The age-herald., 1900-08-12
THE HERoISM OF si. a
 SIR ROBERT HART

London.-The Daily Mairs Shanghai cor
 respondent says that Prince Ching and
 other friendly officials concocted a scheme
 to enable Sir Robert Hart, director of the
 imperial customs, to escape from Pelxin.
 Sir Robert was to avail himself of his
 ability to speak Chinese fuently, while it
 was believed would have his escape prac-
 ticable The plan was to have been put
 into effect on July 1, but Sir Robert re-
 fused to leave the British legation, saying
 he would not go alone and leave the other
 foreigners.
 He then addressed note to Prince Tuan,
 urging that in consideration of his many
 years of service to the empire and the good
 he had done China, his life and the lives of his companions be spared. He added
 that their destruction would bring ven
 geance and ruin on China.
 Prince Yuan did not answer, whereupon
 Sir Robert again wrote, but Prince Tuan
 maintained silence. It Is stated that the
 Europeans perished on the next night. The
 correspondent warns the public to distrust
 the denials of the massacre.
 Among the foreigners resident In Pel1in
 few are more widely known than Sir Rob-
 ert Hart, Engllshman, chief of customs of
 China, who Is said to be the most infiuen-
 tial foreigner In that country. He 1t was
 who succeeded in sending messages out of
 Pekin when other persons failed, and for some days his influence was counted upon
 to be effective with the rebellious horde.
 On his statements since the trouble began
 the British government depended largely
 for authentic information.
 In Pekin also Is, was, Dr. w. A. P.
 Martin, an American, who, going to China as a missionary forty-five years ago, was appointed president to the Imperial Unver- sity in China, which was established in 1898. pr. Martin and Sir Robert Hart are friends for many years, and in his book "A Cycle in Cathay," which Dr. Martin 1 published a couple of years ago, he gave pen pictures of Sir Robert which throw much light on one of the most interesting personalities of the times. That the ac- count may ultimately serve obituary written by a friend who may have perished at the same time, is not one of the least
 interesting points.
 According to Dr. Martin, Sir Roberts
 aversion has always been music, and he
 has Chinese band which plays the newest
 European music. An Englishman who. dined with him told of Sir Roberts being at home
 every Wednesday afternoon in his house.
 which is surrounded by beautiful grounds. From o'clock there are always tennis and dancing in the lawns The contrast from the dirt and squalor of Pekin makes this spot more than ever picturesque, and the place is always thronged r- ,f The Englishman was invited to dine with
 Sir Robert, and after all the other guests had left they spent an evening tete-a-tete, in which much of the hosts personality was told. After dinner they strolled up and down smoking n the garden, and the Eng Mshman remarked that life in Pekin would | not be so unpleasant if every European had l such a charming home.
 Tt is indeed so pleasant retreat Sir | Robert said that I seldom tempted to leave it. Moreover. my work occupies so much of my time that when have finished of an evening I have little inclination to leave my compound and folks. So I live here almost like hermit every day in the week except Wednesday. I have had only , eighteen months holiday since I joined the Chinese customs service in 1S59 One feature of the house the E;:Siits.man noticed was that it was lighted by gas It was made on the premises, for Pekin de- ponds upon oil. Also another thing that attracted him was that in Sir Roberts den the desk at which he transacted all his of ficial business is tall that he had to stand to it.
 'I never sit to my work" Sir Robert said. "as the air of Pekn has so very som niferous an effect that, were I to attempt writing after tifin I would undoubtedly fall asleep
 Sir Robert Hives in Oriental ..S.sry Eight servants attend every dinner, how ever simple, as it was considered necessary