Tt is customary for the night-watchmen of these parts to give a passing tap at each door, with a cry meaning, "Sleep carefully," often adding the exclamation, "Burglars about!" But as the natives have not learnt the art of keeping a percentage of their faculties on the alert while the-rest are slumbering, the list of burglaries during the recent moonless nights, has been a long one. It is reported that a rang of salt smugglers, dispersed at Nanking, have been let loose in the three cities. And a week ago Incendiary Fires were a nightly occurrence in the Hunan timber-vendors' colony. The panic which these fires and burglaries caused, was taken advantage of by some of the cvildisposed natives of the place. One local offender has been arrested, who is quite alad. He was seen entering a house and depositing a pot of paraffin against a wall. A member of the household poured out the oil and substituted water, waiting quietly till the youngster should come in agai He returned at dark with a smoulder spill, threw the contents of the pot aga the wall, blew up the spill, and applied alight. Instead of managing to set the wooden wall alight, he was seized and carried off to the County Court.
The Most Daring of the Burglaries occurred on the premises of the Wesleyan Mission Girls' Boarding School. Spite of lamps lit in the compound, and night-lights in the house, the whole marketable contents of a temporarily unocetpied bedroom were carried away without arousing: anyone. A thief-catcher, returning fro Hankow, met certain bearers of goods' on the embankment path between the two cities, and challenged them. Their replies being unsatisfactory, he raised the hue and ery, which was responded to by soldiers in the camp on the Tortoise Hill. The goods were seized, but the burglars escaped. All but about £5 worth have been brought back. Every mandarin of consequence in the city has been to inspect the premises or to pay calls. The Prefect has been most kind in hi remarks, and the Constable-in-Chief, in the old English sense of the word, has been exceedingly diligent and friendly.
The Doorman of the County Court did a fine stroke of business by refuse to take in the missionary's card; which opened the way to an appeal to the Prefect. The doorman has been severely censured, and all that the officials could do been done to remove any strained feelings that the event might. have caused, 5th December.
We are Still Secure, Just a word with regard toa recent article in the "North-China taily News." In the issue for 26th November, under "Native Notes," was a heading—"'A Danger and a Menace." Io described the way the late Baron Liu K'un-yi maintained peace by pitting one secret society against_xnother and that sine his death the Kolio Hui getting too great power in North kiangsu. This is rvideutly believed in Nan-King, for an urgent dispatch, called a G00 li""orrived here last night. It urged officials to tae especial caution 10 protect the churches and ty enquire all about their number, ete.
The only evidence that we have seen that there was anything unusual in these societies about us was a whispered rumour that the hree Originals Society" was preparing to take vengeance for the decapitation of their members. It will be recalled that there was an incipient rebellion here last_ winter and several leaders were beheaded after this rumour. he city guards were "specially vigilant for a few ways. The crops have been exerllent this yenr, so there is less opportunity for bad characters to get x Robbery is Rife.
Even women are carried off and sold, Dr. Bradley was called tye a rich woman' who lived 125 li away. Men hud been hired to murder her. Though they cut her skull through into the brain and nearly severed half of her neck, besides making other wounds, the woman is making good progress towards recovery. Thrse are every-day happenings here, however, nnd there appears to be no especial apprehension of trouble.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.