The San Francisco call., 1913-08-03

e-s-s~s-s-s-.s-s-e-s-s'
enterprise and that he should take the
| initiative.
THE SECRETAR COMES
/ The next day opened bright and
/ balmy and after some desultory sight
seeing in which my mind was entirely
i engrossed with the matter of the an
| Client palace. I returned to the COM
/ pound to await the coming of the sec
retary of foreign affairs.
In a short time we heard the beat
ing of tomtoms, the twanging OF
stringed instruments and other bar
/ barrie music. announcing his arrival and
we went to the gate to receive him.
i The escort comprised body OF troops
armed with spears, gingals and flint
i locks and shields OF well stretched raw
! hide emblazoned with the Korean
tiger. Their features were concealed
/ by broad umbrella hats which spread
well over the shoulders.
/ Following this advance guard came
the secretary. gorgeously dressed.
| borne by eight chair bearers. This dig
nitary reclined on handsomely embroid-
cred cushions and carried fan, the
| symbol of authority, but ridiculously
small for so large man. and wore the
| official hat OF closely woven horse hair
i shaped like an inverted flower pot. with
broad expanding ears to catch state
! secrets and apprize the wearer OF treas
i enable designs.
i In the rear came the secretaries,
clerks. water bearers and other menu
bers OF his household, and last, two
/ servitors carrying certain domestic
i utensils. which, in our country, are rel
egated to the recesses of our private
/ apartments.
l q ~ or~y
/ in order of rank in a most ceremonious
manner. These introductions were made
! by the minister through the intermed-
| larry of Mr.. o. When my turn came
| fancied that the willy interpreter ap-
| praised my rank and virtues at rate
above their deserts, for the secretary
singled me out for many compliments
entirely uncalled for and undeserved.
LUNCHEON: IN STATE
We sat down to luncheon in the
height OF good humor. everybody hav-
| ing been complimented and compli-
/ mented everybody else. Behind the
secretary stood his body servant hear
| Ing his own table equipment which.
/ however, he did not use.
/ The scribeS, clerks and other minor
j officials formed a second line, while in
/ the nearest corner impassive, but ready
1 for all, stood the rumble bearers OF
/ those unmentionable. domestic conven-
fences already referred to. The meal
passed without incident until cham
! pagne was served. The secretary was
/ tasting this wine for the first time. He
half swallowed glassful, but with a
| wry face was obliged to empty his
| mouth on the floor. Disgust for this
! choice vintage of Epernay was evinced
/ on every lineament of his otherwise
Unconditional features.
Il -.kI
/ sugar, which worked admirably. He
| drank several glasses and expressed
1 his thanks for my suggestion through
i the loquacious and ever ready Mr.. o.
1 | took occasion to express my interest
| in Korean art, although regretting to
learn that the noblest objects were not
accessible to foreigners. Mr.. 0. brill
/ hantly seconded my efforts with the re-
Esult that the secretary promised to pro-
cure me permit to visit the ancient
palaces.
That evening / obtained by royal
/ courier an invitation on scarlet ribbon,
setting forth my rank and lofty per-
sonal virtues and humbly requesting me
to honor those palaces with my august
presence on the following afternoon.
On the time assigned I proceeded on
horseback to the palace gates. A guard
was drawn up and was received with
ostentatious display, altogether out of
keeping with my official character.
The officer OF the guard detailed q
| soldier to accompany and i was given
to understand that every nook and
Granny were open to my examination.
THE ROYAL HAREM
The afternoon was serene, the scene
enchanting. The grounds, although
| overgrown with the rank vegetation. of
hundreds of years, showed exquisite
taste in the original conceptions. Flow
ers bloomed on every hand and birds
warbled in every thicket.
Half hidden by the morass cropped
out the massive foundations Of struc-
lures long. since claimed by the hand
of time. A few buildings were still
4 standing, but much defaced by centuries
4 of exposure and lack of care The COR
nices, caves and ridges were elaborately
carved with NEUROLOGICAL animals and
/ birds unsurpassed for complexity and
minute in detail.
Heavy thing and fragments OF ma
sonry were scattered everywhere, q
i melancholy reminder OF the transitory
j and evanescent character of the work
| Of man.
The royal harem was in fair condi-
/ tion. This is perhaps the finest ex-
ample OF ancient Korean architecture
and was built long before the birth OF
our Lord
Il In6 palace originally consisted OF q
central rotunda with extending wings,
vast In extent, but SO beautifully pro-
i portioned that the dimensions seemed
| lost In the harmony of the finished
/ structure. These wings were embe1-
lished by griffons, gargoyles and pago-
| das, and the overhanging caves were
i supported by cantilevers OF fantastic
4 designs.
] The roof was in ruinous condition
and covered with glazed things. which
reflected the suns rays SO that each
i tile divided the beam of light into Its
/ primary colors, along parallel elements,
and presented to the eye a myriad OF
4 miniature rainbows
ONCE HAD 1000 WOMEN
This harem formerly contained 1000
beautiful young women. and II IS hard
to realize that the rotting floors once
resounded with the patter OF tiny foot
4 steps and that merry laughter echoed
i throughout these deserted halls at q
i time when our ancestors were dwelling
| in wretched novels among the marshes
of the Thames.
My companion followed me with dog
like fidelity. but took little interest In
my actions. I slipped q Mexican coin
into his unresisting hands and finally
succeeded in reaching the roof OF the
harem through an opening IN the tiles.
One OF them gave way In my grasp.
4 There seemed to be 30 many OF them
i that surely one would mt ha fnfaaSA