Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-24

army. which was near 1fentsin. he be-
gan to reflect OH the respective ability
and forces of the emperor and empress
dowager. and decided in favor of the
latter. He went to Gen Yung Lu and re-
vealed the plot Yung Lu at once took
a special train ard came to Picking. He
drove out at night to the Summer Palace.
where the great dowager was living, and
before daybreak she had raised an army
nf her eunuchs and servants and sent
them to Picking and made the emperor
captive. Her majesty then declared that
he was not fit to rule. and made him send
out an edict begging her to again take
the throne He was then confined in a
building in the middle Of lake inside
the Forbidden city, and he had no more
power to the day of his death.
In the meantime, the old empress dow
ager did not forget her good friends Yuan
Shin kai and YunE Lu. Yuan Shih Kai
at once became the most influential man
in the empire. and he remained such until
the great dowager died. He has since
been disgraced. but he has many friends.
and may again come to the front.
AS to Gen. Yung Lu, the dowager re-
warded him by making his daughter en-
press. and his grandson the ruler OF
China.
There is a pretty story in connection
with this According to it the empress
doWager said to Yung Lu:
II have just had a vision in which
have seen your descendants on the i'm
perial throne, and / think the vision is
bound to come true. Here is Prince Chun,
the brother of the emperor. and the most
likely scion Of the imperial line. Now
you have a daughter of the right age for
marriage. We will join her with Prince
Chun, and the first son shall be kwans
Sus successor. Yung Lu gladly acceded.
The two were married. and the baby.
Emperor Pu vi. was the fruit OF their
union. Just before the old dowager died
Of the contract with Yung Lu, and there
by his baby grandson has assembled the
throne.
The last hours of the great empress
were full of terrible pain. According to
etiquette, the doctors dared not touch
her and could not experiment to find out
her disease. / am told they watched her
on their knees and saw her struggle and
fight as death came on. The edicts sent
out by her gave but little idea of her i'll
ness Nevertheless, they are pathetic.
Here is one that was published the mid
die of last November about two weeks
before her death:
From the beginning Of autumn our
health has been poor. The officials and
governors of every province have been
ordered to send Us physicians, but their
prescriptions have not awaited. Now the
negative and positive elements in us are
failing. We have ailments external and
internal. Our breast is stopped up. our
stomach rebellious, our back and legs
nainful. our appetite failing. Upon NOV
ing orr breath fails. and there is cough
inc and painting. Besides, we have chills
and fever Sleep is far from our eyes
and the strength of our body is failing
The yiceroyS, governors and generals are
urged to send us physicians. and any who
iced in aiding us will receive specia
grace.
corps of doctors brought in. They like
wise failed. and other edicts which
were published about three days later
stated that they were degraded ana
would work for some time in the fc-
ture without pay as d punishment
During her last days her majesty
lived almost entirely upon woman
milk. She had a large corps of wet
nurses and went back to the customs
of her babyhood for nourfshment. This
Is common prescription for members
of the imperial family.
During my stay in Picking I have had
chats with many who knew the grea;
dowager l remember a conversation
with one of her ladieS-inw waiting. a
Chinese girl who speaks excellent Eng
lish She represents the empress a.
having been ID buffer and as knowing
how to play off one party or ma
against another. She was dictatorial
and made her ladies dress as an under
study to herself. She would say along
toward evening:
- II