girl is seven or
eight years of age, it causes untold ago
MES. The wonder is that it does not
bring modification of the members con-
cerned.
s. Wells Williams, in his Middle King
dom, says that the ancient Chinese
wore their hair long and bound upon the