A few days ago our quiet city of Hstich'ien;%as surprised by an incipient riot. A member of the Roman Catholic mission was struck, because he refused to remove his straw hat as he passed a procession which was praying for rain—followers and even the idol must be unprotected from the sun on such occasions. A dispute followed, and threats of what Mother Church would do. So, to get the first blow, they carried their dragon' to the Catholic premises. Soon jan ugly, reviling crowd gathered. The priest ran to the yamen and was there met by sympathisers of the idolaters and had his spectacles torn off as he went in. He was escorted home and the mob disperse ed. After the usual delay, we hear all is to be made right by the idolaters asking pardon and paying 15,000 cash for damage.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.