The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-07-25

u koreans are passionately devoted
10 flowers. although comparatively
few have the means to indulge their
taste in this direction.
The land is generously blessed
with animal life. There are no oxen.
however. and Koreans never use
milk or any of its products The work
Is an done by bullocks, which usually
attain magnificent development.
Without his bullock the Korean
would be helpless. and this fact Is
cited to prove that the Koreans have
never been a uomadic people.
Korea produces no sheep. but none
In that country is so poor as not to
Town az least one dog. No family
would be complete without a dog.
Koreans, unlike the japanese, love
good fire when the chill blasts of
winter sweep across the barren coun-
try. This fondness for warmth Is the
cause Of that barren appearance
which 50 often has been referred to
BY travellers. The Koreans keep their
forests cut to the quick to provide
fuel. while the canny Japs let their
forests grow and SILVER.
Every one smokes in Korea. Both
men and women use pipes with a.
Tiny metal bowl and stems so long
that generally assistance must be
asked 10 light them. As they are
.inveterate smokers the greater part
.o' the Koreans day is consumed in
loading and lighting pipes.
The Koreans are essentially an
Agricultural people. They come from
a stock entirely different from their
two great neighbors. China the mer-
chant nation. and Japan the fighting
people. they are undoubtedly of
Turanian origin with a strong admix-
ture Of Chinese and Manchu blood
The Koreans are a peaceful and
hospltable people. though they have
fought well and bravely when they
lave had to fight. They seem 20 lack
The strain of fighting Malay blood
which Is so strongly marked in the
composition of the warlike Japanese.
Seoul the capital. is an ancient
walled city built in a network of hills
eightee miles from the sea. 1t is
fortified Ina the strongest fashion by
q system OF smells that would drive
any but an Asiatic army gasping into
the sea II is poor I'm appearance but
rich in neas. On autumn nights
tigers and other beasts OF prey fire.
quently contest the right of way with
belated travellers IN the streets.
The vista across the housetops of
Seoul is one Of appalling monotony
All chimneys empty into the narrow
about two feet from thel
ground. and al eventide when the
good wives start their fires the pail
of smoke and ashes that settles upon
the town would make a London fog
look like section Of the cerulean
blue The one advantage OF the
smoke evil in Seoul Is its ability to |
suppress the odors which rise up
from its dreadful thoroughfares.
Seoul is the home of mourners |
Indeed It may be said literally with |
The scriptures that "the mourners go |
about the streets" When a Korean
Us bereaved by the death OF a close
relative he is entitled TO mourn his
loss for a period of three years. and |
during this time he IS not expected
10 perform any labor. As the aver
age male Korean processes of lofty
icorn for labor at any time. IL is
quite 90 be expected that the period
)f woe is accepted with resignation
Il not embraced with joy by nearly
M.
The wall surrounding Seoul. from
which kites fly perenially, Is n small
replica Of the great Chinese wall. The
traveller Is welcomed al the west gate
Dut should unfortunate chance delay
lim until the sun has disappeared
md a big bell booms its warning
note he must prepare to camp in the
open until the morn brings the gate
keeper back TO his duty. Barring an
occasional court pageant. Seoul is sin
sularly free from sights to interest
he tourist.
A Seoul bakeshop is a triumph of
cleanliness and altogether a unique
OF course there is an
wen Rice flour is dampened and
inegded into dough. This mass is
spread upon a block and two lusty
men proceed TO treat it TO pound
ug process with heavy wooden mauls
While this is being done an elderly
assistant dips his hands into water ,
,nd performs the somewhat hazard 4
,us feat of keeping the dough moist
by pattlng it between the blows of the