The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1901-05-25
CHINESE SIMPLICITY.
An Innocent Private's Request Of
General Chaffee at the Wall
of Peking.

ncerS went 10 tHt Sdlc tHdt ndu been
discovered, passed through it and along
the inside of the outer wall, accom-.
panied them, says correspondent Of
the London Mail. None of the party
felt in the mood for levity, and | re.
member that l, for one, was laboring
under very strong realization of the
danger of our position. We eventual.
ly discovered that the gate had but ad-
apparently between the outer wall and
an inner one of equal dimensions.
Consequently we had gained nothing
in matter of position by finding the
gate.
Before we had discovered all this,
however, and as we were still engaged
in exploring the court, those in ad.
vance came upon a Chinese, in the uni.
form of soldier, so suddenly as to
cause them to wonder if he had not
sprung from the ground. His prox.
unity at the moment of the discovery
of his existence, the fact that he was
apparently unarmed, and the broad
and trustful grin which illumined his
countenance were all partly RESPONSE
BILE for his escape from death. Had he
been first seen at any distance, or had
he attempted to escape, he would Ger.
tainly have been shot. Under the ex.
listing circumstances he very prob
ably owed his life to the presence of
the American commander in chief.
AS the Americans advanced he pre-.
scented a small wooden tablet, upon
which were several Chinese charac-
tiers. His evident anxiety that we
should not overlook this bit of unin-
telligibly inscribed wood caused us at
once to jump to the conclusion that
"the city within city within city"
In other words, we thought: Here is
man with a message from the pal
ace. Perhaps it is from the empress
dowager, or even the emperor him
self"
At that moment l saw the inter-
preterof the French general approach
ing. Knowing that he could speak
Chinese, FASTENED toward him, and
explained the important find we had
made. The interpreter had come to
ask Gen. Chaffee if the French ar
tillery might shell the imperial city
towers from the Tartar City wall, fir
ing over the heads of the American
troops. Chaffee refused to entertain
such a proposition for moment, but,
of course, that didn't stop the French.
In fact, Chaffee had to use all his we'll
known bluntness and even employ dis.
courteous and profane language be-
fore the French shells ceased burst
ing within few yards of the Amer.
lean advance. But that is another
story.
The French interpreter was as
eager as | to see what was on the
placard. He, the soldier detailed 10
guard the Chinese and myself formed
an anxious knot as the Frenchman
scanned the queer hieroglyphics. /
read disgust on his face before he had
finished, but he did not have an oppor-
tunity to speak before the Chinese
commenced an earnest and emphatic
harangue to the newcomer. OF course,
the Mongolian had tried the same
thing on all of us, but this was the
first time he was understood. AS he
finished, or rather slowed down after
the first squirt, Gen. ChafYee came up.
what about this fellow?" asked the
general.
"Why, sir" said the interpreter,
with sickly smile, "this is Chinese
soldier, The board he carries testi.
fies to that fact, and in addition tells
who he is and to what body of troops
he Is attached. He belongs TO a sort
Of imperial guard. He says he was on
duty guarding that gate in the outer
wall, and left his post but for mo-
ment, To find on his return that your
soldiers had entered In his absence
He Is very anxious that should ask
you to go outside the gate at once,
for he says no one Is allowed in here,
and II his commander discovers that
he has neglected hts duty and left his
post and gun he will be severely pun.
ished. lie also says that II you will
allow him to return to the gate he will
show you the order which forbids any.
one to enter It,"
Well, we all laughed. One or two OF
the younger ones fairly howled. We