Norwich bulletin., 1909-06-12

Henry Parks-sir Robert Hart-Pe-
 king Notes.
 A portion of my second winter in China was spent in Picking, which l visited at the earnest solicitation of the American minister. the Hon John Russell Young. In getting there l had 10 go overland, as the river had closed for the season, aud the mode of trans portation was extremely primitive, the same style having been used for sev- eral thousand years. The cart in which I rode was box-shaped and about four feet square and rested sol idly on the iron axle. To prevent the life being jolted out of me the three sides were lined with mattresses, with two mattresses on the floor for me to recline upon, in doing which m- feet rested on the standard shaft. The shaft on the port side was occupied by the Chinese driver of tho tandem rnule-Aeam. The traces of the leading mule were secured to the axle of the cart, which gave the animal about twenty feet to run and haul upon and as ws passed through Tien-tsin the brute availed himself of this liberty, by hieing up all alley-ways and other ways of that famous city. However, we finally reached the open country, and then that mule behaved himself remarkably well--for a mule. At the
  side Inn, which appeared like walled city on Q small scale, without one ap- erturo in all its brick walls. The en- trance was through an arched gate way of quite imposing appearance, but the interior of the square was a. sight to behold. The center was used for 1he feeding of the animals, and on each side were the rooms of the guests. door and one window of each of the forty rooms opened upon the square, and the furniture of each room con- sisted of two chairs and a brick bed stead about two feet high. Beneath the bedstead was a small opening for a fire, but 1t was seldom used by the foreign guest as the heat would bring into active life the vermin that had quietly retired to winter quarters. The two chairs were too shallow in their depth to stand alone, and had to be placed against the sides Of the room. ] had my own cook and ting-chi, or body servant, who came in another cart with the bedding and provisions, and they prepared my sunper. Such is lie in a Chinese wayside inn.
 The eightymile journey to Peking was accomplished in three days and two nights. Arriving at that famous city on the afternoon of the third day. was received by Minister Young and a right hearty welcome was ten dered me. I found the United States minister very companionable. 1 had corrasponded with him, but did not meet him until I had been some while in China. He knew Tien-tsin we'll having stayed there with General Grant and family during the latters travelA MT. Young told me that Gen. eral and Mrs. Grant, during their visit fin Tien-tsin, occupied the sleeping room at the consulate that I afterward made my own. Judge Denny was the consul at Tien-tsin during the Grants visit MT. Young was very fond of oE1bbage, which game I enjoyed many times with him. When at the legation at Picking l occupied the sleeping apartment of the late Mrs. Young. It was just as she had left it, her toilet articles on the bureau, her two hats hanging beside the mirror. Her para sol stood in the corner, her feather fan on the manteL Over the mantei was a life sized portrait of Minister Youngs first wife and little girl, both of whom died at about the same time. The second wife was the niece of Marshal Jewell of Connecticut, and a life-Stzed portrait of her hung in the drawing room. She must have been. judge form her portrait. a beautiful woman, and was told she was high iy esteemed in Picking for her lovely disposition and her many accomplish 1nents.
 I remained in Picking three weeks, during which I experienced sorn~ of the most delightful events of my life. Having for a guide one of the best pilots in Peking, I visited every object of Interest worth visiting except the Forbidden City and was pumped up brimful of ancient history, and saw mode wonderful sights than ever be- fore or since. I made the acquaint- ance of all the high officials of the foreign legations and they treated me as one of themselves. At dinner given by Sir Harry Parks was called upon to repeat poem which one of the company had heard me rect en- titled When the Cows Come Home" Sir Harry had left tls rural home in England when only nine years of age; since that time his home had been in the Orient, and the scenes depicted 1n the poem brought to him so vividly his boyhood days of the long ago that his feelings overcame him to such an extsnt that he wept like a child Many dimes after that evening, at the social gatherings, he would request me to Tecite the poem and during its recital ne would sit away by himself and ap- pear to be oblivious to everything but his precious memories. The first time, by the way, that recited When the Cows Come Home" was at a din ner given by the Chit Chat club, iil San Francisco. It was so well liked that have kept on reciting it ever since. The Old Canoe" Tracking Ship Of Shore" and "The Yarn of the Nancy Bell" have also been fa- vorites.
 Sir Harry Parks death occurred dur dng my term of office. Sir Harry was 8 genial man, overhowing with humor and bright, witty sayings. His mar Tied daughter living at Shanghai was on her way to visit him at the time of his death, not knowing even of his sllness. The British consul at Tien- tsin MT. Davenport. went down to Taku to meet and prepare her for the crushing blow. They mest on the steamer. She was full of joyous an tiupation, and for awhile they chat ted and laughed together before he could summon courage to tell her the sad news. It was time of trial for MT. Davenport. When he finally broke the news to her she staggered for a moment and gave way to her grief. but soon recovered and was able to listen to all the details of her fathers death. The funeral of Sir Harry Parks, or rather the depositing of his remains on board ship occurred on April s, 1885. I was one of the bear CTS, The body lay in state after it's arrival from Picking In the compound of the English consulate a temporary arbor of bamboo and mating being built over 1t, with draped flags and pots of flowers at the entrance. The distance from the consulate to the ship was about as far as twa blocks of our city, and the Chinese soldiers from the barracks formed two lines the , V hole distance. The hearse, which,