The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-11-15
The
Safeguard
By PETER C. TISDALE

were vibrating between a monarchy
and republic. Emerson was cler-
gyman and had done ten years mis-
sionary work among the Celestials.
asked him II in his opinion the Chinese |
were fitted for free government.
mo people," he replied, ARE fitted !
for q free government except those |
who have reached high degree Of In |
telligence. There are q few Chinese
who are up to the standard Of our
western civilization, but there are mil
lions Of them who are sunk in the most |
abject superstition. When flrst went |
to China had q good deal to learn
about the people there. I was soon in
itiated. Do you sec that paper7
he pointed to scrap Of paper about
8 by 10 inches in size hanging on the
wall On it were written Chinese char.
acters.
THAT paper" hs continued, "ac-
counts for my being here at this mo-
ment. Without 1t would not have
been here. Soon after entering upon
my work In China fell in with a very
intelligent mandarin who seemed to
take a liking to me. l believed that II
l could make a Christian of him he
would influence others, and set about
the work Of his conversion. He ap-
peared to be very much interested in
what said to him, but I could not
bring him to the point Of declaring
himself Christian. l believed, how
ever, that 1t was because by doing 80
he would bring down upon himself the
anathemas of his people.
"One day he called halt on our con-
versations. Something was in the
wind, but could not tell what 1t was.
In bidding adieu to me he handed me
that slip Of paper you see hanging on
the wall telling me that II l got into
trouble with his people to produce 1t
and It would protect me from harm.
Being new to the country, did not un-
derstand what was written on It.
folded it and put It in my pocket
1T was not long after this that the
Chinese common people gave vent to
their hatred Of the foreign devils in one
Of those massacres which from time to
time have occurred In that benighted
land One morning was Mortified by
ore Of my converts telling mo with
fear and trembling that In a distant
village the heather had killed al the
foreigners and hundreds Of converts.
THAT day all tho converts at the sta
ton went away, l knew not whore, but
I perceived they were hiding from the
wrath to come, for It was not likely
that the massacre of which We had
heard would be the last Of the move
ment.
| Mrs. Emerson and had been mar
r1ed only Just previous to our departure
from America, and none of our little
ones had then come to US. The Ques-
ton was whether we should remain
where we were or 60 elsewhere. We
decided that we were as safe where We
were as in any other location. Our
station might not be attacked, while
another to which we would fee might
10 down under the mob Of infuriated
tends, so we concluded to remain.
Every day, at last every hour, We
heard Of massacres nearer and nearer
to US. But when the storm came 1t
broke all at once. One morning
heard q distant din, and very soon q
bowling mob came down the street.
1.-THE mind is queer working bodily
implement, and since what 1t did for
me on that eventful morning have
felt sure that there II a lot about 1t
that we don't understand. had put
the paper the mandarin had given me
in a tin box where kept other docu-
ments and had forgotten all about It.
Suddenly as l heard those yells and
shrieks 1t popped into my head. I re-
membered its donor had told me that
II got into trouble with his people to
produce 1t.
II went to the tin box that contained
II, took 1t out and unfolded It. You see
that It is large enough to be read from
some distance. The point with me wai
how to enable the mob to see II and
what 1t was before they murdered me
We were on the lower floor. My wife
was as white as a sheet, and I confess
II was no more self possessed. Ny
hands trembled 80 that could scarce
" hold the paper. l ran to the window
and placed 1t on a pane. the writing
out toward the street
There ! stood while the bloodcurd
ling yells came nearer and nearer. NJ,
wife, woman-like, ran to the door ant
locked It. No protection was thus af
forded, for one kick would have broker
It open.
Presently | saw the scattered ad
vance Of the mob coming like whit
clouds shooting up In the sky before
hurricane. Then came a man bespat
tered with the blood Of bis fellow
men. and he made straight for the mis-
sion. / saw by the expression OF hi
face that he knew 1t was the residenc
Of the hated missionary. he was In
stantly Joined by others. all maxim
for the door One turned the knob. bu
-bt,a doipo m saw the paper / wa