The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-03-25

marriage, without which the wearer has
the title of "a half-man' bestowed upon
him.
The women go ~bareheaded, and the
hair Is worn quite simply on the nape Of
tho neck.
The ordinary head covering of the men
resembles the old fashioned steeple
crowned hat, with a broad brim made In
black gauZe upon a bamboo frame, held
IN place 10y a chain beneath the chin, or
a string of pieces of bamboo, between
each OF which small amber beads are In
serted.
Boys and girls of tender years wear the
garments Of absolute nudity. A Korean
crowd Is a crowd of white robes and black
dress mats. which Is always moving, but
seems destitute Of any object. An air Of
nonchalance pervades from the highest to
the lowest.
Inc Korean Is voracious and not nice in
MS eanng. The great merit Of a meal Is
not so much quality as quantity. Three
pounds OF solid meat Is the average ra-
ton OF the we'll to do Korean. To be alb
etemlous ls to be poor in Korea. Dyspep-
sla and kindred Ills are common. The
Korean Is omnivorous and dog meat Is in
great request.
On looking up, In one Of the more re-
centiy published works on Korea, the sub
1ect of religion, the thing appears to be
chiefly marked by the absence Of any.
There Is no national religion in Korea.
Confucianism Is the official cult, and spir-
1T worship the cult Of the masses. A mis-
slonary has remarked that 'the religion
a Korean would accept Is one which would
show him how to get money without
working for 1t. The Korean has managed
and from his point Of view managed well,
so far without u religion, and no does not
want to be troubled with one now, espe-
cially one of restraint and sacrifice" This
according to a distinguished Protestant
missionary. The verdict Is sad, indeed,
especially If one thinks that at the time
1T was penned there were seventy-nve
lie missionaries in Korea, devoting their
time and energy to a hopeless case.
Tn emperor Is little known to the out
side world. His name is variously given
as Ii Hi, Ii Hsi, Ii Houl, Ii Hieung and
I'll Houi. He was not born heir to the
throne. His predecessor. an uncle, died in
1864 without issue, and he was selected by
the queen dowager to succeed at the age
of IL years. During his minority his faith
or, Tai WEI Kun, was regent.
The present king Is described by one
who has seen him as a little man, stout,
and somewhat unhealthy looking. He
smiles amiably and constantly, but does
not look very clever. Another writer as
serts that he Is well Informed for q man
who has never gone beyond the sight of
the walls OF his capital, and declares that
he is an Intelligent man, who reads moth
Ing but Chinese, but Is constantly endeav-
orinG to learn all he can by hcarsay Of
what Is going on in the world. He ques-
tons every diplomat and traveller who
comes In his way. Seen in his audience
hall, he looks ridiculously small and in
significant. This Is not altogether be-
cause of his low stature, but because the
audience m is a large one and the
king Is always seen alone.
His court Is truly oriental in many re-
spects. He has several hundred wives.
Until 1897 the ruler Of Korea was only a
king, acknowledging the suzerainty of
the emperor of China. Taking advantage
of the opportunity provided by the out
come Of the Chinese-Japanese war, he in
that year declared his country an empire
and himself an emperor.
Owing to the fear of revolutions the
emperor sleeps in the daytime and turns
the night, when revolutions in Korea are
sprung, into day. A story is told Of one
occasion when he was trying a new bed
and did-not sleep In 1t for a funny reason.
He thought he would like to have on the
palace grounds a house built and fur
nished like a European house. One was
duly built and the bed was completed with
pillows, bolster and linen sheets-all OF
which were unknown to Koreans. One
cold day he decided to sleep In the new
bed. He undressed and popped In between
the sheets. No sooner was he in than he
sprang out again with a yell. An attend.
ant threw a blanket around him and he
fed from the house, never to enter II
again. Koreans usually go to bed fully
disrobed. When the bare skin Of the roya
parsonage touched the cold sheets he re.
ceived a shock which he never forgot.