The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-24
HEADED OFF GEN. MA
Chinese General Announced That He
Was Coming to the
Wedding.
A Minneapolis Mans Niece Embar-
raised by Her Popularity
in China.

The queerness of Chinese customs and
the embarrassment of popularity in the
f1owery kingdom was illustrated forcibly
by incidents connected with the marriage
in Tung Che of Miss Elizabeth Sheffield,
niece of Rev j. S. Sheriff. of Mime
apolis and daughter of a missionary. 1t
also incidentally throws a good deal of
light on the relations existing between
many Of the missionaries Of standing and
the Chinese officials.
It is the custom in China to regard a
visit made without invitation and especial
ly on the occasion of some social festiv
ity as a greater honor than the attendance
of invited guests; to unsolicited is
a great social concession. The brides
mother in writing to home friends said
that the problem that kept her awake
nights was trying to keep from being
swamped by their Chinese friends and
especially the officials.
"Hobnobbing with royalty" she wrote,
has it's terrors.' By explaining their
position to some of their native friends
early, they succeeded in diverting the
horde most to be expected.
General Ma, however, got wind of the
wedding and sent his interpreter to say
that he was coming-must come to give
his congratulations. AS the general Is
commander in chief Of the Chinese army.
that meant an escort of 100 soldiers and
his body guard. This contretemps was
only averted by DR.. Sheffield's earnest
protestations Of his unworthiness to re-
ceive such an honor and the diplomatic
aid Of the Interpreter who understood
something Of foreign customs. Finally
the general contented himself by sending
the Interpreter as his representative with
two rolls Of white silk, two fans, two en-
broidered handkerchiefs and two bottles
Of perfumery. -
The next honor was even more terrify-
ing and troublesome Thru a Chinese
| friend, a duchess, who is niece or the
| empress, the latter was informed Of the
| wedding plans. The dowager empress
promptly sent the bride-elect a set Of truly
| imperial gifts, four rolls of silk, light
| blue, dark blue, pink and olive green, In
| a beautiful glass case; two boxes OF per-
fume bags, a box Of five embroidered
scarfs, toilet case Of red lacquer; and
| what the Chinese consider the browning
feature Of all, fan painted by her
najesty-a very dainty flower piece with
verse Of poetry and the imperial seal.
The empress requested to know the date
| Of the wedding in order that she might
| send an official to represent her. There
was nothing to do about this but to hope
| that the duchess would be the chosen one,
for as Mrs. Sheffield said: "she has much
| common sense and knows how to make
| herself at home with US. This proved to
| be the solution and she sent us word a
| few days before the wedding that the
dowager empress had commanded her to
attend so as to tell her all about it.
The bride had come to the. notice OF
the empress by acting as interpreter for
Mrs. Conger, wife Of the United States
AMBASSADOR, at some social functions
During the siege Miss Sheffield helped tc
care for the sick and wounded In Picking
| and has since resumed her mission and
| school work there. After the siege, the
house of the duchess was occupied first
by soldiers afterwards assigned to some
| missionaries, among them DR.. Sheffield
When the owners returned to Picking they
were pleased to find their house in such
good hands, and the duches has been very
friendly ever since with the family. Miss
Sheffield became the bride of Rev. Will
liam B. Steele.