Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-06-23
WEARS SACRED JEWEL
Dowager Empress of China
Presents Mrs. Z. II. Conger
With Precious Talisman
GUARDS wEARER FROM HARM
The Emblem Has Been Worn For
Thousands of Years by the Chinese
Rulers and Was Given to Mrs. Con-
DER on the Occasion of Farewell
Visit to the Empress.

Visit to the Empress.
Des Moines, June 23.-The sacred
and charmed jewel that has been worn
constantly for thousands of years by
the Chinese rulers is now in possess
sion of Mrs Edwin Conger. and is
worn in a like manner around her neck
secreted. 1t was torn from the neck
Of the empress dowager at the last
audience given Mrs. Conger, by the
empress, in her deep and sudden I'M
pulse of sadness and concern for her
welfare, in her journey home. 1t was
the highest tribute the empress could
give her at the parting and meant the
attending guidance of her gods for the
successful journey.
\ II was this little stone that had car
ried her thru her flight from Pekin
and made possible her return to the
palace.
1T was most affecting scene" said
Mrs. Conger this morning, at the home
of Mrs. Harry West, where she is Wis
iting., "and / was at a loss to know
what to do. could easily appreciate
the value of.the charm, but it was not
until later that knew the true history
of 1t.
A'RemarkabIe Woman.
"Ihe empress dowager or Her Royal
Majesty, is one of the most remark
able woman IN the world. Everything
goes thru her hand and her
thoughtfulness for her guests is most
courteous and marvellous. l was a
guest many times at the palace and
entertained at dinner. AT first ] had a
prejudice against the food, but ! soon
grew to like it and of some of it am
very fond. When we We're entertained
at the palace the empress would sit
at q table near with the emperor and
of course could not eat while she was
eating. AT first she would assist me
to food, which was "a great mark of
courtesy. She is simply graciousness
itself.
Couldn't Convert Empress.
1T is perfectly absurd to imagine
for a minute that i could in my posi-
ton In any way convert the empress
to any religion. She has an interpre-
ter with her all the time, and / had to
have one. It is a courteous thing with
the Chinese that they allow you to
have your belief and they do not want
the foreigner to adjust theirs. 1t is
their opinion that their way is the
best as we think our is and they can
not teach us. AS matter of truth
there are many, many things that we
can learn from them. One of these is
their innate politeness. Each nne
knows his place and keeps it, There
is no jostling or stepping on one an
others toes.
"The missionaries are doing a great
work in China. You must know that
they are ladies and gentlemen and coll
lege men. Thousands go out from
these schools every year and their in
fluence must be felt 1t was my en-
deavor to be first of all perfect lady
and to adapt myself to their ways of
living. 1t was not until the last year
and half that have been permitted
to go into their homes. 1 went there
with the firm idea to see all could of
their life and customs but at the same
time to so without any prejudices or
criticism. While there might have
been many things to be overlooked,
there We're at the same time many
things in the foreigner that was nat
urally EARRING TO them especially the
foreigners lack Of courteousness.
Practiced With Forks.
'The first time entertained the
prfncesses, or the ladies in waiting,
especially noted their grace and ease
i'm handling the fork and knife. I
had not expected that, SO was the
more surprised as knew it was the
first time they had used them. After
had grown to know them better,
asked one of them and was told that
when they were invited they sent out
and bought them and practiced up.
That Is a type of the Chinese polite
ness. They would not have embar-
raised me by feeling that they were
awkward and not comfortable in my
home. They eat whatever is set be-
fore them and make no comment,
however they dislike it.
when / was first entertained at the
royal palace. knives and forks were
placed at our plates and one raised
spoon up to let us know that we were
to use them even though they pre-
ferred the chop sticks and we used
them ever afterwards.
Didn't Know Our People.
'At the last audience had with the
empress in April l told her through
the interpreter that had visited over
China, which of course she cannot do,
and was deeply interested and piled
me with questions about the needs and
interests Of her people. She has their
interests at heart. The dowager is the
hardest working woman in the world.
She is busy all the time with state af-
fairs. Yet when she has guests she
attends to all their comforts herself.
"That last audience was one of the
saddest partings 1 ever experienced.
She seemed so sincere in her friend
ship for me. After had bowed my
self out she called me back and thrust
her hand In her bosom and gave me
this jewel" said Mrs. Conger with the
same act. "and through her interpreter
told me that she wanted it to go with
me through all my journeys and that
it would protect me from all harm as
it had done her. We We're both over
come and 1 withdrew silently.