The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-11-17

three-eyed peacock feather, and all the
other insignia of his high rank. There
was not an understrapper in the palace
who Gid not insult him, and he had 20
cross the palm of the gatezeepers of the
Forbidden City to the tune of a hundred
thousand dollars before he secured the
audience in which, as he knew only hui
initiation awaited him.
Intellectual Enjoyment in His Work.
Should he carry the present negotiations
to conclusion l do not know what the
court will take from him; perhaps the
year or two Of life that remains to him,
foH the Viceroy is now 80 years of age.
Certainly that will be the suggestion of
Prince Tuan and many other influential
Chinese Princes and Viceroys, and Ii
Hung Chang knows it. l. as well as 9TH
erS, have often wondered why the Viceroy
consented to take up the task, for he is
not intensely patriotic, at least not in
our meaning OF the word
Some think he did il in the hope Of
gain, others yielding to the habit OF obe-
oience which has become a second nature
10 him during his six decades of service
TO the throne. L think he accepted the
rnenviable post for the intellectual en-
9oyment wmchit undoubtedly affords hini
Physically the Grand Old Man of China
is half dead, but intellectually he remains
a marvel, and he loves to sharpen ms
wits and tight intellectual battles with the
eleven representatives. OF Europe, Amet-
lea and Japan who form this chaotic,
most inharmonious body that is calied
the concert OF the powers 10 CHINA
There was one thing, however, that
drew him to Peking, and that was tn
thought of seeing the HSlen-LAang-lze o..
the Loyal Goou Tempe" where he has
always lived when visiting The northern
capital; he came here SIXTY years ago,
when he took his examinations, a very
unImportant though promising youth.
Here ne came to announce the suppress
sion of the TAPPING rebellion. In good OF.
evil repute, the priests have always
made him welcome, with or without ms
yellow riding jacket.
The little cell like guest room which he
first occupied has been enlarged 10 a pa
viion containing dozen rooms, and
the Viceroy has paid for the improve
ment. His presents to the temple have
increased with his prosperity; in fact, hi,
favor is the main asset of the otherwise
dilapidated and somewhat sidetracked
shrine. The priests strike me as a worth
less, degenerate lot, but the Viceroy
loves them all. They furnish him with
so much amusement.
Some one comes in and tells him a
scandalous story about one of the breth-
rem, and the Viceroy says deprecatingly.
1T cannot be so. l knew his father and
his grandfather, and they were good
men" Those conversant with tina
Buddhistic canons will be surprised to
hear of brethren of the yellow robe who
have sons and grandsons, but this is the
fate of those who dwell in the Loyal
Good Temple
The abbot, in fact. is henpecked would
not say so if the Viceroy had not toll
me so himself. They live on very happily.
these latter day Buddhas. though without
that utter vacancy of mind which comes
only with single blessedness and a rigid
regimen, until toward the Chinese New
Year, when their sleek, expressionIes
faces show some documentary signs of
care, faint suggestions of thought The
time is coming when their conduct of
earthly affairs is to be strictly lookei
into by the powers that be in heaven.
For they are under a stricter surveil
lance than that which the cynical Vice.
roy bestows upon them.
You would not notice it, and / did not
notice it and, in fact, the priests do not
notice it for eleven months out of the
twelve. but when New Year is coming
the strange little red tablets with black