The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-08-18
Cleopatra of the Far East
BX CZ COZL|ER- -ERG.S.

Founding the First Kingdom in Korea
 As coming from China there is a story often referred to by the Koreans because it is said it had a great deal to do with Kee-ja's decision to leave his native country and go to Korea where he founded the first kingdom in that peninsula more than a nillenium before the Christian era. Tai Kuk, or The Great Country the name com morlly used in Korea for China, was ruled by the famous Emperor Gnu. He was a great Emperor but more fear ed than beloved in fact he has come down to posterity as the Nero of the East. It is said that on one win ter's morning when he observed a few women walking bare-1egged on the brink of a stream, catching shell fish, that he ordered their legs to be cut off in order that he might see the marrow of persons who could resist sold so fearlessly. Among other of his many cruel acts it is recorded that he had the heart of one of his reprov-l CTS brought to him in order to see wherein it differed from that of his cowardly ministers.
 DaI-kwe.
 Of all the concubines this emperor had in his harem his favorite was Da1- kwe. The native historians have goneSinto raptures over her beauty. They like her to this and that, and state that she was more surpassing than that; but it must be confessed that if the figures of speech they use were to be translated into English they would lose their force, and these references would be anything but complimentary when translated into plume AngIo-Saxon. At any rate Dal- kwe has become a conspicuous figure in history as the Cleopatra of the Far East. So beautiful was she, that it is said she was wonderfu1s but transcen- dently past all when she smiled. At such times the person upon whom she smiled was enthral1ed, as though faS- cinated by g. serpent, and so was com pelled to comply with whatever might be her preferred request The Elm peror, despite his dignity, was as much her slave as anyone else; the things he had done to please her were of every description. The advice of the court officials was forgotten, the welfare of the nation was not thought of, and the people were as the small dust in the balance; all, everything. had to give way before the pet and whin of Da1-kwe.
 It is only natural that on all sides there should have been intense indig- nation felt with regard to the power and influence wie1ded by this beautiful poupee. The very walls seemed to have ears; for so many people had
 
 deaths for no other crime than the offering of some sighting remark with regard to Dal-kwe.
 Pf-kan Investigates.
 With regard to her everybody was absolutely terrorized, even though the indignation in the breast of all was able only to express itself by looks and glances, instead of by remarks and words, it was none the less intensely felt China had one brave man, a High Councillor of State, who knew the futilfty of opposing Dal-kwe; but who, neverth he1ess, felt for the sake of his people that something must be done He pondered long and deeply over the matter, yet could find no point at which he might attack her; he was determined upon doing some thing, so set himself to watch her as closely as he could without making himself conspicuous to her. This. for obvious reasons, he was most anxious to avoid. The more he watched her the more convinced was he that there was something uncanny about her. something so sly and shrewd that it reminded him of the stealthiness with which a beast of prey follows it's in tended victim.
 As this thought took deeper root upon his mind he decided she must be a fox in human form. It is we'll known throughout the East that Eff an animal taste of water that has lain for twenty years in a human skull It will acquire the power to assume the human shape at wil1.'' Yet, as this fact implies, there is an underlying fact The taking of human shape at will implies that the animal could only do so for a time, and not perrna- nent1y be able to pass for a human