Evening star., 1909-05-08


describing the madens and showing what
they had to offer.
At first only fifteen of the noble fam-
lies responded. and this. l am told. was
on account of the weak mind of the
crown prince and his apparent unfitness
to manage household. Then the govern
ment officials sent out second order
urging more applications. In reply to
this. fifty were sent in. and from these
the old emperor picked out thirty. The
girls represented by them were directed
to come TO the palace. and in due time
they appeared in great state. Each was
borne in a gorgeous closed chair. consist
ing of box, about three feet square and
not more than that high, in which the
maiden sat cross-eaged on the floor
These boxes were carried by servants in
livery. The man servants of each girl
went in front and her Save girls followed
behind.
When the procession arrived at the pal
ace the thirty maidens were carefully
looked over by the emperor. who has since
been depOsed and the poorest ones to the
number of fifteen were weeded out and
sent home. a day or so later another in
spection was made and the marriaSeabie
ladies reduced to seven or eight After
this there was a third examination. and a
young girl of about thirteen or so, be-
longing to the noble Yum family. was
chosen. Contrary to the usual custom In
Korea which provides that the groom
wife. the crown prince himself made the
final decision. The girl picked out was
the youngest of the whole thirty. She
was small for her age. and when the
crown prince pointed her out as his
choice his father said: "You had better
small"
''Oh. as to that was the reply of his
majesty. "she will grow" He insisted
upon her AT the second selection. and
L.
was right as to the growing. She is much
larger now. and has developed into fine
looking Korean woman. She is very
bright. and the Japanese are giving her
an education which is in advance of that
of any .Aorean queen of the past. She is
studying Japanese under the wife of the
vice minister of the household depart
ment 1 am told the emperor likes her
Tauch, and that the two live together.
Before go farther. let me tell you
about my audience with his majesty and
describe how he looks. The time fixed
for the interview was IL O'Clock in the
morning and l was instructed to appear
in full evening dress. I understood that
/ must go in state, and. our consul general
kindly gave me his chair and the official
bearers of our government. | started at
bright sunshine rode through Seoul in
tall silk hat. swallowtail coat, white neck
tie and the other appurtenances which
we at home wear only after O'Clock in
the evening.
l had to stoop low to get my tall hat
into the chair. and ducked when the bear
ers raised me to their shoulders. The
chair was not bigger than a dry goods
box. or about four feet cubcd, and 1t was
about the same shape 1t was open at
the front, and the upper part of 1t was
walled with glass so that l could look out
as | rode. The chair was upholstered in
lilac satin and had red flannel cushion.
1t was slung between two black poles
about sixteen feet long, and at each end
of these I had two bearers in livery To
tote me along. At my side walked the
keso, or guard of the consulate. dressed
in long blue gown, fat drawer-like trou-
sers tied at the ankles, and a fiat felt
hat upon which was dingy American
eagle. The bearers had blue gowns lined
with red, and their white trousers
completed the colors Of the American flag.
The sleeves of the keso were bordered
with red, white and blue.
Thus carried. ! went through the for
eign section between the high brick walls
surrounding the compounds where the
missionaries, consuls and other officials