The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-27
The Wonderful Women of China
BY MISS JULIA X. MCKENZIE; Yanechow. china.

ed a hammer to open heavy goods
box. skinning a finger in the effort,
but succeeding. Doubtless she could
sleep comfortably on a board, with
a brick for a pillow, and with good
appetite eat her dinner off a coffin for
a table. Marvellous change, Rare
adaptability! Who can excel It?
In all the world there are no DETER
fingers than the beautiful, slender
ones of the Chinese women. Like the
women of the exodus, whose hearts
stirred them up in wisdom to spin
the blue and the purple, the scarlet
and the fine-twined linen" for the SER
vice OF the tabernacle, these wise
ones, with a bit of satin, a few strands
Of silk and a needle, evolve brilliant
butterflies. birds of paradise dragon
flies and other glowing creatures that
fairly scintiliate with enhancing coll
ors Or give one of them q spool of
fine thread and a crochet book and
her creations of dainty laces are beau
tiful enough to delight any womans
heart One could go on thus, prov
ing by example their many fine quail
ties, but it would make this paper far
too long.
Dangers of These Transition Days.
Though the rainbow CLOVIS. and
Gods own glorious light shines on
ahead into the future years, these re-
construction days are infinitely peril
GUS crowded with saddest realities
and tragedies that call for Immediate
strong help, warnings and unceasing
prayer from those whom God has set
as watchmen on the walls.
Like Gagged birds suddenly set free
and flying confusedly are easily caught
by the cruel enemy, these precious
women. called unexpectedly from the
comparatively safe seclusion of their
walled homes and hitherto changeless
customs-"Dinah going out TO see the
daughters of the land -grasp!ng
eagerly at everything new all unsus-
peCting they fall into the snares Of the
DEVILS emissaries, evil men and wo-
men, and their purity is
Like the snowfall on the river,
"A moment white, then gone forever"
A school girl sef-confdent with the
pride Of little learning and the buoy
ancy Of untrammeled freedom, goes
joyfully to a friends home for a holi-
day; there is Toasted. entertained and
alas while under the influence of
wine is dehIed by a married son Of the
family. who Is willing TO make her his
secondary wife, or conCuhine.
One rash girl, with strong business
faculty. offered herself as prize in
lottery. but fortunately the officials
forbade it.
I a pretty young bride al her wed
{ ding feast delivered an address on
+ woman's rights.
+ During the revolution a number OF
young women, adventurous enthusi-
asts. formed an Amazon corps and
f rushed to the siege of Marking. Left
unemployed by premature peace which
deprived them Of the opportunity OF
actual fighting. they linked themselves
{ by cablegran with the deplorably
misguided suffragettes of England
/ and kept in touch with their excuses
and inspired by them they marched
| into the grand council and kicking
I over whatever and whoever opposed
them, they demanded a voice in the
affairs OF government
The worst evils in foreign lands toir
with the worst in China for their un.
doing. Out Of obscurity into too great
prominence their very enthusiasm
carries them into the maeistrom o.
suffragettism. socialism, spiritualism
free-love. Russeillsm. Christian Sci
ence, poisonous foreign novels. cigar
cites, grotesque hair dressing, theil
beautiful simple styles OF dress dis,
Carded for semi-foreign absurdities
and the elimination of as much cloth
ing as possible, But even from amonE
the mistaken ones there is being gath.