Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-18
VIZ HEN Secretary Taft took the
wv celebrated trip through China,
" japan and the Philippine islands


He had as well many others who were
not of sufficient importance to receive
so much publicity.
Among the latter class was young
American boy Robert Farnsworth, son
of one of the army officers then sta
toned at Fort Mckinley, Manila, +.
I. This boy had an opportunity of en-
joying all the great festivities which
were arranged for this distinguished
party, and many of his adventures
were quite unusual.
When the party visited China the en-
press of that great ana wondertul KING
dom gave "a reception to which all the
members of Mr.. Taft's party were in
vited. IT was an occasion which most
boys would enjoy, and the pomp and
ceremony of the event Is here described
for the readers of tho Herald Junior
by young Farnsworth:
A Chinese Hotel
eve were awakened by the regular
creak, creak of the big punka, or fan,
in the dining room and the putting and
blowing of the old Chinaman who was
pulling the rope to make 1t go. The sun
was streaming in through the grating
across the window at the end of our
long room, and we realized it was the
day OF the reception, day to Which
had been looking forward for long
time. Our room, IL you could call -
that was long, narrow affair with &
little window at one end and door
at the other which led out into the
inner court of the hotel where the din
ing room was situated. The floor OF the
room was dirt. There was straw
mat near the bed, but the rest was
bare a tri1e dusty around the edge or
the room, but mud puddle in the
middle where the roof leaked. The fur
niture consisted of small stool beau
tifully carved, a table and bed. The
bed was a peculiar affair, with two
steps leading up to 1t, for 1t was very
high and had an embroidered canopy
over the top supported by four posts
rising from each corner or the ped.
This was one of the best rooms IN the
Hotel DuNord of Pekin. China.
Breakfast came next after dressing.
The most interesting thing we had to
eat was fricassed llama, which was
very good. In this strange hotel you
pay extra for butter and water, IL you
happen to want it. Twenty-Five cents
for bottle of water and 10 cents for a
very small cake of butter.
After breakfast we all got spruced
UP for the reception, for 1t was to take
place at noon.
The Summer Palace
The summer palace where the recep-
tion was to be held was about fifteen
miles out of the city, so the empress
sent large sedan chairs to take us out
in. These chairs are very uncomfort-
able things in which you sit cross
legged on the floor. The floor Is placed
between the long bamboo poles and is
surrounded on all sides except the front
by walls which are padded as the hoor
is with thick blue cloth. The top is
made with stats of wood placed cross
wise with a piece of canvas covering
them. This conveyance was carried by
four coolies. one at the end OF each
pole.
trousers and coats of blue cloth. Each
chair was followed by q guard seated
on a donkey, the harness of which was
covered with small bells, jlnging enough
to drive one insane. The guard him
self was dressed In the same blue
clothes as the coolies, only he wore
hemlet with long red tassel stream
ing from the top and carried a huge
blacksnake whip with which 10 make
the coolies go and keep away the beg
gars.
A Tiresome Ride
Climbing into my strange chair
afforded much amusement to the China-
men, because / went In headfirst ana
then had to turn around in the small
space and face the open front again.
which was very nard proposition.
The guard cracked his whip and away
we went, the coolies placing the ends
OF the poles on their shoulders and INT
ing me high into the air started out at
a long swinging trot which mace IL
very uncomfortable for me ana revealed
to me why the sides were so heavily
padded. 1t was to keep one from bump
ing his head as he reeied from side to
side. After about five miles OF this
pitching I began to get very cramped
and sore and had to get out and walk.
/ felt very cheap as l descended. but
as / looked out and saw all OF our
marty walking I was relieved and Joined
in the laughter that took place at my
expense.
All got In again and began busting our
clothes. feeling very much relieved
that we were there and the ride was
over with. but imagine our disappont-
ment when he found we had still four
miles of grounds to go through before
arriving at the palace proper. The
grounds were very beautifully adorned
with large shade trees. lakes, canals