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

can describe 1t best by supposing sim liar conditions to exist in the United States.
 What would our people think if the government at Washington should send out an edict that for one hundred days every man in our whole country should go about unshaved; that every woman should take off her finger rings, ear rings and all other. Jewelry, and every man, woman and child should lay away all bright colors? Suppose the proclamation should provide that dur ing that time not face should be touched by the razor, not a lock of hair cut, not a finger nail pared. Sup pose all feasting and love making should be forbidden, and marriages ab- solutely prohibited within 27 days. This was the condition of China at the first of the year, and the police were in structed to see that the regulations were kept. They did so; and all who broke the new laws were fined or sent to the prisons.
 Two Hundred Million Unshaved Heads
 The mourning was especially hard on the barbers. Supposing China to have a popula ton of 100000, 900, there are half that number of men and boys. each of whom has his head gone over with a razor about twice week. The Chinese gentlemen would rather go un- washed than unshaved. Now, when one has shaved his head from his babyhood the hair grows like a bamboo sprout. The result was that a week or so after the mourning period began these millions of Chinese sclaps were covered with bristles like those of shoe brush. They stood out on all sides ex- cept where the queue grew forth from the crown. The barbers, who are num- bered by millions, had nothing to do; and in some places they came so near starving that the government ad- vanced them money until the mourning period was over.
 Here and there a man broke the laws and had his head shaved. All such who were discovered were punished. In Tien-Tsin a clerk in one of the banks shaved his head three days after the death of the Empress Dowager. He was arrested as soon as he came out on the street and was fined S25O In silver. This is equal to over $100 gold, and 1t was, venture one of the cost Hest slaves upon earth.
 Here in Pekin young Chinese dan dy came to a barber and begged for a shave. The barber replied that he feared he would be arrested, and the dandy thereupon promised that he would stand all the fines. The barber consented. The man took a seat on the stool, and his head was Just shaved when a policeman came in and took both barber and customer off to the court. The judge heard the complaint. and at it's close imposed fine of $50 supon each. The dandy paid the fines, but. as he did so, he pointed to his head and asked the judge:
 "But what am I to do? can't go about with my heri half shaved"
 "As to that" Xplied the judge, you may have the job completed. but a second ofrense of this kind will land you in prison"
 This custom of stopping shaving on the death of the Emperor goes back to the days of Chien Lung the second great Emperor of the present dynasty, who IS said to have inaugurated it when his favorite wife died. His grief was such that he ordered his officials not to shave their heads for 100 days; and thereafter a similar order was sent forth upon the death of an Emperor.
 How 1t Affected the Women.
 The imperial deaths had g serious ef- feet upon the women of the empire. The laws provided that they must take on