Wun farhine stares a Chinese community in the face, as, alas, it too often does, the means to relieve distress are often sufficiently remarkable. We are familiar enough by now with the system of selling honorary rauk, or stimulating the ardour of the charitable by a per mission to erect (at their own expense) an ornamental portal to commemorate their generosity. But perhaps the strangest form of solicitation is that employed by a native relief committee in Moukden, This is, in_ brief, to press lanchette into their service. How th is done, and with what effect, is ex-Philanthropist' in a recent number of amed at some length by Ma the
the Chinese Illustrated News. There has long lived in Moukden, he says, a Fairy named Hu. The original abode of the Fairy was the Long White Mountain, but since the Dragon came to his own,—in other words, nee the accession of the present Dynasty,—the Fairy has been Konoured with several Imperial patents, and has shown hi self correspondingly beneficent. As a natural consequence he is the recipient of prayers from officials and people, and the prompt attention consistently paid by Rim to. those prayers has earned him an amount of incense such as few noted mountains or fanes can boast of. Among other attentions paid to the Fairy, is the erection of a planchette table by the Moukden Telegraph Office (was there ever a more incongruous conjunction,—spirit-rapping and electric telegraph!) to which table he often descends, and always when there exhorts the bystanders to repentance and a changed life. When consulted as to the issue of events, or asked for a medical receipt, he responds with unusual power. Before the floods in lower Manchuria occurred last year he warned his audience how best to secure happiness and avoid disaster, but " fearing lest the designs of heaven should leak out" he did not make his utterance plain. In the middle of September last when two friends of the writer were consulting the oracle on some other matter, the Fairy started off at a rapid pace to indict an exhortation to charity. His wishes were at once obeyed, and a subscription commenced which in a few days was signed by several hundreds. Copies of the Fairy's exhortation have been distributed through every town and village, and funds are flowing in to found a soup kitchen at Moukden and to lay in a stock of garments for the destitute.
Ma forwards a supply of fifty of these copies to Shanghai to the Relief Committee there, whom he thanks for their previous contributions, and asks to post the papers for general distribution, seuding one to the local press. He adds that as the circumstance is sufficiently remarkable he would like a picture to be drawn of the oce"rrence, and sent, ' nature of his vow, and the question to along with a copy of the Pairy's exhort which he requires an answer, on a slip tation, to the Chinese Illustrated News: of paper to be burnt in the brazier, to be photo-lithographed and published. ' sending at the same time the gift itself "Who result of this appeal is the appear- to the Moukden Telegraph Office, who ance in No. 166 of an illustration which; will give him a receipt. Women who should greatly interest the collectors of wish to subscribe can transmit their Chinese miscellanies, as it depicts in offering through the head of the house the clearest manner possible the method or by "male servant. The Telegraph of using the planchette. So far, the Office will distribute the gifts and on the curious, but not too deeply read, enquirer 16th day of each month will paste up on has had to be content with the descrip- the temple wall a list of all subscription afforded by Dr. Eite! more than tious, as a proof of good faith. " If twenty years ago in the pages of Notes ' any through whose hands such moneys and Queries ov China and Japan. This' may pass shall attempt to embezthe locus classics of a very recondite zle them, he will be promptly struck subject, was reprinted, if we remember by lightning." Then follows a most aright, in the ar East teu years later. sensible, but certainly very self-denying, It would be most unwarrantable to piece of ad "Should any desire resurrect once note the learned doctor's to present me with robes for my image, paper, though a perusal of it would throw or with laudatory scrolls, I would ask much light on our spirit-rapping phil- him instead to forward the money such authropist's methods. There 1s one things would cost to the fund, in my great difference between the procedure name, entering them as the ' subserip~ as described by Dr. Eitel and that tion of the Master of the Cave." All depicted in the present illustration. Dr. resulting happiness shall accrue to the Eitel speaks of one medium only who giver, not tome." On the 15th of each keeps "the handle of the magic pencil month the Fairy undertakes to audit resting on the palms of both hands, but the accounts and to present the bala so that the end of the twig touslies the sheet to the Higher Spirits, who will lay surface of the table strewn with sand." it before the Emperor ut Heaven. I At the Moukden seance there are two who ask whether for gain, or for fame, operators who lightly balance on the or for happiness, ox for old age, or for tips of their outstretched fingers a rod ons, or fol sons, shall without fail to which the pencil is attached. In frou! brain their desire. Even a little given of the tray of sand over which the pend now aay save a life or two, and if many is moving stands a censer from which th ves are saved will Heaven's recom-smoke curls upward. Poised onthe spiral pense be but slight?" He reverts to fumes is seen the Fairy, a little figure ihis former most excellent advice and in flowing robes, with straggling beard adds; "If the merchants and trades-and top knot (for Chinese men here who wish to get up a protég¢s of the present Dynasty, do not suild or festival in my honour would wear queues). In front of he table bestow the money on this relief fund, kneel three or four devotees, and behind instead, they would be regarded with them is a large brazier. In the ba even greater happiness, Let such a ground a group of women, most ngai wulld be formed and known as the Inly in their goat's fect and short jceuse Tithe,—for those who share in gowns, hold lighted torches. Between rmy incense shall take tithe in my re-these and the altar stand ten or a dozen ward." men in gala attire, their hands clasped This guild has been formed, and now in respectful salutation. announces that it is ready to receive The Fairy's exhortation is certainly subscriptions. Distant subscribers must long-winded, consisting as it does of write on a slip of paper their names and 388 characters. He commences, as a true bred Chinese should, by a compliment to his into: tors. "When you, most charitable sits, have done your servant the honour to visit him and to burn incense, whether to ask somewhat of him or to pay a vow, you have alw: had charity in your thoughts." proceeds to urge that there er charity than to keep men all to do this one must subscribe. He himself has received incense from the country side for many Inndred years, and cannot bear to sce the death and famine which have uow fallen on the people. He desires, accend to Imaugurate a scheme of reli a grand scale, to commence after anid-autumn. Every person who shall come to consult him he exhorts to a generous bestowal of silver, copper, grain, or cotton stuff, to succour the present grievous distress. Each donor should write the amount of his gift to the cause, the addresses, and the vow or question they wish put to the oracle. 'The paper will be burut before the Fairy and 'a receipt given without fail' Who after this shall say that the Chinese and their Fairies are not an eminently practical s race
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.