The sun., 1904-05-29
PORTRAIT TRAVELS IN STATE.
PAINTING OF CHINESE EMPRESS
DOWAGER FOR ST. LOUIS.
Done by an American WOman-A Special
Railroad Built 10 Garry lt--Honors
TO q Chinese Governor Who Committed
Suicide Because OF the Russians.

PEKIN, April ?0.-During the past week
there have occurred in Pekin three un-
usual events of public interest
The first was the exhibition at the Foreign
Office OF tho portrait Of the Empress Dow
ager painted by an Am rican artist. Miss
Carl, expressly for the st. Louis exposition.
The portrait was carried from the palace.
where 1t was painted, 10 the Foreign Office
with as much care and ceremony as il it had
been the Empress Dowager in person.
The streets were cleared and spl inkled
with yellow earth just as they always are
for the passage CT their Majesties, and
the reverent crowds were much impressed.
though the portrait was, of course, con-
cealed from their gaze. In fact, only a
favored few have been permitted to look
on the picture.
On the first day the wives Of Ministers
and First Secretaries of Legation went to
the Foreign Office to view the portrait,
and the next day the Ministers and their
secretaries had the opportunity of see
ing it.
The portrait is more than life size and
represents the Empress Dowager seated
on dragon throne, with two great pea
cock feather fans. mounted on tall stand
ards at either side Of the throne. She
wears a stately Manchu robe of imperial
yellow satin, which is thickly embroidered
with bright hued flowers
Internixed with the flowers are many
Chinese "shou" characters which signify
longevity" The characters are worked
" ith eold thread and in the centre of each
is imbedded real pearl, and in each inter-
-, <~f thn frt, ht.1, h.Nr
the bottom Of the garment is another large
pearl, making costume truly Oriental and
regal in its magnificence.
The portrait is said to be finely executed,
but is fattering to the subject, as it leaves
put most of the wrinkles which belong of
right to her seventy years.
The likeness is to be sent by special car
to tho pert of Taku for shipment to the
United States. At present a temporary
branch line connecting with the main
railroad is being laid right up the principal
street Of the city to the Foreign Office,
and the portrait will be put aboard the
car there.
All this is very amazing to the native
populace, and TO the igr rorant and super
stitious masses the departure Of the En-
press Cowager's portrait will be pcrtent
of the speedy ending Of her life. The two
companion portraits to this are to hang,
the one in the palace and the other in the
Foreign Office.
TIE second unusual event was the funeral
OF the Military Governor Of the Province
OF Kirin. The ususual thing in connection
with this funeral was its entering the sacred
city OF Pekin. or course, funerals pass
out every day, but it is contrary to all
law for corpse to be brought into the city
and can be done only by special favor Of
the Emr eror.
This poor Military Governor, at his far
away post in Manchuria, committed sui
eide some time ago by taking gold because
he was in complete despair at his inability
TO deal with the Russians. His body had
been carried all the way and had been two
months on the road.
The funeral cortege as it entered the city
was wonderfully elaborate, and so long was
il and so slow in moving that it took three
hours to pass a given point. Live camels,
dogs, and horses were led along, and Il live
white rooster in cage was supposed to con-
tain within it the departed spirit Of the
dead man. Paper servants animals sedan
chairs, &C., we're carried along, but these
will later be burnt, being thus transferred
to the spirit world for the use of the great
man there.
Conspicuous in the parade were a large
number of huge wreaths Of artificial tin
flowers presented by tie dead mans dear
friends the Russians. Each Of these had
separate man to carry it, and flowing from
each wreath was wide white satin ribbon
bearing an inscription in Russian.
The most gorgeous part Of the whole
pageant was the hundreds and hundreds