Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1917-06-14
News From The Orient.

Miss Firor Tells Many Interest.
ing Stories Concerning China.
Marking, China, April 2lst.
Dear W.
This has been strenuous week. BE-
sides keeping the same swift pace at
school we have been busy practicing for
our big event on Apri, 9th. This is to
be given for the benefit of the Foreign
Hospital and we are hoping and working
to make it success.
DR.. Arthur Smith, one of the brilliant
and we'll known men out here, lectured
to us last week. His talks have done
me lots of good; feel as if l have had
real missionary training. No doubt faith
er has some of Dir. Smiths books on
China in his library. In The course of
his lecture he brouS.at in a number of
interesting stories. Now, here. is one
worth telling. A missionary on an evan
gelistic trip in the interior, stopped at
one place and witt great earnestness told
the people the ever beautiful story of the
Ninety and Nine and the lost sheep. The
crowd seemed to take no interest what
ever in the story. Then suddenly the
evangelist remembered that those peo-
pile mad never seen sheep, nor picture
of one and had no idea what one looked
like. Near the evangelist stood duck
vender, and, turning to him the preacher
asked how many ducks he had-would he
know if one was missing, and if 80, what
would he do? Another man came for
ward, and said he had 200 ducks, said he
knew every one and if one was missing
he would look until he found it. In a
short time the crowd was discussing the
theme, and then the preacher drew the
application end told them the story of
the Good Shepherd (duck raiser) and
ended with the song II was wandering
duck"
Marking is famous duck raising place.
In Pekin, they are also very fine. When
the Emperor of Japan wants rare dish
he is served Nankingese duck. They are
usually prepared in an appetizing way by
the Mohammedans, who eat neither beef
nor pork.
This morning something very funny
happened. Nothing like asking for what
you want, even though, as in my case,
you fail to get it. At recess we wanted
to play ball, but could not find it. So
rushed upstairs and hailed two servants.
In Chinese, ball is Chin, and earth is
Dichin excitedly demanded dichin,
do you know where it is, want to play
with it? They stood perfectly still and
stared at me. When | realized l was
asking foy The "eerth" to play with why
of course Laughed nea. lily, ond oh! how
those Chimes enjoyed t.
The Chinese sel,snts as a class, are
proverb,a trleves Eve-yth. ,g has to
be kept uroe, ocl no Ney anG even then
they stef 900 Nv he tea spoonful. 1t is
the curse 81 Lne "sqUeeze sy stem" which
reaches +, OH the highest official down
to the whee!osl1ow pusner. A woman
had careesay left .ong string of cash
on the floor, and had gone to visit neigh
bors. On her return she found an old
and valuable coin missing. So she left
another string in the same place and went
across the street and took up position
where she could watch the room. She
saw servant 60 in, end, quickly follow
ing, found him stealing tie second string.
He acknowledged his guilt at once, and
with loud lamentations gave the follow
ing reason: when l YVES home always
stole from my dec, mother and you've
been so much like mothe2 TO me, just
couldn't help it.
The soldiers went by to-day singing
their thrilling marching song, and GER
tainly did wish you could hear it. In one
sense it is far from musical, but it has
rhythm and swing that brings you up and
keeps stepping off. One company sings
a verse. then several selected singers
sing refrain which is taken up by an
other company, who finally give loud
"it-et-sen-su" Il, 2, 8, ~ and the song
is taken up by the next company. Cen
orally they march to bugles, no fife nor
drum.
l had expected to 60 to the Purple Gold
mountain this afternoon but could not
get away. At present it is covered with
mass of golden azaleas and wissaria
and is said to be wondrously beautiful.
Enclosed in this letter is little Chinese
flag. Isn't it pretty? 1t was made in
Marking, and they are hard to get.
could only buy foot of it.
The sun is just going down behind the
Drum Tower, and the sight is as beauti-
full as one could wish to see.
| will not be in Marking great while
longer. When school closes will go to
Kuling and be in the mountains during
the summer, and later go to my post.
Write soon and often.
April 3Oth.
Dear Mother
Every one breathes more freely
now that our big event is over. We gave
our "stunt" for the Foreign Hospital
benefit and it was great. We feel repaid
for all the time and work we put on it.
On Saturday afternoon, while on my way
to the postoffice, | saw an interesting
procession. First came many children