A short time ago it looked as if things were drifting backward somewhat here, but quite recently there has been a hopeful change for the better. With the withdrawal of the foreign troops from Paotingfu and Peking, the influence of Shen Taot'ai, of. the Foreign Bureau, was distinctly wanin, and he felt his presence was no longer Now he is in request again.
ry left in residence here weeks practically ignored by all the official cept Shen; and the he was suddenly visited both by the Fut and shortly afterwards by the hsien. The second party of Protestant mis naries to reach Taiyanfu since the ma arrived last and we invited to dine ith the officials on Saturday last, but when it was discover ed that ¢ fay of mourning for some emperor th net had
able day, as the party had arranged to leave to be postponed to Sunday—tho only avait on the Monday. Directly after the morn. ing Chinese service the missionaries repaired to the club-house of the officials who come from the provinees of Hunan and Hupeh—the same place where the first arrivals had been entertained—and there found the Fant'ai, the old and new N the Tao-vai, the chihsien, and also Shen Tuot'ai and another official from the Foreign Bureau awaiting them. The Fut'ai was not there as the new Nicht'ai was supposed to his blee. Very little time the yx ies, and the party soon. sat dowst orions business of the day, which Is no description, as it was much the same as on the former occasion. The new judge i eld man, but has stood at the conclusion of the feast th ssu
ously escorted by all present to the main entrance (though politely asked again and again' to "not to trouble themselves. to ey remained standi ranted their carts driven off.
Jon the part of the powers that be of importance, as they have great wei with the people: but how far they are sincere remains yet to be seen, Improvements at the Cemetery.
The damage done by the Boxers to the old foreign cemetery—by the breaking down of tombstones, ete.—has now beer Is. The the remains of the martyrs) instill in good condition, very few of the newly planted trees and none of the plants having: A well has been sunk with much difficulty and at some expense: close at hand, so as to have a constant supply of water, and a little house has been Duilt for the accommodation of the caretaker. Tt is hardly necessary to say that {all this is done on the initiative of Shen Tun-ho, of the Foreign Bureau.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.