Putnam patriot., 1912-12-06
Letter iron a Thompson Girl.
a NArIoN s FIRST nIRrnDAY.


The first "Forth of July" after the
signing of the Declaration Of lndepen-
denee has just been celebrated in
China, and il was a privilege to be
here to witness the patriotism OF new
nation. Only this Fourth falls on the
Tenth Day of the Tenth Month. We
foreigners shall doubtless get aecus-
toned in this land TO saying the
"Tenth of October" with the same
meaning we nsei the "Fourthp in the
States, for the love and patriotism we
feel for our adopted land is second only
70 the loyalty we have for the Home
land.
One year ago the accidental burst
ing of a bomb precipitated the Revolu-
ton that was already being extensive
ly planned. 1T has been a wonderful
bloodess Revolution. Doubtless you
have all read the newspapers, so 1 will
not 90 into details about it it nor about
how the day was celebrated all over
the Republic but | do not believe you
have heard how we celebrated the day
here on our Compound, so | want TO
send you an account of ii.
Never was a Fourth more joyously
celebrated in the states, than was the
Tenth of October celebrated by China
on her first birthday. How fitting
that the day should be ushered in with
the firecracker, for is not China the
birthplace of the first cracker? The
small boys were up at 1.-THE heavens
not yet light time and strenuous
day they must nave had celebrating
for when we went to sleep at night the
pop pop-pop showed no signs of dim.
inishing.
Next in importance to the fire
cracker was the new flag. How pretty
the "stripes' looked floating over
every institution; one flag at least over
each school al the hospital and at the
chapel. OF course an American thinks
the "stars and stripes the most beau
titul flag in the world, and TO one in
strange land il is doubly beautiful TO
see the loved flag flying from vessel
in the harbor or over the American
Consulate. Personally would put
the new Chinese flag second for 1 have
learned to love to see il tlying from the
top of a living bamboo pole. The BAN
boo leaves over ii signify "long life. y
h.a al Il a Haa hs,i
ing superstition, is never seen, while
the flag OF five bars floats everywhere,
sym bolizing freedom from centuries
OF bondage. Freedom indeed, The i've
bars ON the flag stand for the live divi-
sions of China, Manehuria, Mongolia,
Tibet, Chinese TuTkestan, and the
Fights on Provinces. The symbolism
of Numbers appeals 10 the Chinese and
the five TO them is the sacred seven of
tbs Jews. In astronomy, they say,
are the five planets, there are five
tastes sweet, sour, bitter, salt, pun
gent there are live chief elements in
nature, hue,-kim, tsui, thou and bak
namely fire, gold, water, earth and
wood. The five colors are arranged 10
represent these too,-red, yellow, blue,
white and black. There are other rea-
sons, but they do not specially interest
the mind of Westerner, SO we will
pass on to the celebration.
The forenoon was spent mostly In
preparation. Two chief dignitaries of
the schools in long scholarly gowns
went from house To house and invited
people to the public service TO be held
in the chapel at one O'Clock p. IN. How
pretty the chapel decorations were:
Potied plants, flags, Chinese lanterns,
besides Christmas decorations reinstat-
ed for the celebration. Outside the