Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-07-14
4 letter | ! IRON | ! P[I|N
8Dr. Eliza ). Leonard, ! Missionary
Sent from Iowa 70 China.
Writes
Tells About Uprising Of the Boxers
Their Peculiar Belief and
Ceremonies.
Soldiers Without Guns Arc Sent to
Guard the Mission situation
Nay 80.
Special to Times-Republican.

from her 1t Is feared she has died the
death OF q martyr. She was we'll known
thruout Iowa as an educated and ac-
|lcomplished lady. She was graduate
of Ann Arbor. She went to China six
years ago and has been practicing
medicine In the Presbyterian mission
there. as she went to China under the
auspices OF this church, intending to
isstay eight years In the celestial empire.
Since the receipt of the news IL the
massacre of the 9Th there is but little
hopes that she has escaped death. The
letter written by DR.. Leonard is as fol-
flows:
suppose the home papers have
kept you in great state as to our SAT-
ETY. and have in all probability repre-
scented things far worse than they are.
AS the fifth month feast is approaching
AFFAIRS in China seem to be coming to a
crisis. The Boxers have grown more
and more daring in their work. Two
London mission native helpers have
been killed. Many "A. b. c. F. NJ. Chris
tians have fled for their lives Some
poor things saved their lives by wor-
Shipping idols. Nine NJ. E. people, ma
tives. have been killed. This all hap
/
city. Monday two bridges on the Pao
Tingfu railroad line were burned and
no trains We're allowed thru from Tien
Tsin to Pekin, tho the line was intact.
No mails have entered Pekn or left
4 Pekin for two days. Word comes this
morning that trains are running again,
SO we want to get home letters off, for
ut is better to know the truth than to
| be excited by stories one does not feel
jssure about.
The station at Feng- tai, the termi-
nus OF the Pekin-Paofu line. was
burned Monday night. The station is
about seven or eight miles outside the
city. The report is that the imperial
troops did not raise a hand to stop the
work of devastation. The Chinese re-
port Is that the empress dowager is
livery much displeased with the French
lover the matter. The French have
built the line, tho the Chinese own it.
She claims that the French should have
guarded the line. Such child's talk!
The line is owned by the Chinese and
Chinese subjects have destroyed it in
fact. yet it is the fault of the French!
understand the French minister de-
manded an audience yesterday and got
| it. Have not heard results A rllmor
said that another station was to bs
burned last night. but think that was
false. We think il better to begin on
the railroads than on mission COM
pound, for more will be made of 1t.
Eight legations have sent for large
guards. and we hope some of them will
be in today.
I'VE dismissed the girls school yes
l;terday and have dispatched all the girls
Ito their homes or homes Of friends. We
thought it too much of a responsibility
to keep such company of large girls
There. II anything should happen they
would most surely fall prey to vicious
men. and that would be worse than
death. Should We be in danger of an
attack we could do nothing but stand
our ground with the girls. Ior such a
company could not run. think We
shall be spared any harm or fight.
We are not at all wrought up over
sleep rs peacefully as babes. We do
not know what a day or night may.
bring forth. but We are kept in won
Iderful peace and quiet of mind. Still
a few women and children dare to come
for treatment. Ny last patient fed last
night at dark. am glad they did. for
now have no responsibility for them.
I'VE have had guard Of Chinese SOL
diers at our gate since a week ago last
Monday. We did not ask for them,
but they We're sent here by the north
yamen. suppose they are of very little
good. doubt II there is gun in the
outfit. and II there is / venture there
is no ammunition. Being modest young
women 1t would be unbecoming to look
around or ask any questions. The SOL
diers here come to our services and
have been very quiet, SO it may have
done them some good.
No attack has been made inside the
city yet. and we hope there will ge
l.none To be sure, there are Boxers
practicing here. but it Will be very dar-
| ing for them to do anything in the capt.
tai. and 1t seems to US would mean al
most the overthrow of the government.
The Boxers in practicing bump their
heads on the ground three times in the
direction of the southeast. repeat some
forms and fall back in state of
trance. where they lie for little while,
then get up. beat themselves furiously
with their hands or Chinese swords and
say they are some particular spirit.
They claim they are invulnerable.
When they have had enough OF the
hypnotic state some one rubs hand
over the face and they are ordinary
men again. heard one of the leaders
who was making such claims when a
man asked him If he would give him
permission to try sword across his
neck. He said certainly, whereupon the
sword was applied With considerable
force and the head rolled of to8one
side. The father of the Boxer who was
asked for an explanation said his son
was not sufficiently under the influence
OF the, spirit; that he himself could not
pc 1,armed The man rspiiei that one
deaa man was enough FOR him; he
would mot nv the sword on 1n0ther.
Now Itrust this letter WIN not serve
to tropble you. but that syop all maybe
peaceful oves tAsse troublesome times,
- We ~. y , know not what awaits