The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-03
CHINA'S DRAGON THRONE
An American Girl Sat on 1t After
Pekin's Fall.
She Was Miss Pierce, the Niece of
the United states Minister, and In
Spirit of Adventure Accom-
PIished What No Woman Ever Did
so Runs the story of Her Deed.

| Only one woman In the world has ever
sat on the throne OF the Emperor OF
China. She is an American girl, Miss
Mary Conger Pierce, of Des Moines.
American girls have become noted for
| attaining high positions abroad and max
ing conquest OF princes and dukes.
But Miss Pierce has reached the highest
| position of all, seat on the throne re-
| served for the supreme ruler Of the
largest and most automatically governed
country among all the nations of history.
ancient. medieval, or modern.
This enviable position came TO Miss
Pierce as the happy climax to the most
perilous experiences during the siege Of
Pekin, says the New York Journal As
| the ward and niece of Major Edwin H.
! Conger, American Minister to China, she
| shared the privations and terrors that be-
fell all the foreigners in the legation
| buildings.
Miss Pierce is handsome and attrac-
| tive young woman, about twenty years of
| age, who has been looked upon as the
belle CT the Diplomatic Corps in the Ce-
| lsstial Capital.
| Her uncle, Minister Conger. went to
| China in 1898 Miss Pierce, in company
| with Mrs. Conger and Miss Conger. the
| Minister'S wife and daughter, arrived in
| Pekin during the same year
Miss Pierces winning personality soon
gained her great popularity in Pekin for
| cign society, and she ably assisted her
| aunt and cousin in the social duties de-
| voIved upon them by virtue of Minister
Conger's position.
! On the 2Sth day of August, 1900, the
allies conducted the historical triumphal
I a. he Emp sEnrhiddan
City" This step was taken In order that
the most supreme disgrace should be Wis
| tied upon the ruling dynasty in China
| The Forbidden City" was sacred ground.
| and the pressure of foreign foot upon its
sacred fagstcnes was as great an igno-
miny as ccuid befall the Government Of
the Chinese Empire.
No foreigner had ever before caught
glimpse OF the mysteries that lay inside
the Kou Tou gate and beyond the moat
that surrounds the high wall of the Hsu
! Ching Cheng.
/ The allied troops marched through the
/ purple palace without a halt Then the
general officers, their respective stamB,
handful of other officers, and scattering
I of newspaper correspondents. members OF
/ the various diplomatic corps and mission
aries walked through the Forbidden
City slowly enough to view some OF its
NOHucIS
A few women among whom was Lady
! Claude Macdonald, wife Of the British
Minister at Pekin. accompanied the little
! party. They passed straight through the
palace grounds along the courts of har-
mony and secure peace, out Of the Kou
/ Tou gate and over the bridge across the
moat. The gate was closed behind them,
and orders were given that no foreigner
should be allowed to pass through 1t
again.
1t was then thought that no foreign
devil would ever see the interior of the
Forbidden City again. Miss Pierce was
hot one OF the favored party who
passed through the Forbidden City on
/ August rs, but she is an American girl,
I and did not give up hope of seeing the
| Emperor's palace, notwithstanding that
orders had been given that no one
/ should re-enter it.
Brigadier General Wilson arrived in
/ Pekin too late to take part in the
"triumphal march, and on September
I % he ana The American Commissioner.
/ Mr.. Rankin decided to visit the For
hidden City Learning of their inten-
ton, Miss Pierce SO arranged matters
| that when the party started on the
morning of September % she was
| member of 1t.
No less parsonage than the old Chi
nese Comptroller of the Purple Palace,
the Emperor's residence, acted as guide
| for the interested and delighted Ameri-
cans.
They did not leave a nook or Granny
of the curious historic palace unyislted,
and they were the first fore gners to view
many parts OF the residence of the soc
of Heaven" which the visitors on Au-
gust IS had missed in their tour Of OBJ
servatlon.
The Hall OF Harmony" the Court Of
! Secure Peace" the Garden OF the White
/ Jade Flower the Centre Of the Uni
I verse; at the Emperor's temple, the En-
peror's summer house. his suite Of apart
ments. the imperial bed chamber, the
quarters OF the Empress Dowager, and a
score of places OF equal interest were Wis
tied by the little party.
The GROWING episode of the days ed
ventures came when the door OF the
throne room was opened by the attend
ants at the reluctant command OF the Chi
nese Comptroller.
For the first time in history a white
mans foot was placed on the marble flag
stones that led TO the beautiful carved
gateways and barriers Of steps and rail-
irgs which. surmounted vases OF carved
| Jade guards the Sacred Pearl" as the
seat of the dragon throne is called.
Miss Pierce glanced up at the roof OF
gilded woodwork above the throne with an
expression Of wonder and enjoyment
! On. WOlueT IL 1 EdI 81 Oil me
of the Emperor of China" she exclaimed.
General Wilson gravely assured her
that while such proceeding on her
part would be entirely foreign TO pre-
cedent, there were no objections to her
doing so.
So the American girl ran up the steps
and with a laugh of satisfaction sat right
/ down in the place which has never been
! occupied by anyone save an Emperor OF
| the Flowery Kingdom, and will, in all
probability never again be occupied by
anyone outside the royal family in China
! for all time 10 come.
! The Chinese attendant, the Imperial
| Comptroller. Mortified at the sacrilege,
/ fell forward on his face as il suddenly
! stricken dead.
One of General Wilson's staff had
! camera, and while Miss Pierce occupied
| the dragon throne. with the American
officers standing about as if her minis
| tiers OF state. a photograph was taken.
| II is an honor that not even the crafty
and powerful Empress Dowager of China
| can never hope TO attain.
| The Tall GirPs Mistake.
! Gallantry, like virtue. is often its own
reward An illustration of the truth of
this occurred in ear in Philadelphia the