Norwich bulletin., 1909-06-12
THE LONG AGO AND THE LATER ON An Experience of Eighty Years of Life By George sda Bromley

fectionery built up in the forms of pyramids. pagodas and temples, all symm etricAlly arranged in rows the full length of the table, which, with the fruits and nuts. made up the re- treatments provided to eat The drink was a delicate rice wine served hot in tiny wine glasses from silver tea kettle, and as each sentiment proposed was drunk in a bumper it kept the att tendants busy filling the empty glasses The fruits consisted of apples, pears, grapes and oranges. all very nice. When seated. the prince sat at the side center with Minister Young on his right and Sir Harry Parks on his left. The Russian minister sat next to MT. Young and ] next to him, with the Japanese minister on my right. At the proper time the company was called to order, when Minister Young arose, and. as the senior minister in Peking, proposed, in brief speech, the health of the prince. The speech was interpreted by MT Cheshire in clear, ringip~ voice, and then we all stood up and drank a bumper to the sentiment. The prince warmly ana pleasantly responded, after which drinking became the order of the occasion. There were other tables hesides the one at which we sat. small : CT, but arranged in the same way, which were occupied by the several boards of government, corresponding with our departments of the national government. The emperor was at that time a boy of fourteen years, who had not yet come to the throne.
 The street lights of Picking were, in those days. well worth going long dis tance to see, and if thev did not re- fleet the Chinese character the were of no earthly use, for they reflected no light whatever, and should one wish to locate them at night 1t was necessary to get their bearings during the day The foundation was all sufficient to support an upright several horse power engine. Upon this was placed a four post frame about six feet high, the posts slightly inclining at the apex. The lantern was a square box with a sash of four panes on each side, but these, instead of being glass, were GOV cred with paper, SD that what little light there was was confined inside the lantern. The structure reminded me of an old-fashioned two-story martin box, and with the exception of the foundation, one man could have car- ried off the whole thing easily.
 Donkey-riding Is a curious feature of travel and I often saw Chinese of twice the bulk of the animals they bestrode. They are always accompa- nied by an attendant called a marian. WdlOSe DuSlIeSS IS 10 trOJ along on fO0t and encouraged the donkey by gently string him up with long stick. 1t appeared to be a n1atter of complete indifference to him whther the occu- pied a position few inches hack of the animals ears or as much in front of his tail, while the patient little beasts pursued the even tenor of their ways with like stoicism in either case. The most playful class amongst the Chi r1ese, as I saw them,- were the men of fifty or whereabouts. They played mar bles, spun tops and flew kites, while the children looked on in admiration. During the kite season the air above Picking seemed to be filled with them, representing birds animals and fish which rose to great heights.
 The Chinese women of Picking seem ed to be less devoted to the deforma- tion of their feet than those of Tien- tsin. As a general rule, the laree- footed women seemed to me to be bet ter looking. They had considerable grace in their movements, while. to me. the little feet walked as though they were afflicted with chi1blains.