Rumours have been flying around the city the last few days that the Emperor is ill said to be due to a certain red pill given him by either Wa Tim-pah, Chang Yin-huan, or Cabinet Minister Kang. It is said that this red pill was invented in the Ming dynasty and whoever swallowed it became subservient to the will of the giver, What a pity the numerous adventurers who come to Peking could not givea box or two to the Toungli Yamen!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.