Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-08-05
CHAPTER w

What was not done at the frontier has
to be done at Kachgar. Russians and
Chinese are one as bad as the other
when there are vexing formalities, papers
TO verify, passports to sign, etc. 1t is
the same sort of meddling, minute and
overfastidious, and we must put up with
1t. We must not forget the terrible
threat of the formula the functionary of
the Celestial Empire affixes to his acts
-"Tremble and obey!' l am disposed
to obey, and l am prepared to appear
before the authorities of the frontier
remember the fears of Knko, and it is
with regard to him that the trembling is
to be done, if the examination of the
travellers extends to their packages and
luggage.
1t is 10 o'clock when a stroke of the
gong announces that the police formali-
ties are about to begin. We leave the
table and few minutes afterward are in
the waiting room.
All my numbers are present, with the
exception, of course, of Kinko who
would have done honor to our breakfast
If 1t had been possible for him to take
part in it There was Doctor Tio-King.
his "Cornaro" under his arm: Fulk Eph-
rinell and Miss Horotia Bluett minglin9
their teeah and hair, figuratively, be il
understood; Sir Francis Trevellyan, mo-
uonless and silent, intractable and stiff.
smoking his cigar on the threshold; Faru-
skair, accompanied by Changer; Russian.
Turkoman, Chinese traveiers-in all
from sixty to eighty persons. Every one
had in his turn to present himself at the
table, which was occupied by two Celes-
tails in uniform, functionary speaking
Russian fluently, an interpreter for Ger
man, French and English.
The Chinese was man about so. with
a bald head, a thick mustache, a long
pigtail, and spectacles on his nose. Wrap-
ped in f1owery robe, fat as If he be-
longed to the most distinguished people
In the country, he had not progresses
ing face. After all, it was only a verif-
cation of our papers, and as ours were
In order, it did not much matter how re-
pulsive he looked.
What an air he has," murmured
Madame Caterna
''The air of a Chinaman," said her
husband, land, frankly, 1 do not like it,"
am one of the first to present nv
passport, which bears the visas of the
consul at Tifiis and the Russian authori-
ties at Uzun Ada. The functionary looks
at 1t attentively. When you are dealing
with a mandarin, you should always be
ination raises no difficulty, and the sea-
of the green dragon declares me all in
order.
The same result with regard to the
actor and actress. Nevertheless. IL was
worth while looking at Caterna while |
his papers were being examined. He
assumed the attitude of a criminal en-
deavoring to mollify a magistrate. he |
made the sheepiest of eyes, and smiles |
absolutely the most deprecating smiles. |
and seemed to implore a grace or rather
a favor, and yet the most obdurate Of |
the Cinnamon had not a word to say 10 |
him.
Correct" said the interpreter.
Thank you, my prince" replied Ca
terna, with the accent of Paris street
boy.
As to Ephrinell and Miss Bluett, they
went through like a posted letter. If an
American commercial and an English
ditto were not in order, who would be
Uncle Sam and John Bull are one as far
rs that goes.