Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-07-21

worse inhiction Than That Of Reinc
Tied to Beam by the Thumbs and
Big Toes-The Bastinado and FIoo.
sins With Split Bamboo.
CHINA Is a land OF contradictions and
mysteries. IL bristies with SURPRISES
Inc phiegmatic nature of its natives
is In marked contrast TO their inherent
cruelty. s-''
what poor. weak looking babyr'
you might say to a Chinaman about
nls ouspring. and he will merely shrur
MS shoulders In reply. Meet him In a
months time and ask him how the
youngster Is getting on.
The disease was n fatal one.s ha
VIII answer. with another Significant
shrug. IL the child were girl yo,,
could safely draw your own concIu-
siohs as TO It's fate. John Chlnanan
mas no use for deformed or very sick
~ children. particularly girls.
Torture OF prisoners has been car
Iieo 10 point OF refinement One OF
the most terrible was surely the cage
IN which man was placed so that his
head Just protruded at the top. while
his toes only touched the ground suf-
ncienty to prevent dislocation OF tho
neck
HIS hands were bound behind him
so that he could not relieve himself
ana he was left 10 be jeered at by the
pubic until hunger and exhaustion nut
an end TO bis sufferIngs.
The day OF the bastinado. too Is nv
no means a..
up In reverse condition. and tho
naked soles Of his feet are pounded
with n cane. with the result that the
victim seldom RECEIVERS.
but the more common form OF fog
ging Is TO beat the thighs with the
concave side of n split bamboo. which
cuts at every stroke into the flesh.
China. by the way. was the homo of
that terrible death by water drops.
The victims head was placed on n
low hard. block. and drops Of water
at short intervals were allowed TO fall
from height on to his forehead-a
tar. far worse infection than that OF
being tied TO a beam by the thumbs
and big toes
The cangue Is regarded as a COM
paratively mild sort OF punishment.
This consists OF n wooden collar. about
four feet square and four inches thick.
which Is placed over the prisoners
head, so that it's full weight falls on
the shoulders.
A description OF the ofrense is also
attached TO the victims body. and as
he cannot feed himself he has TO rely
on the public for sustenance.
Conservative 10 n degree, Il is not
surprising 10 find that the wheelbar-
row as n passenger conveyance is stIll
In vogue. as. too. is the ferry. consist.
Ing of light canoe. towed across the
water 10y n number OF swimmers.
Machinery for the most part Is de-
spised, aud the mill, still used for win
moving the staple diet. rice. is OF the
simplest and most out OF date descrip-
ton possible
The rice Is placed i'm cement basin.
over which * Il heavy stone M the end
or Ii long leNer This is worked up and
down by TWO boards, i'm the form of n
cross. attached 10 the axle OF huge
hand turned wheel.
For simplicity OF keeping n city IN
formed OF the time Canton would be
hard TO beat. In one OF the temples
are four large earthen jars on success
sive shelves
Water descends by slow drops from
one 10 the other, brass scale on n
float in the bottom one indicating as 1t
rises the hour OF the day.
At o'clock every afternoon the low
est jar is emptied aud the upper one
refilled. On the outside walls OF the
city are displayed boards with the
number OF the hour on them. so that
all may see. And this has gone on
without n break since 1921.
Funerals appear almost mockery to
the visitor. IL money can be freely
spent manager is appointed. and
from the highways and the byways
street boys and beggars are collected.
dressed up in amazing costumes. sup
piled with dazzling umbrellas. stand
ards and boards. which are carried
over their shoulders In n long straggle
Others carry small houses and carts
made OF card paper, horses. men. wom-
en-, etc. indicative OF the dead ones
treasures and these. with heaps OF pa
per coins and paper money. are burn
ed AT the grave SO that they may be
enjoyed I'm the life beyond.
Hired mourners with cymbals, gongs
and wind instruments keep up con-
tinuous series of bowls and noises, 10
which is added the boohoo, boohoo.
OF an. ear racking horn worked some
thing like garden hose.
Women are regarded us nothing in
China. They are brought up in Is:
norance of the world outside. the one
object OF their life being TO get mar
ried and have sons To follow the fa-
theirs. girl is not even allowed TO
look upon her husband until she is ac-
tually wedded.-London Ladies' ~