Wachang to-day is a very different place from the Wuchang of only a few years We remember walking one night eight or nine years ago through the streets of the city withen old resident, who had been one of the very first Earopeans to live here. He was remarking on the great changes that had taken place in the homes and shops of the people, and instanced the general use of kerosene lamps, whereas in the old days the feeble flicker of vegetable oil rushlights was the only illumination, The Parade of the Schools.
But the difference between the bright light of cheap kerosene lamps and the poor glimmer of the rushlight is hardly more striking than, say, the difference between the slouching brave" of those days and the well-drilled soldiers of the present, or the parade of the schools we witnessed this afternoon and the tired little boys we used to meet re'uruing home from school with their dog-eared books.
Tt was quite x chance that took us this afternoon to the parade ground. The streets were gaily decorated with Chinese flags and yellow lanterns in preparation for the Empress's birthday lit house had one flag and two lanter the officials, At the pol wore informed that over twenty-six thousand lamps had been made. When we reached the parade ground we met a body of students in blue uniforms marching as even soldiers could not march in Wuchany ten years ago. At their head was carried a large red flag bearing the name of the sevwol in white letters.
The parade yround itself was full of uniformed school boys, for nowadays even the small boys in the day schools hare their special drees. They were siting down in sixteen long lines, each group of boys had a fig describing tha nature of the school, whilst the spectator. were shut off by ropes wud flags that temin ted one of a cricket match at home.
We trespassed on the courtesy of our Celestial cousins aut walked inside the ropes. Wefound there were some 2,40: scholars from the various elementary and secondary schoo's in the six parishes into which the city ud suburbs are divided. The prefect tad held a review of them, sir seemed to be as some across between a military display and a Sunday school treat." The latter element was conspicuous wh n we saw mest dumplings handed round in capacious straw hats of s: me of the military officers, and warched tue happy smile that lichred up the faces of the boys. We were tov late to hear the song which they all joined in singing and which they are to ain or ow before his Excel louey As we saw all these boys we wondered what it will all mean. Even if the torching is lacking in thoroughness, yet for ths greater number of the boys it will prove far more useful in after life than the mere memoriter work of the past, that permitted boys to spend five or six years at school without even learning to read one paper or write aletter. Chiao cannot give semi-military education to the children without inspiring them with a patriotism that has been sadly lacking in the past As we compare tie military drill, the athletic contests, tle short coats and tight sleeves with the listless lolling, contempt trious stoop and tortoiseshell goggles and long gowns of the scholars of a few ears ago we are filled with new hope for ina. Japan changed first and has begun well, but China is more than Japan, and though we may not live to see it is likely to go further, A Happy Change.
Things have changed; yesterday we had the pleasure of meeting a Chinese Hania in the grounds of a nary school. He was king over the school and talks sen his son there next year to study. "Only a few years ago he held ofice Yowed that he would never seal. the deeds in Wuchang and was reported to have
of land sold to foreigners, and the columns of the ' North-Chins Daily News" related how men who had sold land to Europesns were by him illegally cast into prison and how finally the land was surrendered to the Chinese authorities. get hi side, Chinese and Wexterner, The change perhaps has not been alto-
missionary and mandarin, have alike grown, older and wiser, and have learnt to respect the good in those who-e education and history yave given different ideas, if not of right and wrong, at any rate of whut is best worth seeking for.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.