(Written for the North-China Duily News.")
So much has appeared of late Ten Ch'un-hsu: the Governor of Shansi, that a short sketch of his career may not be uninteresting. He is a native of Kuangsi, and 42 years of age. He is a member of the Hanlin academy and therefore a scholar of the highest' rank. He began his official career as a Ching-tang, a Director of one of the 4 Minor Courts in Peking. Soon afterwards he was appointed to the Treasurership of Kuangtumg, but after a few months was transferred to the same post in the Province of Kansu. On the Capital being threatened by foreigners he was gazetted to command a force of cavalry for the defence of Peking. Hastening ahead of his men he reached Peking only to find that all was hopeless and also to discover that now he was expected to defend Kalgan. He at once proceeded to take up his post there, but was held in the city of Ch'angp'ingchou, alread Possession of the disbanding troops. night he succeeded 1 letting a messenger over the city wall to xo and inform his men coming from the west. On receiving the tidings of their leader's peril, some 90 of the cavalry by forced matches came to he rescue. Arriving at the city they held the East Gate till darkness allowed of their speedy departure. At the first stage they were overtaken by the fleeing Court and appointed at once to be the Imperial bodyguard. 'The' following day these horsemen had to fight the disbanded troops that persisted in harissing the rear of the Royal escort By nightfall some 200 of the aggressors were slain and the Court proceeded in safety. 'T'sen was immediately rewarded with a button of the first grade and soon afterwards he was appointed Governor of Shensi Province. From the st he gain.u the confidence of the Dowager, and he has proved himself eminently worthy of her trust. Shortly after his entry on the post of Governor he was impeached by Wang In and others. 'The Empress held a three days' investigation and could not agree that Tsen was in the rong. But the opposition was too great against him and T'sen had to from the presence of these accusers and sent to Shansi.
The real cause of dislike was that Ten was too strong a man and too trusted a servant to have near the Court. When Lu Ch'uanlin and others pressed for the necessity of adopting an aggressive policy and sending troops to fight the foreigners, T'sen actively and said that it was utterly im-Pp after her defeat to do anything a inst the foreign troops, and if these advisers thought so they were the men to go as leaders. If he had to go to Shansi he would only go on three conditions: (1) That all the troops already there
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.