The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-19

who wore gold watches at the time were arrested and fined. All of the gentry, in addition to not shaving their heads, braided blue and white cords into their queues. and most of the government clerks went about with sack-cloth gowns over their ordinary dress, the same peins tied with white sashes. Indeed, TOT tho past year, the most common costume worn by the officials has been white. Many have left off their peacock feathers, and those who wish to acquire merit have covered up their embroidery, re- moved every bit of red from their gowns and have even donned sack-cloth.
 Blue Store Signs.
 The putting on of mourning has not been confined to the people Many things material. ordinarily red and gold' nave been covered with blue and white. At the railroad stations the baggage carts had blue paper pasted over them; the trolley cars of Tfentsin have used white nags instead of red, and for a time they had white cloths over the red signs on their sides. For one huidred days after the emperor died every policeman In China wore wide white band around h1s left arm. and for a few days after that every ,nerchant nut a table covered with @ white cloth on the street in front or his shop, This table contained two mourn ing candlesttckS of white pewter ana pewter bowl, in which SUCKS or incense were burned. All of the store signs or red and gold were covered with piue paper on which new signs were palnteo' and even the numbers on the doors or doornlates were made white and blue This was so not only of Picking. but Of nlaces like Mukden, Hankow and Canton. r. was SO everywhere, The carts nave Nine cushions, and the passenger wheel barrows. which usually have red blan- kets. were covered with blue
 The Mourning at the Palace.
 There were many queer things about the mourning at the palace. spent much time around the gates of the For hidden city. and had considerable to do with the high officials. For many days after the Empress Dowager's death her ann eunuchs went dressed in white. The buttons were taken of their caps, and they looked like yellow-faced ghosts. It was the same with the officials. They came to the palace in chairs covered with blue, or in carriages with plue xrappings. The highest officers wore sackcloth, their faces and heads were unshayen and their flngernails uncut.
 Among the mourners, however, there were some singular exceptions. I noticed that many of the servants and officials had on the brightest of joyful red gowns and that their scalps were shaved clean. They were in striking contrast with the sackcloth about them and asked who they might be. They were the servants immediately connected with the baby Elm peror. who had just come to the throne; and 1t hence was improper for them to wear emblems of grief upon such an event.
 At the time of the crowning of the Elm peror all the officials suspended their mourning and came out in gay clothing while the celebration took place. Immedi- ately thereafter they put on mourning again.
 Walling for the Dowager.
 An important part of the official cele- bration was the wailing This was done by the officials all over the empire. While I was in Mukden they came to the palace at about half past 1 in the morning. dressed in white, with girdles of sack cloth They were there divided into two parties, the military and the civilian. one standing on one side of the room and the