Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-03-02
THE LATEST PEOPLE
Eir;aus Make Their Women Beasts of
Burden Seoul Filthy City.

kir;aus Make Their Women Beasts of
Burden-SeouI a Filthy City.
Bloadly speaking, it is hardly an eX-
aGsCfation to say that the Koreans
aie lie LATEST people on earth. All
Dig long they lay about the streets
sno;ing their gigantic pipes Ia native
pipe is a six-foot length of bamboo
viii a metal bowl. and is carried
tJfled into the neckband and down
thf trouser Leg, All work, of very
neuly every kind is done by the-wo-
msI; who occupy, perhaps. the most
de,aded position held by the sex OF
any nation. The unfortunate female
poDilation is collectively a beast of
burlen. and denied even the most ele-
mtItaIy recognition as human beings.
\ Korean girl has no name; she is
mflsly known rs Daughter Of
Luring the first moon of each new
yej the Cho-senese throw off their
inUtlinatc laziness and allow their
naturally quarrelsome prOclivities full
pltS This is IT, period permitted by
lawl when anyone and everyone may
fight in the public streets, or any
wha'e they choose. with impunity.
And full advantage of the license is
tak4l, Now are family disputes.
whRh have been seething for a hole
tweyemonth, settled in the most prim-
itiVt fashion, ana often half the town
is dawn into the brawl. The creditor,
cathing his debtor abroad, may
70 Ia -,
coAent. and no one may interfere.
FoIifourteeen days veritable pande-
lnoGium reigns, and as a method of
"clhring the air. it is certainly not
without interest--for the spectator.
Soul, the capital. on the Hang Kang
riyd, is IN untidy il!-built city, sur,
rouAded by twentyfoot walls. The
cufew system, common to feudal
England, still prevails as in most
Ko,ean towns. 4 great bell is rung at
sunset, and the gates are Immediately
cloed, not to he reopened until the
following sunrise. No lights may then
be carried j., the streets, and no one
maj 90 out of the city, with one
rather startling exception. All funer-
ais by immemorial custom. take place
onf at night. and for this purpose
thqe is a special exit called "The Gate
of the Dead Between the hours of
sunset and dawn, no male is allowed
TO be abroad in the streets: these
hours are sacred to the women. and
Constitute their only privilege. They
usually employ the time in paying Wis
its Up to few years ago, any mas
cuHne phiIander found out after
dark was beheaded. but since the Eu-
roreans have introduced their own
customs. the entire system is in danger
of ,evolu ION
Seoul is one of the filthiest and
worst-kept towns to be found in all
the east The idea of drainage has
not yet entered the official mind,
and that pestilence has not made there
its abiding home is proof of a benef-
ceAt Providence. During the writer's
soiourn some years ago, it was not
an unusual occurrence for the agile
leopard QIorea's most common wild
fowl''J. To scale one of the walls, and
entering the nearest house. carry off
Il child in the darkness. To-day,
however. they have changed all that
but Scouts greatest need. from n
western point of view. is still a de-
cent hotel The native DWELLING
house is an inpossibility to all but a
salamander. The flooring. in most
cases. is composed of neatly -jointed
fiat stones. over which mats are laid.
Underneath is a hollow space. in
which firewood is laid in bundles and
lighted. The paper doors are then
slid into their grooves, excluding all
air. and soon you find yourself in a
Turkish bath. The average new.
conner only tries it once
When a woman gives an elaborate
dinner. it only fills the guests with IL
desire to know if she puts on that
much style every day.