It is difficult for us here in Ichoufu to raise the truth of Viceroy Yuan's recent Vimpress Dowager. If all Chines: were as prophecy as uttered in the hearing of the quiet as those in this section of Shantung, 30 years instead of 39 months might be a safe length of time to allow the forees of rebellion to gather. 'Tranquillity ebtsi throughout this prefecture, and if the people are uneasy because' of a lack of reform measures and an absence of schools fof Western learning, their restlessness is not apparent. The only lence uneasiness is found in the wild. stories which daily circulate, and which repeated so frequently that some are per suaded of their truth. The report to-day on the street is that Peking is in the hands of the Russians. And itis po-sible that rumour mongers have in this cas come nearer hitting the vail on the head than they usually do.
We hear of famine prices prevailing in other pats of Shantung. In this respect als: there isa pleasing contras in our region. Grain is cheap, and the necessities life accordingly are obtainable by the very poorest. Crop pro-pects are excellent. he farmers are happy, and we all re} with them.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.