The Indianapolis journal., 1904-02-21

the river at tndJ time was req WITH DlOOu.
Pestilence swept over the land; famine,
war, fire and flood. One million Koreans
perished during seven years.
China was finally appealed to for assist
feated, and the other, being besieged, capit-
ulated. The Japanese were so detested in
Korea that they were assassinated in the
Seoul streets. The Japanese army looted
the rich art collections, carried back and
transplanted Korean art in Japan. They
also carried back 10000 ears, cut from the
heads of the Koreans, which to-day are
buried under the five-tered mound erected
at Kioto as a grisly monument OF Japan
csc intrepidity.
Forced to sustain two armies. both the in
vited and the unlimited one, Korea's re-
sources were drained. Thus ended the
long period of Korean splendOr.
Giving them no time to recover, the
ManchuS descended upon the ruined coun-
try, with the result that the Korean King
was forced for long time to sing the
praises of the Great Khan for not eras-
ing Korea from the map. While homage
paid to the victorious Manchus, ko-
rea's internal policy remained unchanged.
Courtesy with the east respect TO the
wanted in the kingdom"-this is Korea's
apology before the world to-day.
Ancestors of the Japanese. Chinese by
cultivation and tradition, hating both ma
tions with a poisonous hatred, the Korean
is contradiction. an impOssibility He is
a compromise between two races diametric-
ally opposite IL temperament.
Exhausted after a long period OF brilliant
wars, for centuries the buffer between
China and Japan, to-day the theater of
war between Japan and Russia, Korea in
her old age and decadence reluctantly stirS
in her sleep. Her head is drowsy; she
is dreaming of the spendOrs Of the past,
and she resents being disturbed.
Where is her army that at one time re-
pulsed the Chinese in forgotten wars? Ko-
rea still boasts of a million fighting men.
The bugIe calls; Where here are they? ih 5 East
Comb ridge flash out, "Alls well!' It is
an army of LOtophagi. Still armed with
their old bows and arrows, scimitars and
spears. hampered by grotesque feathered
or red-banded hats Ito show that they are
men of blood, clad picturesquely in pale
blue and scarlet, the army of the King is
occupied with ceremOnialS.
The red-clad King rides out in a grand
pageant The temporary stalls, the trays
and mats along the street have been moved
out of the way for the procession The
ears on the Kings hat still stand erect
he need not listen TO any one except the
Dowager OF China. and the dowagsr is far
away. Outriders clear the road in front
of him. Mobiles, their costumes tipped with
scarlet, carry triumphant banners. The
their head dresses are widespread
that they may catch the faintest whisper
of their King. His Majesty travels beneath
a gorgeous canopy that fiaunts its curtains
like a great inverted flower. Discordant
music sounds. Showers of petitions fiutter
form the housetops to the King The pa
geant sweeps by like fieeting dream.
The shrinking blue-gowned men, the
timid peasant women looking neither TO the
right nor left, the jeweled favorites of the
seraglio, heavily yelled, perfumed, with
dropping sleeves as large as pachydermc
ears, that silently drift by in their palan-
quins-all are lotus-eaters' and are deep
in reverie.
The Koreans are nation of painters and
poets. Their minds respond TO the most
delicate suggestion. Rocks to them are the
''earth's bones" and the trees and flow
ers 'earth's hair" They are gentle and
retiring people, and resent intrusion into
their old customs. Like children embar-
rassed at their play by some unsympa-
thetic older one. they shrink at an inquiry
into their mode of life. Here. in this
hermit nation, blind men frighten away
the devils or imprison them in bottles. The
Koreans are so kind and gentle that they
will not even kill a snake. On the contrary,
they show the reptiles special consideration
and gO' out OF their way 10 make them as
comfortable as possible sharing their last
crust of bread with them if necessary.
They have their sacred devil trees
banked up with pyramids of stones. sup
posed TO be fairy temples, and called Son
Wang Don, Home of the Fairy King. -
These are the devil jails. And on the
branches Of the trees hang ShredS of gar
ments that have been placed there by
people who have been possessed of dew
lis. in the hope that they can delude the
foul fend and make him remain with the
clothes up in the tree. Their streets are
full of fortune tellers and astrologers. In
every house they burn perpetual ancestral
fires and worship the spirits of their an
of the King is approached by flights of
stone steps, where subjects. lIneeling, throw
their paper prayers at the Kings feet. who,
if he likes. may pass them on TO the i'm
mortal gods.
What will become of the Korean sacred
customs when the Japanese shall have
taken permanent possession of the country?
This Arcadia will be no more. The last of
the old-world empires will adapt itself to
twentieth century conditions. No longer
will hi Tsu dream in his lotus garden
lulled by the drowsy swaying of the dane
ing girls. The painted daTings of the
seraglio. their fingers no longer heavy with
rings, will walk unveiled upon the streets
The army will discard the grotesque hats
in favor of the modern military cap. Their
bows and arrows and the scimitars will be
supplanted by the deadly Krag The Chi
nese character for ''NalOr' now embroid-
cred on their breasts, will be succeeded by
brass buttons with the dragon stamp.
The king. instead OF riding under a red
canopy. will telephone for victoria. First
cannon shots and then the thunder of
transcontnental railway trains viii awaken
the echoes of the abandoned temples The
devils pale with fear. with hands above
their heads. will take fight, and the blind
men will hereafter have 10 resort to barrel
organs and TO hurdy-gurdies.
IL viii be a bitter pill for old conservative
Korea when the Kingdom OF Morning
Calm is turned into pandemonium of
Japanese. Why must she be disturbed now
in her dreams of centuries?
PAUL Il. GILBERT.