The Washington times., 1902-01-06
Incense and Offerings for
Imperial Party.
SCENE OF ORIENTAL SPLENDOR.
City Decorated Masnifcent1y in
Honor of the Advent of the EN-
perOr and DOwager Empress-A
Photograph Taken Incidents
Along the Line of the PrOcessiOn.

To-Day invited the ladies' DeiOnglnR TO the
several legations to occupy silk shop
on Chieu-Nen Street to witness the ar
rival of the Court. This invitation is sup
Elementary TO the one sent yesterday
asking the ladies to occupy booth out
side the Chen Men gate
The Ministers have also been invited to
witness the ceremony, but it is under
stood that they will not accept. Their
families and the other members of the
legations will, however, see the spectacle.
PnotinE-fu OvercrOwded.
Advices from Paoting-fu. the provincial
capital, state that the city's accommoda-
tions are greatly overtaxed by the large
retinue of the Court Hundreds of those
belonging to the Court are being fed in
cloth pavilions, while others eat in the
open air.
The Court entered the city by cir
cuitous route, between high mat walls. in
order to avoid the unlucky Western Ghost
The shopkeepers placed food offerings.
and sandaiwood incense was burned in the
streets through which the Court passed.
Walls Covered with silk.
The imperial party is quartered at the
Viceroys yamen, where last year the
allies tried and condemned the provincial
treasurer. who was a relat;-e of the En-
press Dowager, and other officials. for
their completely in the Bo.er troubles.
The yamen is decorated with lanterns.
Hundreds of the finest embroidered
scrolls are at the windows, and the walls
are covered with painted silk. The room
of the Empress Dowager is lined with
wadded silk. Tho throne chair is of ebony,
inlaid with blue jade.
Warning to Foreigners
Foreigners have been warned not to ap-
pear on the streets of Paoting-fu before
the departure of.the Court.
thousand of Yuan Shih Kai's soldiers
arrived at Peking today from Paoting-fu.
Troops are now stationed in large bodies
along the entire line.
Many foreigners today inspected the
road TO the station at Machiapu, where
yellow tents have been erected for the
imperial family and blue tents for the
military commanders and civil officials.
Few foreigners have witnessed the Court
on route from Hglan. Their progress has
been ogicrir. rut t--9 ~as constant
crash lt a. -he 7e7rr.r. ljEses.
ss.elIe q. svsis Disgrace.
Tie road was au,a ,y the r.,aus s9-
eigat ds-s after -ne Ccur-- 1a.7-.u-s
from Kaifens!-. A photograph os ..H
Court was taken at Chengte-.,., where the
soldiers and populace were polite and
friendly. At FANCY the runners and un-
the food which had been prepared for the
Emperor. and the commissariat officers,
TO avoid disgrace, committed suicide.
Three hundred cooks were retained at
Chengte-fu. They secured their pay in
advance and then, being unable to provide
for the hungry multitude. they decamped
with whatever they could carry
Difficult to Secure Food.
The question of obtaining and preparing
food has been the main cause of trouble
along the entire route. Three magistrates,
il is reported, have already been dis
missed in Chill for not supplying food.
Three missionaries witnessed the Courts
departure from Chengte-fu.
The imperial party is accompanied by
few hundred cavalry. two companies of
infantry, and a large number Of men
with shovels and brooms, whose duty it is
to see that the roads are in condition
for the passage of the Court. Large num-
Ders of natives built fires along the road
and awaited the passage of the Emperor |
and the Dowager Empress.
The Emperor Melancholy.
The Emperor is melancholy and listless |
md pays no attention to the crowds that |
ineel along the roadside as he passes, |
lor does he seem to see the deyout China
men who burn incense as an act of wor-
ship. The Empress Dowager, however, is |
,lert and active. and keenly watchful of |
everything that happened.
When the party arrived at Paoting-fu |
he master of ceremonies commanded the |
spectators to kneel The foreigners pres |
mt stood still, whereupon the master of |
ceremonies ordered that hats be removed. |
DOvngcr Empress Smiles.
This order was obeyed, and natives and |
foreigners bowed to the Empress Dowa
ger. who bowed and smiled in response.