In the Shaoyang mandarin's superior, the men chou, we have a different type of Chinese official. He is 8 native of Hunan and between sixty and seventy years of age. Originally a military mandarin and notwithstanding his inability to read or write, he has, through the help of influential friends, been a civil mandarin for n number of yenra, He is described by the natives cruel, uncouth, rough, and unmannerly, and he' takea a' pleasure in showing his dislike for Christians and foreigners in gener He punishes evil doers with the wat rigour, and not always in accordance with law. Some time ago hie was travelling in the country. Having had a military training he prefers riding to being carried ina sedan chair. On this occasion he was on horseback and in plain clothes, ci ahead of his escort. Two farm Inboure were pumping water into " field, havin the water wheel across the road. On approaching the spot he told the men to remove the water wheel to allow him to pass, On their refusing, the mandarin cursed them. They cursed back and took up coolie poles to strike him, when the escort appeared round the corner and told them they must not strike as he was the great Kinmen mandarin. The men begged for mercy, but in vain. He immediately ordered two holes to be dug and buried them alive.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.