Evening star., 1912-11-24

thoroughness not usually found in that of
the American youth.
OF the high schools Central and west
ern received the lions share of the for
eign element this year. Western boasts
possession of a little Chinese girl, daugh-
ter of the first secretary of the Chinese
legation, and of a student from Cuba,
the son of the Cuban minister. Central
has on her rolls q Filipino. a Japanese
and three Chinese. At the Franklin
night school there are any number Of
students from across seas, many of whom
could not speak word of English when
they entered.
Rio de Sieu who spells his name in
Esperanto. is a Chinese republican at
tending Central High School, who came
to this country for something more than
an education. Although de Sieu is but
nineteen years of age. his life has been
a series of strange adventures, dangerous
missions and difficult pursuits. His ia
ther is Christian minister in China, and
all his family, for three generations back,
have suffered much for the sake of their
religion and for the political freedom of
China. De Sieu received his early train
ing in missionary school, and ar the
age of twelve entered Canton Christian
Seminary. in the city of Canton. to study
for the ministry. He completed his course
there in two years, graduated and inn
medtately enrolled in a government
school. where he pursued studies Of
secular nature.
One day. some two months after enter
ing the institution. de Sieu, who was al
ready member of the Young China As
soci.stion, a revolutionary secret society
of which DIR. Sun Yat Sen was president.
wrote a long theme on political suoJect
violently denouncing the methods and
government of the Manchu rulers then in
power The young enthusiast was aware
that he was incurring considerable danger
in expressing his opinion so freely. but
as de Sieu puts it, II was so excited that
/ forgot everything except what Il was
writing" His composition was brought
tothe attention of the head of the school,
who was himself a Manchu, and that
official became so incensed at its sedl-
tious language that he lost no time in
carrying it to the authorities. The latter
at once issued a warrant for the arrest
of its author.
night at an early hour. About midnignt
a friend who had wind of the impending
danger awakened him and warned him 10
flee for his life. His room was on the
third floor of the building and he might
have been hard put to find means OIL
escape but for fortunate circumstance.
1t was customary each morning Tor the
boys of the school to engage In tug OF
war, and this necessitated the use OF a
long rope, which happened at this time
to be in the hands of de Sieu. 1t was
this rope that he used in sliding 1rom ms
window to the ground. His troubles.
however. We're by no means over when
he had left the school.
). !;
.,Of course / could not remain in Can
ton he said, $50 at ) o'clock the next
morning l took the steamer to Hongkong.
which is British concession. There the
Chinese government could not reach me-
I read. shortly after my arrival in Hong
kong, in the Chinese newspapers that
had been sentenced to be beheaded and
a price of 500 placed on my head.
at the time of my escape 10 Hong
kong j was fifteen years DID, and from
then on / began to devote myself to the