The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-16
ADVENTURE IN ToNGKU
not A RECENT HAPPENING, BUT THE
.B0xER, SPIRIT WAS DISPLAYED.
Gay Attire Of Female Missionaries the
Cause Of Unpleasant Attcn-
tfOns from Natives.


daughter. accompanied by four women
missionaries. The seventh woman OF the
group was the wife of a colonel. temporari-
~ resident at Tien-Tsin. With her was a
lovely little daughter. child Of ten. and
the colonel himself. The latter had come
TO Tongku 10 meet our party OF five.
Thus there were fifteen Of US. all 'Ameri-
cans. and the females in the majority.
We had come from Shanghai on the same
steamer with the bishop. venerable and
most kindly gentleman. The quartet OF
missionaries were of the type OF self-sac-
rificing women, who in hearing the Mas
ter's call interpret il wholly independent
of the effect upon themselves. personally.
However one may he inclined 70 regard
methods followed in foreign evangelical
fields there can be gainsaying the de-
yotion, the self-abnegation Of a large pro-
portion of the missionaries. notably the
women. Strange though, Il was, primarily,
through the still remaining trend OF the
feminine characteristics i'll the women mis-
sionaries. as well as the others OF the
gentler sex with US, that the peril at Tong
ku was encountered.
The Pei-Ho river as far as Tongku is
navigable for steamships OF light draft.
Beyond there is a succession of sand bars,
ard the usual course is to disembark and
proceed TO Tien-Tsin by rail. There is q
small wharf at the steamship landing. and
it was a scramble to get ourselves and
our luggage thereon. after which it was a
long and trying walk TO the railroad sta
ton. Vehicles. even the ''rickshaw'-ths
sort of baby carriage for adults so COM
mon in the East-were out OF the question.
as the intervening space was largely COM
posed of swamp, ditch ridges and other diff
fculties to surmount Walking was the
only means of accomplishing the distance
and. all in all. it was a pretty tough mile
TO get over. Stringing out In single file.
we made our way as best we could. gang
of coolies" with our baggage bringing up
the rear. In the intense clearness Of the
atmosphere the bright sun with its slant
ing rays defined every detail Of whatso-
ever they fell upon, and seemed TO delight
in not only bringing out lines but to in
tensify colors as well.
BRILLIANT APPAREL.
And in our column, fifteen strong and OF
sweetness, as IL were, long drawn out. was
the rainbow typiied in all the effulgence OF
its pristine brilliancy. 1t was this that
played part, If no more. in that which
! came so near to our undoing.
There was one OF our number, femininely
| speaking, with the brightest OF blood-red
waists and a snow-white skirt another in a
| lemon-yellow upper portion and dead
4 black lower section Still another IN vivid
green from neck TO feet, while fourth was
in alternating up-and-down lines OF ma
| genta and cream color. A fifth. for a
| change. had the stripes OF blue and white
encircle her form transversely. The elder
| lady was in gray with brown trimmings.
| and the child in bewildering plaid-Scotch
with American variations OF the hats suf-
| fee it TO say that bouquets innumerable in
| combinations of color and constituency
could have been plucked from the head
gear of the eight. No two were OF conform
| ing shape, and they ranged from the turban
| to the Gainsborough.
That such an exemplifcation OF the rul-
| ing passion in femin!nity should have oc-
| Cured in far-off China and among mis-
| sionaries was another illustration Of the
| happening of the unexpected. To the COM
| ing of the bishop from the States on
| tour Of inspection Of missionary posts was
| to be attributed the desire 10 appear TO the
very best possible advantage. That the
| missionary women evidenced their human
| ity in their fashions was assuredly no cause
/ for other than commentator Of their nat
uralness. OF all places in the world to send
the affected and the sanctimonious the mis-
sionary field should be the last
However, to get back to that pilgrimage
| across lots TO Tong-Ku
| OF TO the right, and about equi-distant
| from the wharf and the railroad station.
| was camp of some four thousand soldiers
| who had nothing whatever 10 do and
| scarcely more TO eat. North Cinnamon.
| Boxers most of them have come TO be
/ called, the mood to show openly the hatred
| entertained and fostered against foreigners
| was ill-concealed, If. in fact, concealed at
| all. Only the week previously a large num-
| Der of men Of the same stamp as these.
| had, from a nearby camp. suddenly
swooped down upon two three English
| men at another railway station. numbering
| one OF them and leaving the others for
dead. after shockingly mutilating them.
| CURIOSITY DREW THEM.
A terror TO the peaceful settlers of their
| own nationality in the vicinity of the
| camps, the men remained en- masse. In a
measure because of the promise made OF
| some day paying them. but principally by
| reason OF having other place 10 go they
| could call their own. In this condition. In
| active of body. but in mind cherishinG
| every cumulative Of spleen and malice OF
| which they were capable. the human
streamer in all the coruscations OF color
every known hue could lend IL, that on the
morning in question came over the broad
expanse between wharf and station, was TO
these men in full truth as Haunting teas
| ing flag in the face of a vicious bull II was
dangerous 10 do it. Hardly had the long
platform at the railway terminal been
reached when from the direction of the
camp there set in motion the string OF
straggIers which in the end almost. IL not
quite emptied it.
Within and about the camp were women.
wives or hangers on as they might be. and
1t was these that first appeared in numbers
at the station. At the outset they held
somewhat aloof from our party. being
seemingly content 10 view the. 10 them.
amazing feminine raiment, from COM
paratfvely respectful distance.
The Chinese woman has but one costume
in which she is seen in public. and II Is un-
deniably modest and unobtrusive. uni