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

" EOUL, the old capital of Korea,
is undergoing changes. Until re-
\ Gently its wall was intact and
gave a picturesqueness to the
city pleasing to western eyes There
were eight gates-four of them larger
than the others and facing the car
Ginal points. The main street of the
city ran from the east to the west
gates and from the south to the north.
At their intersection stood the old bell.
which was struck at intervals through
the day-at in the morning, at noon,
at at night, at 9 and then at mid
night, writes Frederick Starr in the
Chicago News
The bell, like most conspicuous OBJ
jects in Korea, had story and its
sound in the ears of many was vail
OF terror. They say that when the
bell was to be made it was a matter
of public interest and of popular con-
tribution. Everyone gave something
to its makeup. Mirrors, rings, orna-
ments, coins, all were given to the
melting pot. When finally the day
came for its casting, great crowd
gathered. The metal was finally mol
ten ready to be run. The word was
given and the hot liquid was poured
into the mold. When it was some
what cooled the casting was uncov-
cred bit by bit, and, 10, it was imper-
feet! Broken to pieces, it was again
molten on another day and again it
was fawed. A third time the mishap
occurred and the people were well-nigh
| discouraged at the evil omen.
The master workman ordered a final
trial. Again the crowd assembled,
again the broken fragments, submitted
to the heat, gradually melted until the
crucial moment was near. At that in
slant an unknown woman of the com
mon people pressed through the crowd
her baby in her arms: coming to the
pot of molten metal, she cried, But
you have not yet my contribution
raised the baby and hurled it into the
seething mass.
| The moment mad come for the pour
! ing and before the cry of horror had
died away upon the lips of the crowd
the signal was given and the hot meta
| flowed down into the mold. When il
! was uncovered the bell emerged per
feet; the sacrifice had been effec
tive; but through the years mothers
/ at the stroke of the old bell have heard
in it the wailing of the child, shrek
| ing, "Oh, mother, my mother"
When Women Walk Abroad.
In the old days, and not so very Ions
ago, the bell gave the signal for vari
-ous movements. Women, save tn,
most common and rustic, were not per
mitted freely on the streets. From
midnight to noon and from noon to
at night, men and boys were free t,
roam, but women and girls were e2
pected to keep indoors. But when tn
old bell struck at the hour of 9, mel
and boys betook themselves to thei
houses and females were privileges
to walk the streets till the midnigh
bell drove them home.
Those days are past, but even toda
few women are seen upon the streets
and those Of any social standing hav
the face almost concealed. The COY
ering is curious. 1t is apparently
garment for the upper body, with nee
space and sleeves, but it is not wor
as such, but only laid upon the heat
with sleeves dangling at the side:
back falling capelike over the shou
ders and the front coming down O
both sides of the face, nearly concea
ing it. In Seoul this garment is regl
larly of a dull green cloth.