The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-19

sovereigns of Europe, presented to hin
in 1896. Two presentation pictures ar
of a different sort. One is picture o
flowers that the French government
must have taken out of tn elumbe
room of an old exhibition, and the 9th
err, the gift of the Belgian crown, |.
supposed to depict Ii and his suite
watching some target practice with bis
guns More interesting are two long
straight scrolls of imperial yellow sill
hanging on the further walls. They
look like glorified text banners from q
country chapel and ON them are in
scribed in black ink some hug eChinese
characters denoting happiness. These
came as a present from the empress
dowager on his last birthday, and the
writing is in her own royal hand.
Small wonder that most of the gran
dees of China are man of splendid
physique and colossal strength. 1t is,
indeed, a case of the survival of the
fittest, for all but those who have con-
situations of iron break down under the
unceasing strain Of the higher work of
the great offices of state When they
find time to sleep is q mystery, as it is
the traditional custom of the emperor
to hold his reception of and give audi
ence to his minister in the early hours
before the break of day at all seasons
of the year. A Chinese official told me
that the viceroy Of Hou-Kwang, old
Chang Chi Tung, was often so tired out
with his labors that he fell asleep in
writing out his own kilograms. The
worst of 1t is that the mandarins have
no well earned rest" to look forward
to. Petitions to be allowed to retire to
their native cities are almost invariably
rejected. DR.. Morrison mentions the
case of Wong Wen Shao the viceroy Of
Yun-Nan and Que-Chau. After half
century of official life in the provinces
and the capital he applied for leave to
return to his ancestral home to die. The
application was refused. So 1t always
is, To die in harness is the constant
fortune of the Chinese mandarin, and
If his country has to take him at his
own price it manages to keep him all
his time here on earth. The high class
Chinese have undoubtedly the grand
manner of the Old World. Courtesy
with them is a matter of strict regula-
ton, and the French court etiquette of
lie Roi Soleir never approached the
Chinese in its perfection of detail.
Every movement is prescribed by Order
in Council, and any variation of form
Is in itself an out Of the way insult, or
compliment as the case may be. Ii
himself is the pink of courtesy in his
own house. Ill though he was, he rose
from his chair to greet us, and apollo
gized for not being able to meet us at
the door.
The old man is lucky in having re-
tanned in his service so culturde, we'll
informed and amiable man as his
private secretary Mr.. Pethick, an
American gentleman, who has lived in
China, with brief intervals, since the
civil war. Every afternoon and even
ing Mr.. Pethick reads him such extracts
from the foreign papers as are likely to
interest him, and with Reuters slip of
kilograms every day he is well posted
In current news. LII is still a splendid
looking man, bearing his nigh upon
fourscore years with Chinese indiffer
ence, and, though he walks with a trifie
more difficulty than he did when he
was in England, he is ready for any
labor and any journesy. At the present
moment he says he would like to spend
another two years in Europe, where he
was delighted with his reception, and
to England, so he says, he is especially
DESTROYS to return, 1t seems a pity that
he and others of the "ancien regime"
strength of the modern system of things
some years ago. Having heard of Lord
bereavement, he expressed |
ri.
and his family, and went on to
say how much he regretted that he had |
not had the opportunity of meeting Lord |
Rosebery. who had entertained him at |
luncheon by deputy when he went up to
Scotland.
No doubt the predominant trait in LIS
character is his love of money, and he
outs innumerable questions in reference
% the financial position of English mil
ionaires. In regard to the house of |
he was particularly inquisi-
i've, and he would have liked to be fur
liShed with such q comparative list of |
great fortunes as is sometimes given in
he press of the United States. 1t is
'asy to perceive that Ii thoroughly in
lorses the Chinese proverb which tells
Is that with money you can move
ven the gods; without money you can
lot move even a man." In fact, he
'alues foreigner by his wealth, and
assesses his influence. Among other
hngs, he finds it curious to hear that
members of parliament are not paid.
What do they get?" he wants to know.
nd it is little hard to explain to his
what is admittedly an Eng
sh paradox. He has been abroad, and
e may feel about his city like a son of
he old Marquis Tseng, who told an
.nglish friend that he had not dared in
he presence of the great officials to say
Their than that Picking was a far finer
ity than London, Paris or Vienna, but
hat, personally, he was going to the
'est again as soon as possible. Ii looks
orward to seeing many sights and peo-
lie whom he missed last time on his
ext visit to England. Will he ever
ONE? Some of his attendants believe
to be quite on the cards, but it is
ardly credible that the jealous bureau
racy will allow him to go after the al {
lost royal honors which We're paid him ,
| 1896 Ii constantly proclaims HIM
IF firm friend of Great Britain, and,
Though this be open to doubt, and is