{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_6345/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_6345","id":"gutenberg_6345","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6345","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Biographies","Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Chinese in literature"],"text":"This eBook was produced by David Schwan <davidsch@earthlink.net>.\n\n\n\nSeven Maids of Far Cathay\nBeing English Notes From A Chinese Class Book\n\n\n\nCompiled By\nBing Ding\n\n\n\nIllustrated By\nAi Lang\n\n\nThe custom of Americanism having been related unto me - \"That one book\nshall take unto self one dedication\" - I have honor to make speeches of\npresentation unto N-B-E, a Grandmother Genius of Geniuses.\n\n\n\nForeword\n\n\n\nThe English Notes which go to make up this Chinese Class book are the\nresult of a game which the President of the Woman's Anglo-Chinese\nCollege of Neuchang, China, induced the seven Chinese girls of the\ngraduating class to play during the last six months of their College\ncourse. The Notes were read aloud in class, taken down by a\nstenographer, and afterwards arranged alphabetically by the Biographer\nassisted by the President of the College. At the request of interested\nfriends the President has now permitted the publication of these Notes\nexactly as they were originally produced, without revision, that the\nunique atmosphere pervading them might not be lost.\n\n\n\nContents\n\n\n\nForeword\nBiographer\nCorrespondent\nDiarist\nEssayist\nFolklorist\nGenius\n\n\n\nIllustrations\n\n\n\n\"I Will Therefore Now Make Picture or Our Adorable College\"\n     (Frontispiece)\n\"It Was He of the Bridge of the Ten Thousand Ages\"\n\"All Day Long Very Good Water, Very Much Pleasure\"\n\"I Find Many Idols of Uselessness\"\n\"Gui (Devil) Always Travel in Straight Line, Road Wind Around so Gui No\n     Can Catch Traveler\"\nCliff Near the Monkey Mother's Home\n\"All is of Great Stillness and Peace\"\n\n\n\nBiographer\n\n\n\nBecause I drew the B - I have honor to commence this Class book. For once\nEnglish A comes not at the head, for our Artist, (whoever is she?) can\nat the first do nothing.\n\nIt all began thus: The first of last semester in the English class Each,\nmost horribly read. Miss Sterling, (our Adored Teacher), play with rings\nand shake head and say, \"Girls, why do you all mispronounce that word,\nB-O-U-G-H-? It is pronounced - Bow - like this.\" She arise and make\ngrand Kow-Tow, \"Or like this,\" she shake head until little yellow curls\nall up and down dance and say, \"Bow-wow! Bow-wow! Bow-wow!\" The door\nopen and Miss Powers, (our Honored President), come in. She say nothing,\nbut Look! Ging Muoi giggle. Miss Sterling grow all white and pink like\nChinese lady. Then Miss Powers speak much dignified:\n\n\"We are here to teach these young ladies the art of deportment; can it\nbe that you were demonstrating a lesson on manners, Miss Sterling?\"\n\nMiss Sterling opens lips; no sound come out and her blue eyes with tears\nfill up. Most times so timid I cannot tell or act out what I most long\nto do, but I love Miss' Sterling.\n\n\"Miss Powers,\" I say, afraid forgetting, \"May I have speech?\"\n\nMiss Powers smile with corners of mouth only and say, \"Yes, Bing Ding,\nproceed.\"\n\n\"You know what kind girls we are, Miss Powers, of such a stupidness that\nwe cannot of the English to learn. We only are to blame, not Miss\nSterling,\" I say, then afraid remember and sit down.\n\n\"It is true that our language is very difficult for you,\" say Miss\nPowers most graciously. \"And in order that you may learn to construct\nand pronounce it correctly, I propose that this last semester of your\nCollege course, you play a game that we may call 'English Notes.' Have\nany of you ever heard of it?\" When we told her we had not so heard, she\nsmile with chin also, and hold to view small package all of a whiteness.\n\n\"These are sealed envelopes,\" she say. \"Each one contains one of the\nfirst seven letters of the English Alphabet: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, a\nletter for each girl. Miss Sterling, will you be kind enough to give\nthem to the young ladies?\"\n\nIt seemed of a purpose that to me came Miss Sterling last. Afterward,\nwhen I so state privately to her, she smile all about and say, \"It is\nmost fortunate that your envelope contains the B, Bing Ding, for being a\nEurasion, you can write the English more fluently than the others.\" But\nthat is of Biography unimportant, so I return to where I stop.\n\nFuku start to open envelope, Miss Powers hold out hand and say, \"Wait,\nFuku, and I will tell you about the game. It is played thus:\"\n\n\"For the next five months, every Saturday each girl must deposit in my\noffice letter-box an unsigned, written paper of not less than two\nhundred English words, on a topic corresponding to the word represented\nby the letter found in her envelope. For example: A stands for the\nArtist of the class. B - for the Biographer. C - Correspondent. D -\nDiarist. E - Essayist. F - Folklorist. G - Genius, to her goes my\nheartfelt sympathy.\" Miss Powers look at Miss Sterling and draw down\ncorners of mouth and take on sadness. All Chinese girls grow solemnity,\nbut Miss Sterling laugh, and we know it is of American funniness, and\nare much relieved.\n\n\"Bing Ding will distribute this writing paper which I wish you to use in\npreparing your articles,\" say Miss Powers, and again hold to view a\npackage, this time of much largeness and most blue. \"Six of you will\nbegin playing the game this week. A, cannot play until next week; her\nname, alone, I must know that I may send her the papers to illustrate\nafter they are typed.\"\n\n\"On next Monday afternoon and on all the following Mondays, I shall\nexpect you to come to my study at Two of the clock, to drink tea and\nplay your game. That is all now, Young Ladies, except that each girl\nmust keep the secret of her letter; that is for her alone. Good after\nnoon,\" and Miss Powers disappear with much graceful carriage, of which\nall Chinese girls admire but cannot to imitate.\n\nMiss Powers great lady; of a tallness and much commanding, with snow\nhair and bright eyes - at times of a hardness like steel - of them we\nhave much fear. For Miss Powers we have admiration greatly but our love\nwe cannot show out to her; only can we show that to Miss Sterling who is\nof great dearness, with heart of so great bigness that for her we take\nthe name of \"Mother Heart.\" Each, to her gather and wish of her that she\nmay play the new foreign game with us, but she make explanation that of\nthe letters there are but seven, and soon all Chinese girl go to herself\nalone and open her envelope. As I have before spoken, B, was in mine. A\nBiographer I have now become. I shall at once at the Dictionary of the\nCenturies arrive and study to show forth the meaning of my word.\n\n\n\nWhen we went forth on the first Monday afternoon to play our game and\ndrink the tea of our Honored President, the Chrysanthemums were of great\nbeauty. For many days the gardener had present pots of Chrysanthemums of\ngreat choiceness, so that the walks of the Compound and the steps\nleading to Miss Powers' study were of a two times border; inside part\nshow tiny yellow and white hemispheres, outside part show much large\nyellow globes. When I behold Chrysanthemums to me alone I say, \"Can it\nbe English flower-book is of a rightness? 'That a heart to desolation is\nnow left?' Perhaps the foreign game we cannot play.\" and I enter much\nafraid.\n\nMiss Powers meet us on balcony and invite us in and to take seat; we\nhave hesitation for Chinese must not at once sit down, but Miss Powers\ncommand, \"Be seated, it is the American way.\" Then she wave hand to tray\non table and say, \"Young Ladies, here are your notes; I have had them\nput into type that you may not know whose notes you are reading. Go\nforward, Cui Ai, and select one to read aloud.\"\n\nWe watch with carefulness Cui Ai open paper and read of Folk-lore. I\nlook about, but girls' faces all most composed and to me I think, \"That\npaper is of Cui Ai's own make,\" when I see Fuku all of a shakiness and\nam full of doubt.\n\nMiss Powers ask of each girl to read in turn until there is but one\nremainder, Fuku, who seems much offended that she comes at the last. She\ntake paper, open, throw on floor with great noise. First time like\nlittle squeak of mouse, second time like Chinese Tom-Tom, and all time\nkick at paper on floor with much strength of purpose. We at once arise\nand when the foot of Fuku is high in air Da Hua make rescue of paper.\nMiss Powers say, \"Be seated, Young Ladies,\" and we sit down with\nstillness; but Fuku keep most noisy. Miss Powers sit at telephone and by\nand by Dr. Ewing come and try to introduce Fuku into next-door room but\nshe cry, \"No, No, it is not my will to go! I shall of the paper now\nread.\" Then she again squeak and Tom-Tom, and Dr. Ewing draw up arm and\nput big slap in Fuku's nose centre. Fuku at once come to self and say,\n\"Where am I?\" When she look see us - six Chinese girls in a row sitting\n- she put up thumbs to cover face and it seem as if she would cry to\ndeath, and all time she whisper, \"Take me away! Take me away! I belong\nnot to the land! I am of the boat people!\"\n\nWe look at Each, full of dumbness. A boat child! Born of a people\nwithout a foundation, whom the Gods had command to live all the many\nmoons to come on the water and never again upon the land! Impossible!\nBut Miss Powers put finger to lips and nod head, and we know that it is\nof a truth that Fuku has spoken.\n\nBy and by Fuku go with Dr. Ewing and Miss Powers say one half to\nownself, one half to ourself, \"Poor little girl,\" and look about at\nEach, most earnestly.\n\n\"Young Ladies, you have much to give thankfulness for,\" she say. \"It is\ngood to be well born. I shall tell you of Fuku that you may help her to\novercome these unfortunate attacks. It is as she said, she is of the\nboats. When a little child playing on the deck of her boat-home, the\nrope fastened about her waist, parted, and she fell into the water. She\nstruck her head as she went down, which I think partly accounts for\nthese attacks; when she came up, an American who happened to be passing\nthat point in a sampan, caught her by her long hair and tried to give\nher back to her parents, but they said, 'Return her to the water. The\nWater Gods have claimed her; she is theirs, not ours. We will not take\nher back.' So he brought her to me. Here she has grown up and from here,\nGod willing, she will go forth into the world a noble woman!\"\n\nThen Miss Powers make a little prayer of Fuku and we drink of the tea\nand eat of the cakes of much sweetness. The clock strike five times\nbefore we leave the home of our Honored President.\n\nWhen we arrive at her balcony a strange happening come to view. The\nChrysanthemum pots were all departed. In their place were our lilies of\nChina, nodding tiny heads in greeting as we pass over the walks to our\ndormitory. I go most quickly that I may arrive at the English\nFlower-book, for I know not the meaning of our lilies.\n\n\n\nFor five moons we play at game with greatest pleasure and much gaining\nof English. All read aloud with more understanding and our Honored\nPresident say we also write better. No Chinese girl know what other\nChinese girl have written, so we talk of papers most freely and with\ngreat funniness.\n\nOne afternoon when we had complete our Readings and were drinking the\ntea of our Honored President, she say, \"Do you realize, Young Ladies,\nthat we shall meet together but once more, then our game is finished?\"\n\nWhen we told her that we had not so realized and were full of sorrow,\nshe say, \"I, too, am sorry for I have enjoyed the play.\" Then she look\nall about and of a suddenness request - \"How many girls wish to\ncommemorate our game?\" We look at Each. Commemorate is an Americanism\nuncommon; we not the meaning know, but Miss Powers' bright eyes most\nkind and at once we hold up hands. She nod head and say, \"I thought so!\nAll of you! Each week I have marked the papers which you voted 'best.'\nIf your Biographer will select and arrange them I will have them printed\nin book form that each girl may possess a Class book.\" We have haste to\nassure her that such a possession will be most pleasurable, and Eng Muoi\njump on feet and say out loudly, \"Our Honored President must also\npossess Class book.\" Fear comes at sound of voice and at once she sit\ndown. Miss Powers smile most graciously and say, \"Thank you, Eng Muoi, I\nwould like one, but there is one condition, it is necessary that I shall\nknow which girl has the B - not in her bonnet,\" she laugh, and we join\nwith laughter, for we also have knowledge of the bonnet - B.\n\nNext morning I have honor to walk from Chapel with Miss Powers (our\nHonored President) and tell to her of my troubles. By the Dictionary of\nthe Centuries, a Biographer speaks of one human in one book. How then\ncan I be a Biographer of correctness?\n\n\"But a Class book is different,\" Miss Powers say most polite. \"It is a\nchronicle of College life, Bing Ding.\" I am much puzzled. On steamer\ndays Cui Ai present Miss Sterling with American newspaper and say, \"Here\nis Chronicle!\" Is newspaper in America all the same as book? Miss Powers\ntell, in Class book must be something written by, and about Each; also\nsomething about Residence and Doings. I will therefore now make picture\nof our Adorable College. It is situate on hills of Island grown from the\nshining bosom of river Ping. At left hand the Monastery of Dreams stands\nof a whiteness of snow, from the tall mountain - Kushan. At right hand,\nif eyes follow glistening trail many Li (miles) by and by see blue of\nocean of an unexplainable vastness. And all time - of gold with shining\nof Sun - of silver with Moonbeams play, sleeps the great, beautiful\nriver Ping.\n\nThe seven buildings of our adorable College are of a brick and stand\nquite at the top of hill. From their feet green lawns run away down to\nhide their greennesses in shadow of wall which about the Compound\nencircles. This wall, of a ten-foot height, from grey stone is made. At\ntop of stones, not too often, posts stand of a color like lawn, and upon\nposts looking at sky, sits the balustrade made of stone of a redness to\nbe seen afar. When the wistaria is full of bloom many times have I wish\nto sit upon balustrade that I might make rain of wistaria blossoms upon\nHonorable Strangers making entrance through door in wall, but Sedia (the\nkeeper of the gate) is of much strength and bigness and I do not dare.\n\n\n\nToday when from Chapel we arrive, on breeze of morning come sound of\nTom-Tom from without the Compound wall. All Chinese girl run down to\ngate. Miss Sterling enter in and Sedia at once close gate but not too\nquickly. In opening I view Chinese all about box in street-centre\nstanding. On box, man; he make movement to turn face, and to me alone I\ncry, \"It is He of the Bridge of the Ten Thousand Ages!\" My soul is in\ndarkness and my feet have wings. I fly far away. When I wish no more to\nfly I cannot cease, but go onward. At last I fall to earth and know no\nmore.\n\nWhen I awake it is in a place of strangeness - a room full of sunshine,\nmaking entrance through windows of much number. The walls and carpets\nare of the blue of the sky; the chairs, dressing-table and couch upon\nwhich I lie are all of a whiteness; the Mieng about me is again blue. I\nshut my eyes in wonderment; all is of beauty extraordinary! A hand comes\nto my miserable forehead and Mother Heart (Miss Sterling) give of\nsympathy to her unhappy child.\n\nThe memory of being like Fuku - not well born - smites my heart and bids\nmy tongue be still. I speak not. By and by Miss Sterling whisper, \"Why\ndid you run away from the gate, Bing Ding?\" I whisper return: \"It was He\nof the Bridge of the Ten Thousand Ages. Of his power I have greatest\nfear. If He find, He will sell me to be a slave, for to him do I owe my\nmost miserable existence.\" Miss Sterling's eyes flash of fire and she\nsay, \"No! No! I will have care.\"\n\nComfort to my heart creeps in, and I have speech with her of the Story\nTeller of the Streets. How, seventeen years past by, He was telling\ntales from box as now happen, and to Chinese all about standing, He say,\n\"Do good deeds! Be of unselfishness! Have of others care!\" One Chinese\nlaugh and make large fun of Story Teller and say, \"Why, O Wise Man, dost\nthou not perform goodnesses, thyself? Just now I pass over the Bridge of\nthe Ten Thousand Ages and beside the stones of bridge I view babe of new\nbirth. Go, thou, and take of it all care.\" To save his face the Story\nTeller went upon the bridge and took the babe unto his arms and house;\nbut having children of much number, that night when all was dark that\nnone could see, he went again upon his way and with him went the babe. I\ncould no more speak.\n\nMiss Sterling press my unworthy hand and say, \"I know the rest, Bing\nDing. He took you to an orphanage where we found you and brought you\nhere that you might be educated. Have no fear; I will take care of you.\"\nI cry out of joy now, so happy to be of safety in Miss Sterling's heart.\n\n\n\nOur I last game is played. Next week we graduate. The separation as of\none family is upon us. We have been most happy in our Adorable College\nand are full of sadness that Each, alone her way must go. Some Chinese\ngirls to be married, other Chinese girls, teachers to become. I, with\nMother Heart to America, am going.\n\nTimes of much number have I been to the study of our Honored President\nto make arrangements of our Class book. With Miss Powers' assistance I\nhave honor to select of the papers those that of our Adorable College\nmake pictures of clearness. That when Each, goes by self, one reading in\nClass book will bring forth memories and together we will all be\nsitting, playing our game and drinking the tea of our Honored President.\nWhen so sitting, will please Each, give thought of kindliness to most\nhumble Biographer, is the wish of your most unworthy.\n\nBing Ding.\nWoman's Anglo-Chinese College,\nNeuchang, China, June 15th.\n\n\n\nCorrespondent\n\n\n\nCherished and Honorable Mother, Moy Sen. Most respectful salutations.\nBing Ang. Bing Ang.\n\nYour lazy and careless child has much that she wishes to say to you,\nwhile her heart bleeds because she is separate by so many miles from the\nmost to be revered Mother.\n\nThough so great distance divide us, yet my heart is as near to you as\never; rivers and mountains will hinder us from seeing one another, but\nthey can never give obstruction to our mutual love and help.\n\nBy day and by night I pray for your safety and I offer to heaven much\nincense, and also foods, and my hope is that no harm may come near to\nyour house.\n\nBefore the rise of the sun each day I make my worship as you have taught\nme, though many of the girls in this College do not so, and sometimes I\nhave very great fear that the Guis (devils) will all swallow up on this\naccount.\n\nOne day Miss Sterling come into my room and say, \"It offends me much to\nsee so many tablets and images here; will you not place them away from\nsight at least?\" This I do at once having greatest fear to offend and\nbring upon us all great troubles though not yet come.\n\nMiss Sterling, so beautiful, so good, so full kind thoughts for every\none, all girls in this College say, \"She too kind, too good.\" Already I\nlove Miss Sterling so much my heart ache to do some good thing for her.\n\nLast night all girls in this College go take walk on far hills to see\nset of sun in Ocean; Miss Sterling walk by me and say, \"Please try a\nlittle to speak out your thought when possible for how then can we help\nyou to better ones?\" I promise to try but I always so afraid, O I know I\nnot worthy to speak out my mean thoughts to great people, who all so\nwise so clever.\n\nFor a long time Miss Sterling talk to me of her home in America across\nthe great water, and she tell me many stories of how she live there, how\nall people live, what kind, beautiful country is America; sometimes I\nthink I see bright tears in her eyes when she so talk, and then I feel\nsharp pain go into heart, for I well know that this time Miss Sterling\nthink she like much to go to American home.\n\nWhen Miss Sterling go to American home I surely cry to death; many other\ngirls in the College say same thing.\n\nEach girl in College have one duty for every day, mine very nice kind,\nmust to look all about mails, what time come, what time go, when\nSteamers close, carry mail to rooms, keep care stamps and all writing\nmaterials.\n\nAll this make for me very great interest, when big mail come in, every\nbody so much excitement, every body snatch letters then run away and\nread - read like hungry dog bite bone. Miss Sterling all time get very\nbig letter, very large character on cover, color blue; when big blue\nletter not come, O then Miss Sterling too sad. One day I very bold and\nsay: \"Miss Sterling you very much love big blue letter?\" she all smiling\nsay, \"Yes truly I do love big blue letter the very best of all.\"\n\nThis time we have very hard work, for spring time near, and much of work\nis to be done before we to our homes may go.\n\nOne day Miss Powers say, \"Perhaps we are giving too much hard work just\nnow, perhaps more better we go on river have play for one week.\" O then\nall College have greatest joy and excitement; girls all time talk, what\ncan do, how can do. Some times girls talk too late at night, Matron have\nmuch hard work. When Matron say, \"No more of talk tonight,\" then all\nvery still for little while, then when Matron go far away, talk begin\nagain, and go on and on. Matron have another bad trouble with girls,\nevery Chinese girl think she die if air from night get into her lungs,\nso she go to bed and pull Mieng all over head and ears so no air can\ntouch her. Today too sad thing happen, \"Miss I Sterling fall ill, cannot\nto class room come, Dr. Ewing say cannot do work for many days, and ask\nMatron to send some good girl to help Nurse. Matron appoint me to go, I\nmost happy to have honor, and because of this I can no more write at\nthis time.\n\nTo My Honorable Family, Bing Ang. Bing Ang.\nYour Most Miserable and Contemptible Child.\nNeuchang, China.\nJanuary 25th.\n\n\n\nTo My Honorable and Wise Mother, Moy Sen, Greetings. Bing Ang. Bing Ang.\n\nTwo Moons ago I have sorrow to tell you Miss Sterling very ill. This\ntime I have great gladness to tell you she all well again and we all\nhappiness once more.\n\nGreat joy and pain have gone over our heads like flocks of birds since\nlast time I have Honor to write to you.\n\nBoth day and night I watch over Miss Sterling though Matron say many\ntimes I must to go into air or be ill. Nothing can my heart comfort but\nto every moment look to see if some little thing I may not do to relieve\nMiss Sterling from so great pain. Every day the burnings of the fever\nmake fire in brain of our Adorable Miss Sterling until she know nothing\nof what say or of what do, this all too terrible, and make my heart to\nbleed most so of all when she cry out one name over and over again, this\nname sound like Dick, Dick, sometimes Dear Dick, then most times she try\nto rise up, but is too weak and so she sink back on pillows and lie so\nstill, so still, I freeze with fear she be dead, O then I creep out and\ncry to death, and pray pray to heaven, and burn much incense, and then\ncreep back and bend close over Miss Sterling to bear if any little\nwavering breath come from lips or not, for it seem to me she is surely\nto die.\n\nOne day very strange thing happen. Nurse go out and say I am to watch\nall what Miss Sterling do? if she call out or move to rise I must give\nto her of large bottle one portion. A very long time I watch every\nbreath, then all suddenly Miss Sterling try to sit up, and cry out:\n\"Where am I, What has happened? O yes I remember I am in China\" - and\nshe sink back on pillows, like one little baby she fall asleep, all so\nfull of peace and so quiet and still. When Nurse come back and I tell\nher of all this, she say - \"O yes the climax, now Miss Sterling will\nsurely live I think.\" That moment such a joy, too great to bear, come\ninto my heart, I could to shout for gladness, and all the other girls\ntoo glad also.\n\nNow every day Miss Sterling one little bit stronger grow, so that Miss\nPowers promise us she soon will be able to go on beautiful river fete,\nfor that day all wait with heart of gladness.\n\nBing Ang. Bing Ang.\nFrom Your Detestable and Foolish Child.\nNeuchang, China.\nMarch 20th.\n\n\n\nMost Honorable and Wise Mother, Moy Sen, Greetings. Bing Ang. Bing Ang.\n\nSo wonderful thing happen since last time I write, my poor language can\nnothing show out of what my heart now hold.\n\nHave patience with my dull and stupid writing while to you I give one\ncomplete history.\n\nOn the fifth day of this Moon Miss Powers say - \"Tomorrow morning all\ngirls in this College have clothing and beds ready packed, for river\nfete. Ten boats wait at Short Bridge landing. Ten of the clock strike\nall must be there. Each girl take one carrying basket, no more.\"\n\nNext day two hours before rise of sun all girls run up and down make\nlarge noise and excitement.\n\nMatron and Cook make much shoutings, Coolies work very hard to pack 30\nfood baskets, 20 bags rice, 20 live chickens, 60 carrying baskets, 3 cot\nbeds for teachers, just outside gate 60 man and women Coolies wait to\ncarry all safely to Boat.\n\nThis time every body talk at same time, most time shout, every body say\nHurry! Hurry! Cook, because head man, talk most loudly, part time jump\non table, wave long bamboo stick and command all to work rightly. After\ntwo hours time, yet no make start. What reason? Miss Powers come out and\nsay very sternly, \"Cook, why do you not send baskets to Boats? it is\nlong past time.\" Cook say \"All ready\" and open gates, let outside\nCoolies come in, then sixty more Coolies shout and begin to fight,\nbecause every body will to carry the light loads, and no body will to\ncarry the heavy ones! Again Cook climb on table and compel every one to\ndo his work rightly.\n\nTwelve o'clock strike, all things on board boats, every body happy to\nmake start. River men have much trouble to get boats off because of high\nwind and waves against Bridge. At last all started safely, every body\nsing songs, play games, and enjoy to look see all things which pass on\nriver.\n\nAll day very good water, very much pleasure, all night good sleep by\nbank of river placing Miengs on floor of Boats. Next day very happy till\nnoon then come very high winds, and much rough water, after long time\nmen begin loud shoutings, and take down high covers from overhead. \"What\nmatter, What matter?\" every body cry out, all fear some trouble come,\nboatmen say - \"Now come to rapids, very swift, very dangerous, many bad\nrocks.\"\n\nI well remember how many boats go to pieces on such rocks, so I hide my\nhead and see nothing, only shake with fear, only can hear screams, and\nknow some boat has already gone on the rocks.\n\nNow our Captain began to shout to our men the awful shout - \"Buy your\ncoffins,\" \"Buy your coffins\" and I know well that this means that we too\nwill soon be on the rocks. Then I could only pray to heaven that we be\nnot all drowned.\n\nAt last come one most awful crash, some girls catch hold of me and cry,\nothers make most awful screamings, and because the boat is fast filling\nwith water all try quickly to climb upon the rocks, only I am left in\nBoat at last, and am much too afraid to move. Suddenly one Coolie lift\nme by arm and throw me over on rocks with sacks of rice and baskets of\nbedding.\n\nNow we all very sure it is to die that we have come on this great river,\nand so we wait.\n\nOver us the sky shine in glory of sun set, nothing of this do we see,\nonly do we know of cold and great fear and of wetness, and pain most\nmiserable.\n\nWhere our other Boats, where our most dear Miss Sterling? We look up\nriver and down, some boats top-side, some bottomside, two boats on\nrocks, like our own poor broken one. Now night comes swiftly, all grows\ndark and we more and more afraid, every one say - \"Now we die!\" \"Now we\ndie!\" I alone think not so, but very sorrowful and cry in my heart, but\nnot with my lips.\n\nWhole heart eat out with fear that our most precious Miss Sterling may\nalready be drowned, no body can to tell.\n\nAfter long time we hear men calling loudly, one boat comes near to our\nrocks in darkness, we could only see one little lantern like insect\nflash.\n\n\"Who comes near our rocks?\" we say, and through the black night comes\nMiss Sterling's voice to us. O what joy. Quickly I run to edge of rocks\nand hold out arms to her with heart beating loudly for gladness, all our\nmiserable lives will now be saved we know this of a truth.\n\nIn one breath Miss Sterling cry out \"Are all safe, Is no one hurt here?\"\nand we say, \"No one is hurt, only all so horribly afraid, so wet, and\ncold.\"\n\nAt once Miss Sterling have Coolies make big fire on rocks, make all dry\nand warm, get rice ready cooked then girls eat with long hair pins for\nchopsticks like playing at feast when children.\n\nAfter long time Miengs quite dry, Miss Sterling say all must try to\nsleep, she so like Mother make all cover up warmly then no cover left\nfor herself, I see this and make her take one half of my blanket and we\nlie down so closely I can hear poor Miss Sterling heart beat, O so fast\nand loudly, then I know she have much fear, but too proud, too brave to\nlet girls know she also afraid; this all I cannot bear, so I put arms\nabout Miss Sterling and beg her to let me be good helper to her, I say\n\"Chinese girl very strong, American girl not so, our Chinese people very\nstrange and make you afraid; dear Miss Sterling not any one can harm you\nwhile I live, believe me true.\"\n\nMiss Sterling then say if any thing happen to her I must to write letter\nto Dr. Richard Newman and tell to him all what happen here, and he will\nof me take care because I her good friend. Then Miss Sterling tell me\nall about this Friend also all about when she very little girl she go\nlive with old lady called Aunt because Father and Mother both die; this\nAunt only go Church, nothing play, nothing laugh, nothing happy look\nsee, always sad, always talk little girl some day go be Missionary. By\nand By little girl grow up, then Aunt say, \"Now time come go Mission\nfield.\"\n\nThat same time Miss Sterling very much love one man Dr. Newman he no\nlike her go Mission pigeon; What can do? That time Miss Sterling break\nheart, but she say, No, I good girl, no turn back, no break promise to\nAunt. Dr. Newman angry to death. Miss Sterling nothing say, only go away\nwithout good-by say. Long time Dr. Newman keep anger, no write letter,\nnow write much blue letter and say all time, \"Come back, Come back?\"\n\nThis all give Miss Sterling too much sorrow, not know rest of heart, not\nknow what to do; I perish of thought about all this, and I say \"I will\nall well do for you that you may live and go back to this Doctor man\nthat you so truly love some day quite soon.\"\n\nBefore Miss Sterling can reply make, we hear sudden loud shoutings from\nall parts of river, and because the light is beginning to come we can a\nlittle see, and wonderful things we do see, hundreds of boats come near\nour rocks. Miss Sterling cry with joyfulness, \"O these men have come to\nsave us.\" Chinese girl know these men do not save, well we know they\ncome only to rob and murder and take slaves, for these are river\npirates.\n\nNow I know the time has surely come when I must with life protect Miss\nSterling, so I cry to all people on rocks to take bamboo poles and fight\nfor lives, not one pirate must come on rocks or we die. Every girl know\nthis true, and our boatmen help and fight strongly; so fast do all hit\nat men with poles that they much surprised, and after a little while go\naway to talk and say - what do. Just that time Miss Sterling look see\nhow water rise swiftly and she well know that soon our rocks will be\ncovered and we all drown, so with face as white as paper she go to edge\nof rocks and call to one of pirate band and say - \"I give you $20 gold\nif you will all to land carry.\" He only laugh and say - \"$150 gold\" she\nsay \"$50\" he say \"$120\" she say \"$75\" he say \"$100\" she say, \"All right\n$100\" and in one minute all men begin work to carry us on shore.\n\nMost girls very afraid and say pirates no keep word, no can trust to\ntake to shore safely.\n\nMiss Sterling and I say not so, Chinese always keep word even pirates do\nso.\n\nMost strange, most wonderful when we land and turn back to look at rocks\nwhere we spend the night we see nothing but swift water running like\nwild horses over that place, and we know that so nearly had we been\ndrowned that nothing could have us saved if Miss Sterling had not been\nso wise, so clever.\n\nThis letter is of too great longness already.\n\nMy Bing Ang to My Honorable Brothers and Sisters\nFrom Your Utterly Contemptible Child\nNeuchang, April 5th.\n\n\n\nMost Wise and Honorable Mother, Moy Sen, Greetings. Bing Ang. Bing Ang.\n\nAfter four adorable years in this most distinguished and advantageous\nCollege I am now about to go to the home of my Mother-in-law in this\nsame village.\n\nTo go is like fire against my face.\n\nDay and night I cease not to weep and nothing can turn me about from\nmuch weeping.\n\nMiss Sterling come in to me often and say, \"To marry is right and\nproper, my husband will be very wise because he is learned man, I go to\nlive with kind, not cruel, Mother-in-law, I must not longer weep and\nrefuse food.\"\n\nTruly I try at all times to please Miss Sterling, but to cease I cannot.\n\nI with all of wonder and nothing of understanding see how with joy and\nsong like bird Miss Sterling go about the house packing trunks, boxes\nall things make ready to go America side to marry with Dr. Newman; truly\nshe so happy she send out light from every part, from top of head to\nsole of foot. Miss Sterling say to me she no have fear of Mother-in-law\nwhat she say, how she do, how best to please Mother-in-law so as to\nescape beatings daily or other hard punishments.\n\nMiss Sterling reveal to me how Dr. Newman have one adorable, beautiful\nhome already builded, already furnished, where they two live without\nMother-in-law to live with them.\n\nI very glad and astonished about these things, so like beautiful, golden\ndream, while for my own marriage I have only terror, and cannot but weep\nall the day.\n\nToday my betrothed came to College to have speech with me, also to make\nplans for our marriage; Miss Sterling come to fetch me to see Honorable\nbetrothed, but finding my miserable eyes all swollen from many tears,\ncontemptible nose all red, whole face most ugly, she begin to bathe face\nwith Cologne and say she will not have such things; she will to\nbetrothed freely speak that he must make separate home for me after the\nAmerican way. My heart stand still with I know not what kind of fears,\nbut Miss Sterling never mind, she drag me after her to Reception room,\nseat me before Honorable betrothed into whose face I dare not to look,\nand then she talk many hours to show out how much better way American\nway to make home.\n\nI listen and tremble like awful chill. O, if Honorable betrothed would\nonly listen and believe!\n\nAt last he speak giving good assurance that he will all carry out as\nMiss Sterling has requested. Then all my heart rise up and go out to\nMiss Sterling in blessing; when Honorable betrothed come and stand\nbefore me and make solemn promise. I in return beg Honorable betrothed\nto pardon the contemptible selfishness of selfish me, that such\nunspeakable gladness come to me with this promise.\n\nNow almost I could love him that he this thing will do for poor unworthy\nme. Can it be that to Chinese girl also can come gladness to marry, and\ncan come that love so wonderful, so strange that Miss Sterling has told\nme of?\n\nToday beautiful gift come from Honorable betrothed one messenger bring\nto me large blue No. 1 Lacquer box, in box two gold and jade bracelets,\nmost fine, most rare; when I try bracelets on arms all girls come look\nsee, all say - \"Too excellently fine,\" \"Too dazzlingly beautiful,\" \"Too\ncostly,\" \"All same high Official lady,\" - \"All same Princess.\"\n\nThis give me much elevation of heart, but I careful not show out what\nfeel, only say, \"Gift too small, too ugly, too mean.\" This time Miss\nSterling go with me to street to buy all things proper for wedding, I\nfind in it great pleasure, and all the girls most interest to look see.\n\nAnother visit from Honorable betrothed, this time I Not afraid so much\nand can a little tell out, after Miss Sterling praise me, and say now I\nbecome as American girl not too timid. O these American ways very new,\nvery strange to Chinese girl but now I have no more fear to marry and\nsit all day working on beautiful red Marriage shoes and weep not any\nmore, truly this is magic, and not any devil magic to make fear come.\n\nNow on my fingers I can count the days when you and my Honorable Sisters\nand Brothers will come to my Marriage. O then can speak out all things\nwhich now too ignorant, too afraid to write.\n\nAt all times my prayers go up to the heavens for your good safety and\nhealth, and good journey to this village.\n\nYour Detestable and Most Foolish Child\nNeuchang, China\nJune 18th.\n\n\n\nDiarist\n\n\n\n1st Moon - 1st day.\n\nDeign to listen to me, an unworthy member of the graduating class of the\nWoman's Anglo-Chinese College of Neuchang, for by lot I am Keeper of\nDiary of the class of which I have before spoken, and now make\nstatement:\n\nFirstly - That I know not how to so do and will make secret consultation\namong our most Learned Teachers that they may give unto me of their\nwisdom.\n\nLastly - That if the tongues of our Greatest Ones yield me not the so\ngreat secret, then will I ask of Dr. Ewing that I may look upon the book\nin which she writeth nightly, after the stars gleam forth.\n\n5th day - Last night I made three journeyings - upon our Honored\nPresident (Miss Powers), our Adorable Teacher (Miss Sterling) and our\nBeloved Doctor (Miss Ewing). After diverse conversation, that they know\nnot whereof my visit is made, I ask of each Honorable Person the so\ngreat question - \"Of what does a diary consist?\"\n\nOur Honored President make explanation, \"It is a register of\nexplanation, happenings or duties and is daily happenings most useful\nfor reference. I have kept one for years.\" The word duties she spake\nwith stress of voice. Shall I then transcribe the College hours of\nhair-brushing or tooth-washing?\n\nWhen to Miss Sterling I make question, her face become as the rosy dawn.\n\"A diary is a book of so great intimacy that the writing there in is to\nbe looked upon only by the eyes of him who writes - or - perhaps - one\nother,\" she make answer with slowness.\n\nAt the once knowledge of her so great secret grow within me and I think,\n\"She also keepeth a diary and hath what they name in America - a Lover.\"\n\nTo Dr. Ewing I arrive at the last. She was seated within the Hospital\noffice writing in a small, black volume. Upon the outside of volume was\nwrit in large, golden letters, D-I-A-R-Y and beneath, in smaller forms,\nAlice Ewing. All these things mine eyes beheld before I ask of her my\nquestion.\n\n\"A Diary - why?\" she make laughter as pleasant as the ripple of a\ntinkling brook. \"What do you know about Diaries, Moonflower?\" Then came\nthe Matron in so great haste to beg of Dr. Ewing that she come at once\nunto the bedside of Fuku. \"She hath an attack,\" saith the Matron and was\ndeparted.\n\n\"Remain here, Moonflower, and make speech with whoever come in,\" Dr.\nEwing ask of me; and I with so great gladness sit down before the table\nupon which lieth the Book of the Golden Letters. For having asked my\nquestion of all the Honorable Ones and no Honorable One having answered\nin full I make resolution to look within the Book that the so great\nsecret of success I may at the once learn.\n\nMany persons make entrance and departure into office. It seemeth best to\nmake study of Book when none are present to divert my thinkings. When\nFooFoo (the Chow dog) and I are alone I make haste to open Book. Within,\nthe volume was writ in parts. One part days of week; other part, hours\nof day. Also the writings of Dr. Ewing were of so great smallness, to\ntranslate produced much troubles. Thereupon I make selection of one day\nalone, that I may best interpret the meanings of its hours. This is\nthem:\n\nFrom the Diary of Dr. Ewing:\n\nTuesday -\n\n 8 a.m. Withdrew mole-tooth from the mouth of Eng Muoi.\n 9 a.m. No. 1 Cook's wife's sister-in-law make birth of big boy -\nweight, 12 knocks or pounds.\n11 a.m. Transcribe letter of No to Y. M. C. A. Secretary.\n12.30   Dr. Wardoff came to Tiffin. He hath given me six months to make\nanswer to his clothes or suit.\n 2 p.m. Unbound feet of Luey See. Delicious operation. Time two hours.\n 5 p.m. Took from left ear of FooFoo bamboo tree.\n\nUpon mine ear fall the sound of approaching feet-steps. Thereupon I at\nthe once close Book and go to look within the ear of FooFoo who is full\nof gladsome barkings at Dr. Ewing making entrance. To her, I present\ngood-night partings - and without delay make arrival at Dormitory where\nwarmly wrapt in my Mieng of comfort I lie in readiness for sleep, but\nshe come not. Upon her little bed in further corner my room-mate, Ging\nMuoi, make slumberings of so great audibleness I find not rest.\n\nAgain and again I make repetition of Dr. Ewing's Diary unto myself.\nAgain and again Ging Muoi make whistlings through noses with much warmth\nof expression not unto herself. By and by I arise and remove from\ncloset, bamboo stick unto the bedside of Ging Muoi; she awake with much\nsuddenness and make end to whistles. At the once I return within my\nMieng and come to so great decision - that on the morrows will I nothing\nof duties write - but all, of happenings. Sleep comes to mine eyelids\nand I dream.\n\n\n\n2d Moon - 10th day - Upon yesterday fell the birthday of our Beloved\nDoctor Ewing. Miss Powers invite all to eat Tiffin at Faculty house. At\nthe hour of noon we move upward upon Faculty steps, when our eyes behold\nlegs and feet, only, of man making entrance upon Dr. Ewing's balcony.\nHis upper parts were enclosed within a bouquet of much magnitude and his\nshoes were of the color of clay so that he present appearance like unto\na single flower-pot of our gardens of the Compound. We call to mind the\nextensiveness of the feet and the inconsiderableness of the body of the\nmost Honorable Secretary of the Y. M. C. A. and at the once make\nrecognition of him.\n\nMiss Powers (our Honored President) come out and say, \"Come in and have\nseat.\" Thereupon we sit. Dr. Ewing make entrance from balcony with much\nredness of face and we donate birthday greetings unto her. A bell ring\nand Miss Powers say, \"Let us go into the dining-room.\"\n\nWhen all seated Dr. Ewing, invited, makes little prayer and the foreign\nfeast begin, of a formality not like anything we know. We unfold napkins\nand spread them upon our laps to preserve clothes clean, and eat soup\nfrom the side of spoons which we push away from us, watching our\nHonorable Teachers with so great care because we know not what is the\npolite or what is the impolite. At close of feast Boy bring cups of\nsmallness filled with coffee. Miss Sterling (our Adorable Teacher) put\nhand over cup, we do likewise, and say:\n\n\"Before we drink of the coffee, Young Ladies, I will tell you of an\nAmerican birthday custom. It is called a Toast, and each one drinks to\nit standing. I will now make one to the health and longevity of Dr.\nEwing.\"\n\nAll persons get to feet and Miss Sterling hold up cup and shake yellow\ncurls and say to Dr. Ewing with so great solemnity, \"May your path be\nstrewn with roses and your husband meek as Moses.\" We all put cups to\nlips when man's voice come loudly from doorway: \"Impossible! The roses\nare all right, but Moses would not stand a ghost of a chance with Dr.\nEwing.\" We turn as one people and behold the Community Doctor (Dr.\nWardoff) standing in the doorway, his arms also full of flowers. Our\nHonored President grow much dignified then she regard Dr. Ewing all of\nan adorable pinkiness, and she sink within chair and make much silent\nlaughter.\n\nDr. Ewing take from Dr. Wardoff the flowers he hath brought unto her and\ncover her pinkiness of face in their blossoms of fragrance.\n\nNo. 1 Boy make entrance with yet another bouquet of flowers of so great\nmagnificence and say with much strength of voice, as he present flowers\nunto the arms of Dr. Ewing: \"From the Son of the Consul.\" Dr. Ewing drop\nall flowers upon floor. Dr. Wardoff scowl, look see watch and say, \"I\nmust be off!\" making departure of quickness. We Chinese girls pick up\nflowers and place them within the arms of Dr. Ewing.\n\n\n\n3d Moon - 15th day - This morning the Chinese boys from St. Marks arrive\nto Confirmation at Chapel. Upon left of aisle-centre they were seated,\nall Chinese girls, on right.\n\nEng Muoi receive Confirmation and seem of so great humbleness, Cui Ai,\nsitting at side whisper to me, \"Can the change of heart of Eng Muoi be\nof everlastingness?\" I answer not, being much occupied with view of\nHonorable Head Master of St. Marks; a man of much magnificence of\nperson.\n\nFor the past Moon Eng Muoi hath made offers of lendings, bestowing upon\nother Chinese girls gifts of hairpins and bracelets and hath been of so\ngreat meekness, unlike her disposition of naturalness, that all Chinese\ngirls say, \"Unto Eng Muoi hath come the Goddess of Mercy.\" Now all know\nit is the God of the foreigner that hath made the difference.\n\nCui Ai displayed unto me her Beloved Betrothed. A small man he seemed,\nseated upon the bench before the Honorable Head Master of Magnificence.\n\nWe descend upon Chapel-steps one side; other side, descend Cui Ai's\nBeloved Betrothed and Honorable Head Master.\n\nMiss Sterling say, \"Cui Ai, do you wish to hold speech with your\nBetrothed?\" Cui Ai and Beloved Betrothed stand all together before Miss\nSterling. Dr. Ewing put hand upon arm of me, stop, say one - two words\nunto Honorable Head Master. Head Master speak back to her but Look at\nme. At the once my heart knocketh with so loud beating I have greatest\nfear that unto the ears of the Honorable Head Master will the sound\nthereof arrive.\n\n\n\n4th Moon - 10th day - Today Dr. Ewing send for me. When I make entrance\ninto Hospital-office Foo Foo bark welcomes and Dr. Ewing say, \"Sit down,\nMoonflower, I have something to tell you.\" First she make speech of\nweather, next she make speech of health, last she make speech of\nHonorable Head Master of St. Marks, Quong Lee. It seemeth the Honorable\nHead Master of Magnificence having looked upon useless me findeth my\nuselessness good unto his sight, and hath presented Miss Powers, through\nDr. Ewing, an offer of marriage with useless me.\n\n\"In America a suitor endeavors to learn if he is acceptable to the girl\nwhom he wishes to marry before he asks her parents for her,\" Dr. Ewing\nmake explanation. \"Quong Lee is a Christian and knows of this custom so\nhe came first to me. He is a fine man and would make you a good husband,\nMoonflower - what say you?\"\n\nDr. Ewing sit on sofa beside me and smooth hair of useless brow, and\nlook see deep down into my heart of uselessness and find there what I\ndare not to confess.\n\nAlready, when yet a child, I was betrothed to the son of the Exalted\nFriend of my August Father. Him I have never seen.\n\nAll these things I tell unto Dr. Ewing, and she make arrangements that\non the morrow I go unto the House of my Mother-in-law there to abide for\nsuch a time as it seemeth best, until I behold in secret the face of my\nBetrothed - for \"You shall not marry a man you have never seen; it is\nnot right,\" say Dr. Ewing.\n\n\n\n4th Moon - 16th day - For five days have I dwelt within the House of my\nGifted and Capable Mother-in-law who hath for useless me all kindnesses\nand considerations. My heart of guilt lieth heavy within my breast.\nToday, in cleaning of House, I give of help unto Capable Mother-in-law\nand in closet obtain many Idols of uselessness. Long time I think so to\nsay unto Capable Mother-in-law but have much fear. When she say unto me,\n\"Hath the task of the closet come to accomplishment?\" I say, \"No, not\nso,\" and tell to her of foreign cleanliness. \"Behold!\" I say, and bring\nto view most filthy and awful Idol, \"These are dirty old Idols! Let us\ncast them forth and clean the closet rightly,\" I speak on, fear\nforgetting.\n\nCapable Mother-in-law nod head. I open window and fear returning, throw\nIdols into garden with great shakiness.\n\nAt noise of so loud violence Boy make appearance in garden walking with\nfour legs. One pair, own legs; other pair, wooden legs. Upon his\nshoulders, also of a difference, sat a head of much bigness. He upward\nlook see. I downward look see. Horror come upon my heart! Capable\nMother-in-law at the once close window but I have knowledge that my\nBetrothed I have now beheld. With him I can never, never to marry.\nTonight will I send chit (letter) to Dr. Ewing that she may help me to\nmake departure of quickness from the House of most Gifted and Capable\nMother-in-law.\n\n\n\n5th Moon - 1st day - Last week I make return unto College. All Honorable\nTeachers and Chinese girls give greetings of gladness. This place so\ndear home I make wish all time here to dwell, then before mind come the\nMagnificent person of the Honorable Head Master of St. Marks and I think\nto change wish.\n\nI tell unto Dr. Ewing of the Deformities of my Imperfect Betrothed and\nit seem as if I cry to death. If I do not will to marry with my\nImperfect Betrothed, Peace of Fervid Mind and Ardent Heart will dwell no\nmore within me. On the contrary, Lifelong Disgrace will sit by side\nforevermore. Nevertheless I cannot to possess him for husband.\n\nThis morning Dr. Ewing go unto my August Father to tell to him the\nuseless troubles of his most useless daughter.\n\nFirstly - August Father was of so great anger, his ears listened not\nunto Beloved Doctor making to speak, but he tell with lengthiness and\nloudness of voice of meddlesome persons' intrusiveness.\n\nBy and by August Father make pause to catch up breath, and Dr. Ewing\nquick to speak Deformities of Imperfect Betrothed, then August Father\nrest tongue and lend ears.\n\nLastly - August Father is again with so great anger that his Official\nFriend (my Exalted Father-in-law) hath not related unto him the story of\nhis son's misshapen members, August Father give of promise unto Dr.\nEwing that if she can to make arrangements of honorableness with Exalted\nFather-in-law, he will not marry poor, useless me unto Betrothed of\nDeformities.\n\nAt Tiffin arrive Community Doctor. With him Dr. Ewing hold much speech\non Hospital-balcony.\n\nFrom balcony went Dr. Wardoff to House of Capable Mother-in-law there to\nmake visitation upon Imperfect Betrothed.\n\nTonight Head Boy of Community Doctor bring chit. I watch with\ncarefulness Dr. Ewing making reading. She look see my interest of face\nand say, \"It will all come right, Moonflower. Tomorrow afternoon we hold\ncouncil. Run along to bed, now.\" I give unto her good night partings and\nretire within my Mieng but sleep not.\n\n\n\n5th Moon - 2d day - When sun glow in window I arise and make entrance\ninto garden. It is my week to make daily providings of flowers and I\nprepare many bouquets, one of greatest importance.\n\nThat I may know of Consultation Meeting, I ask of No. 1 Boy where shall\nrepose my most important bouquet. No. 1 Boy say, \"At Two of the clock,\nin Teakwood reception room our Honored President hold visitation of\nmoment. Establish there the bouquet of so great importance.\" I so do.\nThereupon look see all about. No person present. Quick I make withdrawal\nof screen to balcony window and go away.\n\nAt Two of the clock I stand behind screen and give heed to August Father\nand Exalted Father-in-law making greetings unto Honorable President. Dr.\nWardoff also make entrance. No. 1 Boy produce tea and much speech of so\ngreat politeness take place.\n\n\"I am the bearer of ill tidings,\" say Dr. Wardoff unto Miss Powers.\n\n\"I am sorry,\" say Miss Powers. \"Speak on.\"\n\nDr. Wardoff tell to her he has been to consult about son of his friend\nWong Ging (Exalted Father-in-law make most honorable bow) and that son's\nheart is of so great enlargement that at any hour may come death to\nfriend's son. (August Father shake head in sorrow deep), Miss Powers\nmuch sad, much shocked, much surprised.\n\nDr. Wardoff say on: \"Therefore Wong Ging wishes me to state that it is\nwith great sorrow he requests that the betrothal of his son to the\nbeautiful daughter of his friend (Ling Ang) be now terminated.\"\n\nMental pain and much lamentation at the once come unto August Father; of\nso great sympathies for his Exalted Friend that tongue cannot to tell.\n\nMy Exalted Father-in-law partake of pain and sympathies freely; with\nhim, also, tongue cannot to speak sorrow.\n\nDestiny in face of August Father and Exalted Father-in-law dwells. I\nbehold face of two from behind screen and catch at breath.\n\nMy Exalted Father-in-law make beginnings. \"All things are possible to\nthe Mighty! The Powerful are ever Generous! What sayeth my Mighty\nFriend? Will the loss of my most unhappy son make strainings of his\nMercy?\"\n\n\"It is well,\" my August Father make answer. \"Wong Ging, thou art a\nworthy father of a most worthy son. To be Master of Accidents as well as\nof Arts is for one Noble Person of great enrichment and gaining!\"\n\nAll Honorable persons arise and with cup of tea in hand take sip.\n\nOn wings of thunder come sounds of bombs outside in City. I make\nmovement. Window at back fall down; screen in front fold over. No person\nlook see. All have much callings from garden. Dr. Wardoff alone to me\nsay, \"Bombs mean much trouble. Go quickly and bid Dr. Ewing to come at\nonce to Community Hospital.\"\n\nIn garden I make pause beside Boy bringing chit. \"Bad man think to kill\nGovernor of Province,\" say Boy. \"Twenty men dead, many maim on Bridge of\nthe Ten Thousand Ages.\"\n\n\n\n5th Moon - 3d day - All of night we stay outside Compound at Community\nHospital. Dr. Ewing grow so great tire I try to make lie down. She say,\n\"No, No,\" and tell of one more leg to cut. Dr. Wardoff make arrival with\ncutter. Dr. Ewing help; I hold to sponge. Leg go off. Beloved Doctor\nface grow all of a whiteness; body sway, I try to catch but Dr. Wardoff\ngive to me a push and take unto himself the body of unknowingness of Dr.\nEwing. \"She belong to me,\" he say. \"Bring water.\" I bring of water and\nall time he say, \"Darling-Dearest-Love!\"\n\n\n\n6th Moon - 12th day - It is night and the daylight sleepeth while the\nMoonbeams play. Fireflies make journeyings of pleasurings with their so\nsmall lanterns. Only the wonderful river Ping toils on in its silver\nbed. Under my window roses of fragrance beckon, beckon, with heads of\nwisdom. Perhaps I may win the favor of the Gods! The garden is full of\nthe whisperings of Chance! Youth is headlong. I will descend.\n\nLater - When I depart into garden I come upon Dr. Ewing. By side walk Y.\nM. C. A. Secretary. He of inconsiderableness of body and extensiveness\nof feet.\n\nDr. Ewing make silent beckonings to stand by side. I so do. Honorable\nSecretary of Y. M. C. A. most cross. \"Send the girl away,\" he say, \"I\nhave not finished.\"\n\n\"But I have,\" Dr. Ewing say, with so great loftiness of head. \"My answer\nwill always be 'No!\"\n\nThen appear the son of the Consul and depart the Honorable Secretary of\nthe Y. M. C. A. I make movement to proceed. Dr. Ewing link arm in mine\nand put stop to movement. Son of the Consul look see, with little sob\nmake laugh and say, \"So Moonflower remains. It's all the same! You can't\nput me off! I will say it! I love you!\"\n\nAll time of speech Dr. Ewing try to make son of the Consul to stop.\n\"Very, very sorry,\" she say, but of no use.\n\nWith so great sadness the son of the Consul take leavings and we make\nentrance into Hospital.\n\nAt our approach Community Doctor arise from shadow on balcony and stand\nforth in sheet of silver moonlight.\n\nDr. Ewing make pause and face seem all of a whiteness in moonshine.\nCommunity Doctor say, \"Is it yes?\" and open wide his arms of bigness\nthat Dr. Ewing may creep therein. No more she beckon, \"stay here,\" no\nmore link arm; and I make entrance into office with heart of so great\nheaviness. Strange sounds of Kissings (an American custom) follow after;\nI put up thumbs unto ears and it seem as if I would cry to death; no\nlonger Beloved Doctor hath need of poor, useless me.\n\n\n\nNext day - Dr. Ewing tell to me this morning that all of arrangements\nare now perfection. To my Betrothed of Deformities (that once was) hath\nmine August Father given his Tea-House in Shanghai.\n\nTomorrow, to Teakwood reception room, at Four of the clock, cometh Quong\nLee, the Honorable Head Master of Magnificence. To him in my so fine\nsilken robes will I make appearance. The sun of my fortune is newly\narisen! The event of my life approaches! It is well!\n\n\n\nEssayist\n\n\n\nEvery day since learning that upon me the so great honor fall to become\nEssayist, I have secretly and with great carefulness searched within the\nlibraries of each of our Honored Instructors to find out what Essay is,\nand to gain information about this thing.\n\nAt last, O, so great happiness, I find in Miss Powers' library one great\nand important book called, \"Essay on Man,\" by Honorable Pope; also one\nsmall, unimportant book called, \"Studies in Prose Essays.\" Now surely\nall these things I can to know about Essay.\n\nAll day, all evening, and again next day, I read most secretly, hiding\nbook quickly if any one come near, for no one must know of these\nreadings in Honorable Pope.\n\n\"Surely,\" I say, \"By and by I will find part easy to understand.\"\nAnother day I read and hide away books, yet no more can to understand\nwhat Honorable Pope make meaning. This time head ache, eyes ache, heart\nache. Truly all too sad, too sorrowful.\n\nNext day have no heart to read more, but try one little while. Then, O\ntoo great joy, one part not before found reveal new meaning to me! Here\nall parts separate with large, plain numbers - 1-2-3 - like questions in\ngreat Examination. \"Possibly,\" I say, \"one Essay I can do like book of\nwisdom.\" The great and wise book say:\n\n\"Three roads are open for further expansion of the stimulation of the\nbrain; for the sensory nerve finds three -\n\n1st - Other Sensory nerves. 2d - Sympathetic nerves. 3d - Motor nerves.\nThe transference of its excitation to other sensory nerves, consequently\nthe production of an accompanying sensation in the other than actually\nstimulated parts, must be confined within a narrow range.\"\n\nWonderful! I think at once to begin; can surely write Essay of 1, 2, 3\nparts, and then some one very learned will answer questions and I will\nall things know which for three, four years make deep trouble in my\nheart.\n\nO too great happiness, I will my Essay at once begin.\n\nQuestion I - Honorable Pope make much speech of brain, what meaning I\nknow not; Chinese people oldest wisest people in whole world, Chinese\npeople know all learning is put away in stomach. When men know many\nthings all people say, \"He have many characters in his stomach.\"\n\nForeign people say not so, they say all learning put in brain, top-side\nhead. Foreigner very afraid to let sun shine on head, afraid melt brain\n- perhaps mix characters.\n\nDr. Ewing say, \"Chinese must of Solar-Plexus take good care.\" I not know\nwhat meaning \"Solar-Plexus;\" yet I know Chinese people of so great age\nso great wisdom, surely all will of \"Solar-Plexus\" take great care.\n\nQuestion II - One year ago today Miss Sterling call me to room to\ntranscribe for her a letter to a dear friend in Peking, this friend very\nfond Chinese letter.\n\nI make beginning so -\n\nHonorable and most learned Mme.\nBing Ang. Bing Ang.\n\n\"Your detestable and most contemptible friend wishes to know if you have\neaten full, and if all of your household have eaten full, and are at\npeace.\"\n\n\"Your August consideration honorably vouchsafe as I have the honor to\nrejoice at your august robustness.\n\nThen Miss Sterling stop me and say -\n\n\"Read me what is now written.\" I read; immediately Miss Sterling begin\naction like one crazy -\n\n\"Robustness! - Robustness!\" she cry out. \"Do you not know that -\nRobustness - means fat - a most awful insult to offer an American Lady\"\n\nNow what I wish most to know is, why is it that the most proper and\npolite Chinese is the most rude and impolite thing to write to an\nAmerican lady?\n\nQuestion III - One day every body run out of House because of loud angry\nquarrel in garden between Sedia and his wife Eksaw.\n\nDr. Ewing come quickly and say, \"So loud talking must at once stop.\"\nSedia say \"Very sorry, Dr. Ewing, but what can do? If Eksaw want to be a\nman, and be boss, why she no put on skirts and be a man?\"\n\nThen Dr. Ewing laugh and say: \"O you up-side-down people.\"\n\nWhy all people say Chinese make all things to stand on honorable heads,\nmake honorable insides outsides, make honorable top sides down sides?\nTruly these things I cannot to understand.\n\nQuestion IV - Every body know Chinese people greatest inventors in whole\nworld, invent gunpowder, printing press, compass. Why Chinese way not\nbest and wisest? Why, in this College, every body say must read from\nfront to back of book? Why say eye of needle, when they mean nose of\nneedle? Why speak to learned person without taking eye-glasses from\nface? Why is it best to serve dessert at the end and not at the\nbeginning of a feast?\n\nDr. Ewing say one day when we go to walk in country, \"This road just\nlike one corkscrew,\" and ask of me the reason why? \"Very good reason,\" I\nreply. \"Chinese people know very well how to protect selves from Gui\n(devils). Gui always travel in straight line, roads wind around, so Gui\nno can catch traveler.\" Dr. Ewing look at me long time then say, \"Can it\nbe that after so long time in our great College you still believe such\nthings as these?\"\n\nTo this I only make reply - \"Perhaps when your country become same age\nas China, you will learn how true these things are that I tell you.\"\nThen I take opportunity to tell Dr. Ewing why her friend's little child\nso very ill. Over the house in which this little child now sick to death\ngrow vines, long vines that cover windows nearly up, and that hang down\nover roof, and doors, all truly most dangerous vines. Americans not know\nthat Guis can enter house most easily where vines hang down over roofs\nand doors and windows; another most dangerous thing about this house is\nit have eaves about top side all turning down also. Now Chinese people\ncan keep wicked devils out of all houses, all temples, because they know\nto build eaves to turn up, to throw devils into air, so no can come into\nhouse. I say surely baby in that foreign house must to die, and I feel\nvery sorry, but can to do nothing because foreigner no listen to what\npoor ignorant Chinese girl say.\n\nI well know how with whole heart Dr. Ewing love this little child, so\none night I creep out so still, and carry long garden shears, and climb\non step-ladder of window where baby so very sick, and cut away every\nlittle vine where hang down over window. That time very cold, very dark\nnight make me very afraid, because angry Gui may come catch me\nprotecting child, but I so much love little child, will try what can do.\nNext day Dr. Ewing say - \"Dear little baby much better, now will to\nlive.\" I know and no other know why baby live, but I keep secret down\ndeep in heart, and feel greatest happiness.\n\n\n\nFolklorist\n\n\n\nFor four days past have great Chinese New Year Feast been celebrated.\nThird day the greatest day of all. Every where in land much feasting,\nmuch of firework, much of congratulating. (Gung-hi).\n\nOut side Compound wall, can hear soldiers marching in day, can see\nprocessions marching by night carrying lanterns and torches, with much\nmusic and fire-works.\n\nEvery body greet each other and say, \"Seng Meng. Bing Ang.\" All girls in\nCollege most happy, because Honorable Teachers say, \"For one week we now\nturn over College to students; we nothing say, nothing do. Students must\nplan all things, arrange all things, what most like to do;\" every one\nquite joyous. Second and third day have great secret, we most wonderful,\nbeautiful surprise give Honorable Teachers.\n\nWith large, red paper carefully written in black characters and folded\ninto red envelope, we invite all to Chinese girls' reception hall at\neight o'clock of third day.\n\nTeachers much have wonderment. Girls all too great excitement. From\nvillage call No. 1 Good Feast Maker; he plan all things according to\nhigh official style. He say, \"This feast must contain all very best;\ntwenty-eight courses not enough, must have forty-two courses, with many\nspecial servants and on each table one Chafing dish.\"\n\nAll day keep doors locked many girls work to trim hall make all look\nlike one-piece garden, every one so happy, faces shine like flower\nfaces, Coolies very interest, come bring much Bamboo, Poinsettia, make\none large arch over fire-place like arch way in street, then fill up\nover top and side with Bamboo, Cryptomeria bough, and build another\narchway or arbor to top of room, where build high seats for Honorable\nTeachers where sit at feast.\n\nMany friends of girls send much beautiful lanterns, some look like fish,\nsome look like bird, some like fire-balloon - all most large and bright.\n\nCoolies hang lanterns from top of green arbors, then Coolies bring much\nbig log and fill stone fire-place, ready for great fire at night to make\nroom bright. Have wood fire and lanterns, no other light.\n\nTo make feast ready, twenty Coolies and girls work two days and nights,\nthen great night come, and eight o'clock strike. Inside hall all\nprepare, all like one golden dream, great fire blaze up Chimney.\nLanterns spread glow like red of sun set, all through green arbors, and\nthrough great room. A bell sounds. Ah, the Honorable Teachers have come!\n\nGirls all stand in row beside the door and make low bowings as Teachers\npass. Bing Ding invite to seats, and when all in place, girls also take\nseats and feast begin.\n\nAfter Miss Powers say little word of blessing servants bring in covered\ndishes, and place on tables.\n\nIn middle of feast all suddenly begin great noise outside of hall,\nfire-crackers and rockets and Tom-Toms then all so still we very much\nsurprised and know not who come to congratulate us. Then most wonderful,\nmost beautiful Band begin to play under window and every body look at Da\nHua because well we know it is St. Marks College Band and we know who is\nat the head of that Band, and why it plays for our feast. Da Hua dare\nnot look up for she too knows it is for her that the Head Master is\nbringing congratulations thus. When the Band stops playing all clap\nhands for more, Miss Powers stand up and say, \"Seng Meng. Bing Ang, and\nmany times thank you. Ke Dang.\" Again beautiful music begin, and\ncontinue all through feast.\n\nWhen feast is finished we hear more large fire-crackers and musicians go\naway. Honorable Instructors stand and Miss Powers begin to make polite\nthank you's and farewells.\n\nThen I go forward because I have the Folk stories to introduce. I beg\nHonorable Teachers to remain a little while that we may relate to them\nsome Chinese Folk-lore of our feasts and festivals, of which we have so\nmany.\n\nQuickly, like magic, Coolies carry tables and other feast furniture\naway, and move seats to centre of room, where make one-half circle\nbefore fire, Honorable Teachers in centre, and girls sitting on floor\nall about each side.\n\nAfter some little explanations about stories of great enchantment to all\nChinese people, I say to all, \"Since this feast the very greatest of the\nwhole year, we make selections of two other feasts for stories, and Cui\nAi will tell the first story.\"\n\nCui Ai at once came to centre of wide half circle, and after making\nlittle bow, take seat on low hassock, Miss Sterling whisper to Dr.\nEwing, \"She look like fire-witch with the great flames framing her black\nhead, and those long braids sweeping out over the floor.\"\n\nCui Ai begin with voice much of shakiness at first, after awhile grow\nstrong, and all time so clear so plain Chinese girls whisper together\nthat it wonderful to speak the difficult foreign language so clearly.\n\nCui Ai's Story.\nThe Mid-Autumn Festival.\n\nOur country has a feast every year, on the fifteenth day of the eighth\nmoon, to commemorate King Dong Ming who invented the Musical\nInstruments.\n\nThis is the story:\n\nWhen King Dong Ming was crowned King he loved a Sorcerer and promised\nhim promotion and set him above all the Princes that were in the land\nwith him.\n\nOne day the Sorcerer said to him - \"I can take you up into the Moon,\" so\nKing Dong Ming set many masons and carpenters to build a very high tower\nfor looking at the Moon.\n\nThe tower was finished on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, just on\nthe night that the moon was full.\n\nThat night King Dong Ming prepared a feast in the tower and sent for the\nSorcerer to come and banquet with him.\n\nWhen they had feasted they saw a ladder set up on the tower, the top of\nwhich reached the Moon.\n\nKing Dong Ming ascended to the Moon on this great ladder. When they\nreached there they saw many Moon Daughters all dressed in shining black\nrobes, and crowned with flowers.\n\nWhen the beautiful Moon Daughters saw two men coming in they all stood\nup and bowed very low before them and treated them with great kindness.\nEvery girl played for them her Musical Instrument, such as the\nPsalteries, the Cymbals, the Harp, the Organ, and the Tymbal, then they\nsang songs in one grand concert.\n\nKing Dong Ming knew nothing more, until he found himself in a bed in the\ntower.\n\nThe King was very much surprised to find himself in bed, and without\nhaving come down the ladder into the tower, and very much surprised that\nthe Sorcerer was not any longer with him. The King remembered all the\nsongs which the girls had sung to him, and also all the shapes of all\nthe Musical Instruments which they had played upon for him.\n\nHe sent for a skillful man and told him to make all the Instruments\naccording to all that he had seen in the Moon.\n\nThen King Dong Ming taught the people the use of the Instruments.\n\nChinese Musical Instruments date from that time.\n\nThen the people began to imitate King Dong Ming on the 15th day of the\n8th Moon by making a feast with their friends and their relations every\nyear. They expect that they can see the beautiful Moon Palace, and hear\nthe music from out this Palace if they only listen.\n\nAi Lang then took the story teller's place and began the wonderful story\nof the\n\nWinter Festival.\n\nOur Country has a Festival three days before Christmas to commemorate a\nfamily meeting again.\n\nThe story is as follows:\n\nOnce there was a man who wished to go a long journey, so he went down to\na harbor and found a boat, he paid the boat hire for it, and then he\nwent down into the boat, just then a mighty tempest was on the sea; the\nboat was about to be broken and the men were very much afraid; and the\nsailor thinking to do something against the wind fell overboard and was\ndrowned.\n\nThen the lone man could not bear up against the wind so he let the boat\ndrive. The day went by, on, on the boat sailed, but no land appeared in\nsight.\n\nThe lone man grew sadder and sadder, he neither ate or slept, but spent\nhis time praying to his Gods.\n\nOne morning he saw many birds fluttering around his masts, so that he\nknew the land was near.\n\nTwo hours after this the boat floated near to a great Mountain. On this\nMountain many beasts had their homes. When the man realized this he was\nvery much afraid, and he said to himself, \"If I stay in this spot, in\nthis boat I will starve soon; and if I go out and up the Mountain I will\nbe killed by the wild beasts.\"\n\nIn the very midst of the young man's trouble and wonder who should come\ndown the Mountain but a female Monkey. This Monkey was the Queen of the\nplace; she led him to her cave and prepared a dinner for him, and sat\nwith him at meat.\n\nAfter a few days the female Monkey made a stately bow before him and\nasked him to become her husband.\n\nThen the man said to himself, \"If do not consent to her she will kill\nme, so I shall have to marry her to save my life, and perhaps after a\ntime I shall have a good chance to go back to my home again.\"\n\nSo he promised to marry her.\n\nOn their wedding day there were many little Monkeys who came to\ncongratulate her.\n\nAfter a year the Monkey bore a baby to him.\n\nWhen the boy was old enough his Mother took him out to hunt for game,\nwhich they carried home for dinner.\n\nThe man taught her to cook, so that they could roast the game quite\nnicely.\n\nOne day the man got very homesick so he went out, wishing to escape from\nhis wife. Just that time the Monkey and her son were returning from\ntheir hunt. When they saw him come up they were very angry and led him\nhome.\n\nNext time she went out to hunt she left the boy at home to watch his\nFather.\n\nAfter another year the Monkey bore him another son. When this second son\nwas old enough his Mother made him a bow and arrow, and taught him to\nshoot the animals; from that day forth she always took her second son\nwith her when she went out to shoot, leaving the oldest son at home to\nkeep guard over the Father. The man always told this big boy about his\nhome, and the big boy talked to his little brother about it, so that\nafter a while the second boy began to refuse to go hunting with his\nMother.\n\nOne day the man said to his sons, \"If I go home I can only let one of\nyou go with me,\" but they said \"Surely we will both go with you,\" and\nthe man saw that they would both go with him and he was much perplexed\nas to how he could bring it to pass.\n\nOne day soon after they saw a boat coming toward the Mountain, so they\nwent down into it, the boat sailed away very quickly. When the Monkey\ncame home and found that her husband and children were not there she\nbegan to search for them. Then she saw a great boat opposite her in\nwhich three men were sitting, she began to call to them and to cry, but\nthe three waved their hands to her from the boat and gave her a silent\nfarewell.\n\nAfter a few days the boat reached the City in which the man was born.\n\nWhen the man came to his home and his wife saw him and the two boys, she\nwas very angry, because she thought that he had married another wife.\n\nThe man told her all about all his troubles and said, \"If you will look\nat them very carefully then you will know that they are come from a\nbreed of animals.\" When she so looked at the two boys she knew that this\nwas true, and then she made a feast for him, and called in her friends\nand neighbors to come and rejoice with them.\n\nThe two boys' Step-Mother treated them very badly and always scolded\nthem, saying, \"Of what good are you, sons of an animal?\" But after a few\nyears the two boys became very famous Officers; and often talked about\nwhat their Step-Mother had called them, and after a while they went by\nboat to search for their own Mother.\n\nAt last when they reached the Mountain they saw a Monkey coming toward\nthem with full eyes; then they knew it was their Mother and they wished\nto carry her home with them, but she had grown very savage, so that they\ncould not lead her home. Then they remembered that their Father had told\nthem that their Mother liked things made of rice, so they made a kind of\ndough of rice and stuck it upon the trees or grass, when the Monkey saw\nthis she was very happy and began to eat the rice from the trees and\ngrass.\n\nThe two Brothers stuck the rice upon every thing as they went upon their\nhomeward way, and the Monkey came nearer and nearer to get the rice\nballs, at length she came very near to the boys' home, and they stuck\nthe rice balls inside the court, when the Monkey came in there to get\nthe rice, the boys bolted the door, and locked her in a room, and gave\nher well cooked things to eat and treated her well.\n\nThe hair on her body began to drop off, and she became very tame; and\nthe two boys were very happy to get their own Mother again.\n\nThe Monkey was tempted home by her two sons in the winter time two days\nbefore Christmas, so from that time the people always make a feast with\ntheir families and roll rice balls on that day each year.\n\nWhen people are rolling the rice balls they want the whole family\npresent, because they think that if the whole family is together to make\nthe rice balls, the whole family will have peace and prosperity\nthroughout the coming year.\n\n\n\nGenius\n\n\n\nGeniuses are birthed not made.\n\nOf that, the truth, I have confidence of the uttermost. Two possessions\nmust be theirs - Longevity of Hair and Biliousness of Character.\nLikewise it is more better than a Father or Mother Genius has made\nproceedings. Most best that a Grandfather Genius walks in front. Then,\nis all of most wellness and the Genius is of excellency birthed.\n\nNo Honorable Ancestors of Geniuses have walked before me. No Longevity\nof Hair have I (since the all powerful fever raged in our Province). No\nCharacter of Biliousness, the Character of me being of unimportantness.\nHow then can I, not having been birthed with properness become into one\nGenius on the instant? It is of uttermost impossibility, albeit the\nAmerican friend of Miss Sterling say she teach to me many fine words of\nAmerican Slang most profitable in works of Genius. Only can the Goddess\nof Mercy and perhaps the Foreign God a little, lend of aid to me in my\nextremities. To them I design the Poem below, of which you shall have\nreadings. To composition, Poem take with much exactitude, six of hours\nand forty-five of moments. At endings of time, eyes ached and stomache\nhave yearnings but Poem come out. I have extensive happiness for I now\nhave knowings that, if of eats I partake of littleness, and make\nanointments of hair that it may to grow, I shall yet arrive at the\nbusiness of Genius.\n\nGive unto me of the sacred power,\nO, Goddess of Mercy, now, this hour,\nThat into a GENIUS I may flower,\nLike silver dewdrops in summer shower.\n\nYesterday Miss Powers say in class - \"Some are born great, some achieve\ngreatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.\" Thus has the\nbusiness of Genius been thrust upon me and I must get busy. For three\ndays now, in searchings of library of Honored President, I come upon Eng\nMuoi also making searchings. She hide book, I hide book. Today I make\nfindings of space of emptiness on book-shelf where yesterday stood\nHonorable Pope. Eng Muoi has taken him unto herself. Next where\nHonorable Pope once was and now is not, I found book of Honorable Lord\nKames, most evident a Genius with knowledge of Geniuses incomparable. He\nsays, \"A Constitution of Warmth and Inflamableness must a Genius\npossess. Likewise a Delicacy of Taste and Sedateness.\" Three of these\nConstitutions have I - Warmth (of coldness I know not) Inflamableness\n(anger comes quickly unto my heart) Delicacy of Taste (is it not I who\nof foods make selectings for our feasts?) But Sedateness, I have it not.\nPerhaps if I hump me and make trackings I can to catch it.\n\nWe are making a journey, Miss Sterling, Ai Lang, Bing Ding and I to the\nMonastery of Dreams on the tall mountain Koshan. From the Compound we\ncame in early morning time by boat and now in sedan chairs we ascend\ninto the clouds. At each placement of rest we stop. While coolies catch\nat breath and smoke at pipe, we drink of tea and watch at view. It is\nmost wondrous. Trees of a growth extraordinary. Rocks of mightiness each\nbearing an inscription from the Classics. Down side of mountain,\ntumbling into waterfalls over boulders of bigness flows a stream of the\nclearness of glass. Below, the \"Happy Valley\" stretches myriads of miles\naway, of green in shadow and gold in sunshine, all of uttermost beauty.\n\nThere are steps of stone that one may arrive at Tea-houses higher up\nmountain side. I beg of Miss Sterling that I may to leave chair and\nmount up steps. All girls come and we climb, making readings of rocks as\nwe go. I find great comfort in my reading - \"With what little wisdom is\nthe world governed.\" For the business of Genius makes me tired and\ntonight I must become fresh, like unto a daisy, for out of me must I\ncough up a Poem.\n\nWe are nearing the Monastery. High in air above our heads, the bell from\nthe Temple tolls. As we climb Miss Sterling tells of the wicked man who\ntolls it. For twenty-five years he has made penance for his wicked sins.\nHe was doomed to toll the bell and never speak; now he cannot to speak\none word, but tolls on. That's not dead easy. I have of sorrow for that\nman. Tonight I will to compose a Poem to him.\n\nWe enter the open court of the Monastery. All is of great stillness and\npeace. Only tinkling of fountain in centre of court makes soundings.\nBeyond fountain is lake full of brilliant colourings. By lake we make\npauses and see that colourings are red, blue, green and gold fishes -\nmost beautiful! At end of lake an old man sits by stand; on stand are\ncakes all strung on string like Chinese cash. We buy of the cakes, Bing\nDing cut strings, and we enjoy much pleasurings in fishes feeding\nforgetful of hours. But Miss Sterling say, \"The time is passing. If you\nwish your fortunes told we must go.\"\n\nWe mount up stone steps and enter Temple of the Prophets. Bing Ding,\nalone, makes way to Priest at altar and tells to him of her desire. From\nhis Divining Sticks he makes selection of one and lays it upon the\naltar, then opens the Taheo (Book of Great Learning) and reads:\n\nThe accomplishment of thy plans rests with Heaven. The Spirits of the\nEarth, Sea and Air are propitious. Thou shalt ride far upon the Sea into\nForeign Countries and return in safety. The Earth Spirit gives thee\ngreat power in things political through thy marriage to a high official\nof thy Country. Seven worthy sons shall be born unto thee and thy days\nshall be full and many.\n\nBing Ding was of manifest satisfaction when she join us sitting on seat\nat back of temple.\n\nWe hike on up other stone steps to the Temple of the Moon. I enter with\nAi Lang, Miss Sterling and Bing Ding making readings of Classics outside\non rocks.\n\nUnto the Priest of Temple Ai Lang tell of her birth-moon, also hour and\nplace of birthment.\n\nHe answer thus: The right way leads forward; the wrong way backward.\nUnto your choice bring wisdom. Within four angles of prominence lies\nyour life. Leo rising, Cancer culminating. To your house Mars brings\ntrouble but Venus overrules. You will bear a man child of exceeding\ngreatness. Art is your talent; your hands your best possessions. See to\nit that you use them wisely.\n\nAi Lang give promise of wisdom and we make getaway unto Miss Sterling\nand Bing Ding.\n\nUp yet another stone steps we mount to the highest Temple of all, set\nlike a star in clouds at top of mountain - the Temple of Dreams. Inside\nof Temple most wonderful but at entrance of uttermost darkness. One step\n- two step I take alone (only one person can make entrance at one time)\nthen comes light, soft like flush of dawn. Grows brighter, most bright,\nuntil over all things the Spirit of Fire spreads its mantle of red. I\nwalk on, each step in changing light; Orange, Yellow, Blue, Green and\nViolet. At last I make stand at foot of rainbow before the High Priest\nof the Temple. Strange, most strange! Last night I dream of rainbow. I\nspeak unto the Priest my dream. He make interpretation as follows: The\nrainbow you beheld in sleep is an omen of good promise. Likewise the\nstreet in which you walked in fear and darkness for Success crowns him\nwho works to win. The violets you gathered at end of street were\nHappiness, Fame and Riches. All these shall be yours if you break not\nthe string of Pearls that are entwined about your neck. Should one Pearl\nloosen and fall into space, Sorrow and Sadness shall be your portion.\nBeware of accidents unto the Pearls.\n\nMuch troubled, with hand to Pearls lest Misfortune come up with me - for\nclasp of necklace is of weakness - I make return through rainbow into\nworld outside.\n\n\"The shadows are growing,\" Miss Sterling say. \"Come, we must get down\nthe mountain to to the boats at once!\"\n\nTonight after we reach Compound, I cut out dinner and make anointment of\nhair, also stir my stumps to compose Poem. Time - five of hours - ten of\nmoments. I have much hunger.\n\nHe sits in the belfry tower,\nTolling the soft bell of Dreams.\nFour times he rings it each hour,\nHeaven with sound of it teems.\nMoons long past the Spirits said:\n\"For untold Sins you must pay,\nMorning's gold but Evening's red,\nYour crimes must be paid each day.\"\nWorn and dark is He and old.\nOn his soul his Sins have weighed.\nTwenty-five years He has tolled,\nSurely the price He has paid.\n\nThis morning at Ten of the clock we march by two's and two's into\nChapel, Honored President and Teachers leading. Cui Ai adorned in light\nblue silk following. Tomorrow she marries. Today, Miss Powers trim\nChapel and make for Cui Ai alone, Graduating Exercises most scrumptious.\n\nFirst come little welcome speech of our Honored President then Cui Ai\narise and speak Essay on Faith in our beloved Neuchang dialect. Sit\ndown, and Chinese girls sing in chorus \"Wings of Faith.\" Again Cui Ai\narise and speak Essay on Hope in Classical Chinese. Sit down, and our\nAdorable Miss Sterling sing solo, \"Keep on Hoping.\" Yet again Cui Ai\narise and speak Essay on Charity, this time in English. Yet again sit\ndown, and Chinese girls sing chorus of \"Charity.\"\n\nMiss Powers make speechings of presentations and unto Cui Ai give\nDiploma of Excellency. All is finished.\n\nCui Ai's Eager Betrothed, also Beauteous Mother and Sisters and Brothers\nalso much beauteous Flowers make arrival upon platform at same time. All\nis most merry and of good fortune, and our sorrow that Cui Ai is not to\nwait for the graduation of the class, is now turned to joyfulness.\n\nLater, we go with Cui Ai to gaze upon her jewels and fine clothings. Her\nNo. 1 Chest of red lacquer holds many garments of fine silk of soft\nwarmth and richness. In the tray, numberless bracelets, hair-pins,\nbrooches and other ornaments have place.\n\nNo. 2 Chest, also of red lacquer, contain clothing more ordinary and\nhousehold linens most plenteous.\n\nAll the time Cui Ai showing Chests, not down in the mouth but having\nsmilings.\n\nBy and by I say, \"Why do you look happy, Cui Ai? Why do you not make\ncryings? It is our custom.\"\n\nCui Ai make response: \"Because of our dear Miss Sterling. She say it is\nof uttermost foolishness to make marriage and cryings at same time. It\nis not the American way to so do. American lady make first marriage, no\ncryings, sometimes later make cryings, but not always. Also I have great\nand copious joys for in my house of littleness I am to live unto myself\nand husband alone, not with Able Mother-in-law.\"\n\nWe wonder at the manifold good fortune of Cui Ai. It is not to believe\nthat she live not in house of Able Mother-in-law. I have much doubtings.\n\nI return unto my room and will to compose Poem on - \"What is House\nwithout Mother-in-law?\" but Poem no come out. I am floored with\ncompleteness. Six bells ring but I go not. Again I make anointment of\nhair and cut out dinner. I find book of rhyme-words and choose this list\n- \"Air-fare, Where-wear, Prayer-ensnare.\" At the once I become up to\nsnuff and Poem come unto me of so great quickness I have double joyings:\nFirstly, that Poem is of everlastingness of length; lastly, that with my\nrhyme-book, I can now become on to the job of Genius. Poem take of time,\nthree of hours; of moments, four. I give of name unto Poem:\n\n\"The Three Graces.\"\n\nLong New Moons ago, Three Graces most fair,\nDwelt under one roof. And combing long hair,\nMade wishes to ride in Red Wedding Chair,\nEnwrapted in Red Veil; and Wedding Dress wear.\n\nMost ancient was Faith, with belief that by prayer\nA Husband would come, appearing in air.\nSun-time and Moon-time she'd pray, then declare:\n\"He'll be here tonight; our roof-tree to share.\"\n\nMiss Hope was a Grace without any care,\nHoping a Husband to her would repair;\nHer thinks troubled not. She hoped he'd be there,\nBut how he would come was not her affair.\n\nCharity said: \"Each our part we must bear,\nIf we are to Marry. Men quickly scare.\nWe must decide on the Time, Who and Where.\nGet up and get busy; Each, Do and Dare.\"\n\nEach Grace went her way a riding her mare.\nHope rode on Hopings. Miss Faith rode her Prayer.\nStill they ride on and at Charity glare;\nHer Wedding took place 'mid trumpetings blare.\n\nThe Moral is plain and not at all rare.\nJust praying and hoping failed for that pair.\nBe Up and Be Doing. Yourself never Tare,\nIf ever a Husband you wish to ensnare.\n\nWith the shining of the Sun while yet the Moon has not gone to sleep, we\nsix Chinese girls of the graduating class to which Cui Ai once belonged\nand now belongs not, come unto her room to adorn her for her marriage.\n\nWe have friendly quarrellings over the red slippers of so great\nsmallness, which she has made herself - as to who shall place them on\nher tiny feet - also we snatch at hair-pins and bracelets, to be No. 1\naid at dressings.\n\nCui Ai pays scanty heed to the admonitions which her paid attendant is\nall time speeching unto her, but is full of cheerfulness at which we\nhave much marvelings. At last, attendant place red wedding-veil on head\nand we fasten many brooches upon red wedding-gown. Over the bride's\nsmall hands Bing Ding slips jade bracelets and all is in placement.\n\nThe Mistress of Ceremonies (Miss Powers) enters and taking Cui Ai by\nhand, leads her into garden; we follow at distance of most\nrespectfulness. Down the path they walk, past the wonderful red chair\nall of one blossom, even the poles covered with vines and flowers, and\nup the Chapel steps.\n\nInside Chapel, Miss Powers lead Cui Ai to altar where wait Groom and\nMinister, while Miss Sterling all time play Wedding March of Honorable\nMendelssohn.\n\nOutside Chapel, Chinese band play and friends fire crackers with so\ngreat noisesomeness that we can but hear Minister's word like\nwhisperings. Whisperings cease, and Bride and Groom make proceedings\ndown aisle side by side; Miss Powers at back, while Miss Sterling play\nWedding March from Honorable Lohengrin.\n\nChinese crackers increase in noisesomeness. Groom puts Bride in her\nchair of beauty and takes his own chair of plainness behind her.\n\nThe Wedding Procession proceeds. At head comes Bride with her red\nlacquer Chests, Boxes, Bathtubs and Household utensils, each borne on\npoles by Coolies. Following these are hanging shelves, one upon the\nother, all suspended by poles carried by four bearers, each shelf\ncontaining some sweet or cakes. The lantern bearers with lanterns of\nuttermost gorgeousness come next, then follow the Groom's chair and his\nmen friends. Also many pyramids of beauteous flowers. Of a truth Cui\nAi's Procession of Marriage is most magnificent.\n\nTo the house of newness and littleness all in the Procession march on,\nbut we go not until the evening of the sixth day.\n\nWhen Procession make arrival at house of Groom, men friends enter in and\nservants at the once begin to pass foods. Upon each tray must friends\nplace coins wrapped in red paper, for this is a custom that all men must\nobserve.\n\nAll evening must Bride and Groom entertain guests; this time Cui Ai make\nintroduction of so great foreign entertainments men cannot to make fun\nof poor, little Bride as before.\n\nAfter I look see Marriage Procession I return unto my room and try to\ncompose Poem of Wedding, but no Poem come out. One hour - Two hour -\nThree hour - then I crawl into my Mieng, a blooming idiot, for unto me\nhas Poem given the go-by.\n\nThree days later Cui Ai make return unto College. With her comes her\nhusband of newness; to them our Honored President give of feast. All\ngraduating Class present. Cui Ai possess looks of happiness; husband\npossess looks of uncomfortableness. American friend of Miss Sterling\nsay, \"Gloomy Gus!\" Miss Sterling laugh and say, \"Oh, no, just too many\nladies present.\" I think I care not for Gloomy Gus husband; too much\ntroubles.\n\nAt feast I partake little of eats. At the once I get a move on and safe\nwithin my room make yet again anointments of hair that I may to compose\nPoem. Time, two of hours. One of moments.\n\nAs a Genius! am but a jest,\nAs a Poet, not one of the best,\nFor from North, South, the East and the West,\nAll agree that they wish would rest.\n\nTonight have I become a Genius-Poet for finality, for tomorrow we\ngraduate. Therefore will all Friendly Ones in reading of these pages\nhave rememberings of that of which I before make statement - \"That\nthe business of Genius has been thrust upon me, who have no Ancestors\nof Geniuses - no Longevity of Hair - no Biliousness of Character\" -\nand excusings give unto me, a made - alas - not birthed GENIUS.\n\n\n\nHere Conclude the End With Much Gaining of English. That Class Book Be\nBirthed Into Complete Completeness We Give of Thanks, Through Ai Lang\nOur Unworthy Artist and Bing Ding Our Also Unworthy Biographer, Unto\nPaul, The Elder and His Company of Honorables. Second Thankings Unto\nHerman A. Funke Who, During the Seveneth Moon (August) of the Year in\nAmerica, 1916, Conduct Book Through Press - Tomoye - Which is Situate in\nCity of San Francisco","title":"Seven Maids of Far Cathay: Being English Notes From a Chinese Class Book","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":17205}