Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-11-30

Before the War Besan--The "Official Tea.
Party" Held Dec. 10. 1894 Description of
the Ceremonies.
There are in all China only seven
pairs OF feminine Caucasian eyes COM
petent to identify the Empress Dowa-
ger, her Imperial Majesty Tsze Hsi
An. These seven pairs Of eyes belong
to the wives Of the foreign ministers
at the court of China who, on Dec. 13,
1899, were for few hours entertained
at the imperial palace and allowed a
brief glimpse OF the countenance of
the "Queen of Heaven"
This was the first time white wo-
man had been allowed to meet the
Empress face to face. Even the Chi
nese officers of state are said to be re-
quired to talk to the Empress through
a curtained lattice, only the eunuchs
and ladies OF the palace having admis-
sion to her sacred presence. Indeed,
only on rare occasions has the Emper-
or been allowed to see her.
1t will be seen that the Empress is
one of the most exclusive persons in
the world. Even the superexclusive-
ness of New York's parvenu Four
Hundred sinks into insignificance be-
side the refinement of elimination
which the ex-slave, the usurpipg ruler
of China's eemibarbarous hordes, exer-
cises.
The palace in which the Empress
resided was near to that occupied by
the Emperor. 1t was in the very
heart of the Purple Forbidden City,
into which no foreigners, nor even any
Chinese not connected with the palace
service, were admitted, except in rare
and isolated cases.
When, in 1898, Prince Henry of
Prussia, brother of the Emperor Will
liam, came to China with a great fleet
and took possession of Germany's
leased territory in the Empire, Prince
Henry insisted on paying personal
visit to the Emperor. The Chinese
who are in constant dread of the
strong arm Of Emperor William, were
willing to do anything to placate Ger.
many, and the audience was given
The place was the summer palace, sur
rounded by its fanciful Chinese gar
dens, laid out by the great Kublai
Khan, and Prince Henry was received
as an equal by the Emperor, not as ar
envoy. The Empress, too, was pres
ent at the interview, and for the first
time unveiled her face to the eyes o
one not a member of her own house
hold.
Prince Henry at this time .urget
that the wives OF the ambassadors bt
received at the Chinese court as they
were at other courts. The Emperor
and the Empress promised to conside
the petition; but for almost two year
the ladies of the embassies eyed th'
walls of the mysterious Forbidden
City with longing eyes, although from
time to time their husbands gentl,
hinted to the Chinese officials that tn
ladies OF their households were i'm
patiently awaiting an invitation t.
court. Various excuses were advanced
for Withholding the invitations. ON
of these, made by the Empress, wa
that her advanced years and her linn
tied resources for entertaining made j
impossible for her to receive all tn
wives, and she did not wish to sligh
any by issuing special invitations.
The ministers fastened to indig
nantly deny the insinuation and t
mention that, unlike the Chimes
usage, wife was with Europeans sin
gular noun. Each gentleman solemn
ly asserted that one wife apiece was a
much as any European mans income
to say nothing of the laws OF his coun
try, would permit.
Then the Empress reluctantly is
sued the cards for an official tea part
at the palace, to be given Dec. Il
1899. The wives of the ambassador
noted that the date set for the recep
ton was the 18th, but they had no
been consulted in regard to day, an
therefore were obliged to accept o
stay at home.
Lady Macdonald, owing to her su
perior experience, was chosen as tn
leader of the party. She was the wifi
OF the British minister, her husbant
Sir Claude Macdonald, having repre-
sented the government of England i
India, South Africa and China. !
} handsome, fearless woman OF matur
years and gentle birth, there was n
danger that the Empress, even if 6
inclined, could intimidate the repre-
sentative of Queen Victoria. Lad
Macdonald was one of the most popr
lar and hospitable OF the ladies of th
leations and was chosen to make TIL
speech of compliment to the hostess.
The place OF meeting for the gues1
was the British legation. Mrs. E.
ward H. Conger, wife OF the America
minister; Nine. Pichon, wife OF til
] French minister; the Baroness
Giers, wife of the Russian minister
the Marouise RapCi. wife of italy