The Tupelo journal., 1915-10-29
An Incident Of the
Boxer Movement
In China
BY JOHN II. LARNED


enter the field Of diplomacy, secured
an appointment in the service Of he
United States government at Picking.
Worthington was more interested In
seeing the country than in his official
duties, which We're nominal, and he
travelled over such parts of China as
were open to foreigners. One day he
fell in with a mandarin who had been
a good deal in England and spoke the
language. The mandarin Travelled in
style. being carried in a chair, common
in Europe until near the beginning of
the nineteenth century. by two men
and attended by several other sery-
ants.
Worthington, who Travelled on horse
back, on joining the mandarin rode. be-
side the chair, chatting with him. The
American knew enough of China to
understand that it was infested with
robbers and was armed to the teeth.
The mandarin was an elderly person,
unused to arms, but his servants were
prepared to defend him. They were
Ill ulCu Will pihCS, olioi SNoluS liz
other weapons. which WorthingtOn
considered next to useless in a fight
with an enemy properly accoutered.
Suddenly while passing through a
narrow cut in the road the party was
attacked by Il dozen men bent on rob-
berry. They were not much better arm
ed than the mandarin's servants. but
H. northumberland {Ic 1n4tNr. I-ha i~a
mediately took to flight. leaving their
master in the hands of the enemy.
WOrthington drew a revolver from
under his oat at each hip and began
a fusilade that put the robbers to
flight. Upon this the servants return
ed and hunlbly begged the masters
forgiveness for having deserted him.
He was profuse in his thanks to the
American, who had not only saved a
considerable amount of money for the
Chinaman, but his life as well. He
begged Worthington to name some IA
vOr that he could do him. but the lat
ter said that he wanted for nothing in
the world. Then the mandarin took
up a bamboo umbrella and opened it.
Calling for a writing stick, he wrote
on it something as unintelligible to his
preserver as the receipt Of a Chinese
laundryman in America. Handing it
TO Worthington. he said in Il voice so
low as not to be heard by his servants:
a time is coming when there will
be Il movement on the part of our ig-
nOrant and superstitious people to rid
China Of all foreigners. Keep this um-
brella and if attacked open it in the
face of your would be murderer"
Worthington paid no attention to the
mans warning. Every n knew that
foreigners were hated by the Chinese,
and there had always been talk about
the latter being massacred. The Amer
lean was young, and the young take
little thought of danger. But he was
too polite not to assure the mandarin
that he would keep his gift as Il re-
membrance of him and the episode.
An American named Preston lived in
Picking, who operated Il banking house
which was Il branch of one in New
York. Worthington spent a good deal
of time at his house, attracted by the
bankers daughter, Emma Preston.
When the Boxer trouble broke out a
month after the foregoing episode
Worthington was at Preston's house.
1t was without the regions of the en-
bassies and entirely unprotected.
Worthington on the first sign of dan
ger returned to the embassy for leave
to absent himself for the protection
of the family in which he was interest
ed. Having attained it. he was about
to start back when he noticed the UNI
brella given him by the mandarin.
The day was very hot and it occurred
to him to take it for protection against
the suns rays. AS to the words spo-
ken concerning it if attacked by an
enemy. he had forgotten them, but he
did not forget TO take with him a cou-
pie of revolvers and a supply of car
tridges.
AS Worthington approached the Pres
ton home he noticed knots of China
men talking together excitedly. Some
of them scowled at him, but since
they had as much dread as hatred Of a
foreign devil" they did not attack
him. He reached the Preston home
safely, but found the family in great
%trepidation. expecting that at any time
a mob would attack and murder them.
The anticipated trouble occurred the
next day. The bankers residence was
well known. and a crowd of Cinnamon
armed with all sorts of implements
from q scytha to n razor came down
for murder. Warrington knew that,
though armed, he could not withstand
50 large Il force; nevertheless he sta
toned himself at Il window over the
front door, ready to use up his car
tridges.
The bowling mass came, stopped be-
fore the house and were about to make
an onslaught upon it when suddenly all
their eyes were cast to a window di-