Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-05-19

10 an extraordinary degree Seoul IL |
city of bridges. Not that it is in
tersected by rivers or important |
streams; there are only small brooks
or canals within the city. Nor do these
canals make the city Venice. There
are no gondolas here. But by the
scant water in these streams women
squat in throngs, doing laundry work
The water often is far from Clean but
what does that matter? The worker
uses little wooden club or paddle
and beats the clothing upon fiat stones.
Garments to be laundered are usually
ripped along the seams, the pieces !
washed, and then again put together
after the work is done. The bridges
are usually of stone, well built and
durable. No mortar or cement seems
to be used, but the cut stones are fit
ted rather carefully. On many of the
bridges in the city stone pillars are
carved to grotesque animal forms at
the top.
The royal palaces have seen their
days of glory. The one most used by
the late king was the north palace.
Some of the buildings are gone, some
are neglected The two most interest
ing were the great audience hall and
the pavilion by the lotus pond Ap-
proach to the audience hall was strict
ly regulated. There were nine grades
of officers, each with two degrees, The
paved way leading up to the audience
hall was evenly spaced by pairs of
stone posts, one on either side, eighteen
pairs in all; each pair indicated the
distance to which one grade OF official
might approach on occasions Of cere-
mony The pavilion is a large rec
tangular building, open at the sides
| below the floor of the second story
is supported by metal capped granite
columns, typical Korean construction.
Here in good weather the ruler and
his guests enjoyed music and dancing
and the beauties of the fine lotus pond.
This year these palace grounds were
utilized for the notable industrial eX-
hibition, commemorating and illus
trating five years of the new admin
istration of the country.
Korean Shop Displays.
In the old days the few wide streets
of Seoul were crowded by the shops.
All the early visitors dilate upon this
and find it disagreeable. Korean
shops, like criental shops in gen
eral, are open to the losses and the
shopkeeper mourns his once proud dis
play. The shops are not as a whole
of great interest. There are shoe
shops, hat shops, basket shops, seed
and grain shops, and the like. These
are true selling shops. Then there
are carpenter shops and coffin shops
and timers chimney shops, where the
work goes on as well as sales.
One Of the most curious is the wed
ding and funeral outftter's. His is q
rental, not a sales place. 1t is only g
few feet in frontage and here the
stock still encroaches on the street
Here are the things necessary for the
two great family ceremonies. Here
are great wooden candles, carved with
dragons, birds and flowers, all gaudy
with painting; here are wooden geese
the goose being q symbol of con
jugal happiness; here are the two
boys, heavenly messengers" bringing
felicity; here are bottomless chair!
for ancestral spirits to occupy on an
: niversaries. Inside are other things
all to rent cheaply, always in evidence
though perhaps more so at the New
Year season (Feb. 4 this year, thai
at other times.