(Written for the "North-China Daily News.")
The Court reached Paotingfa on the Srd January, at 2 o'clock, entering the city not by the west gate, which is nearest to station, but by the north gate.
e being called the Kuei Men or ghost gute, is considered very 'y. The entire roadway from station to north gate was walled on both sides with atting te prevent the approach and vision of the anxious populace, The accommodations in the city were overtaxed, and cloth pavilions were erected for the comfort of many hundreds of the imperial retinue. All foreigners were requested not to appear on the streets of the city. Ev shop along the street had a table pla A before the door on which stood a conser, and offerings of cakes and fruit to udal-wood incense was burned 1 the censer, Some of the more intelli-vent Chin commented upon this sacrilegious and fcortainly portentous of cvil—this huraing incense to the living as if they were gos. The Court followed the north street direct to the centre of the city an- then t westward to the Viceroy's yamen, which is adjacent to the court, where' the Allied generals tried and sentenced the gu ty fontal Ting Yung in the autumn of 1990. The yamen was hing with deeoritive lanterns. The ial apartment, though carpeted with ign imitation Brussels carpet, were 4 with most gorgeously embroid~ crat scrolls, The latticed windows were cowered with white embroidered and painted silks. The walls about. the couch of th" Empress Dowager were lined with wa ded silk, and elegant ebony furniture, ith imperial yellow and blue s in evidence everywhere. The throus chair was of ebony with inlaid jade.
"Yieeroy Yuan met the Court at the borders of his prov nee and escorted them to Paoting, during which time he was given four audiences, and the Provincial Provins Treasurer Chen Fu had The enrichs were lenient in their demands for '"squeeze"" in this province, being satisfied with 100,000 taels, against 250,000 taels demanded in Honan. The cost of the entire entertainment to Chihli province is said to be between two and three million taels.
On the 7th, January at 8.00.a.m., after a [sojourn of three days in Paotingfu, giving all ample time to rest avd reassure them: selves and each other that all was peaceful along the line, and that the triumphal entry into the capital, would be certain and safe, the Court was on the train of twenty-two coaches and ready to leave the station.
'There was but one engine for the long train; this was gorgeously decorated. In front, in the place of the head light, was what' looked like a great bull's eye with white centre and yellow fields. On each side, and above the cow-catcher, was an immense yellow dragon so arched that both head and tail were high in the air; above
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.