Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1912-10-17

YTF9 HE great wall of China never
fails to impress the traveller,
no matter how many times he
i'll has seen it. At Munkow pass,
where the magnificent scenery
gives it an appropriate setting. it Is
particularly impressive. 1t is not SO
much its height nor solidity, nor even
its seeming endlessness that causes
the observer to marvel. 1t is rather
the bold. theatrical way in which the
whole panorama of the wall has been
staged. The dauntless builders, who
erected it over 1000 years ago, seem
TO have selected the highest mountain
ranges and the most precipitous
peaks for the foundations of their
wonderful wall. They probably took
delight in placing the wall where 1t
would make the best showing-on the
topmost ridges and overlooking the
highest precipices, writes Luther An
derson in the Chicago News
AS the eye follows the wall over the
mountains to where it loses itself in
the hazy horizon .one cannot help
thinking Of the tremendous length OF
the wall. From its western end in
the sandswept desert of inner Mon
golia to the Gulf of Liantung, where
1t comes down to the sea, is a dis
/ lance of over 1900 miles. And yet
this distance does lot represent the
entire length of the wall. 1t has many
branches and Is in many places dou-
bled and even trebled. At Koupeikou
/ there is a perfect network OF walls
stretching off in every direction as far
/ as the eye can see. At Nankou the
same prodigality of walls shows that
the ancient Chinese felt that one wall
was not sufficient protection against
/ the wild hordes of Tartary.
In Days Of Old.
One cannot look upon the great wall
without picturing in ones mind the
days OF old, when these ramparts were
/ thronged with soldiers, who guarded
the frontiers of the empire against
the warlike tribes OF the north. The
/ roadway on the top of the wall served
as a military highway for the various
| contingents garrisoned in the fort
/ resses. which stud the wall at inter
walls of from 200 to 500 yards. Where
the wall climbs the steep slopes of the
mountains this roadway is provided
with long flights OF stairs. The bricks
! OF these stairs are well worn, showing
| that thousands of soldiers must have
! passed to and fro from one fortress
TO another One can picture the re-
Inducements rushing along the wall
and climbing the lofty stairs and
Fastening to assist their comrades
hard pressed by some hostile army
One can see the fires lighting up the
signal towers built far to the south OF
the wall One can almost hear the
shouts OF defiance from the defenders
answering the taunts of the besiegers
Those ancient soldiers of China did
their work well. For over 1000 years
they held the wall against the Tartar
hordes. When the Mongols finally did
break through the barrier in the thir-
teenth century they were able to do
SC only because an effete dynasty neg
lected to send proper reinforcements
TO the defense of the wall
The great wall is remarkably well
preserved Though weatherbeaten by
the storms, the frosts and the suns OF
two milenniums, 1t shows signs of de-
cay only in few places. The greet
body OF it is intact and in as good a
condition as when 1t was built. The
ages have hardened the mortar and
bound the brick work together so
that the wall is probably stronger to
day than It has ever been before. II
seems to be as eternal as the noun.
tains upon which It rests.
AS a bulwark OF defense the wall
has long since become obsolete, but
its usefulness Is by no means at an
| end. 1t has become a monument to
/ toll, perseverance, will power and to
Imagination. 1t serves to inspire all
who see 1t with new faith in human
/ effort.
At ten o'clock we passed the last of
the great ramparts and we're outside
the barrier" to quote a Chinese
/ phrase, The region to the north of
the wall has always been regarded by
the Chinese as a wild and lawless
country. Punishment beyond the
great wall has always been considered
a severe punishment. The Chinese
living there have always had the feel
| ing that they were outside OF their
own country and almost at the edge of
the world.
AT noon of July II we stopped at an
inn in little hamlet called Pangshi-
hying, where we rested and had tiffin.
The proprietor of the inn evidently
had a mind to the moral improvement
of his guests, for he had ornamented
the walls Of the guests rooms with