The question of the compulsory purchase of lottery tickets seems to be settled. I two or three hsien here, the mandarins are giving the option of taking tickets or of paying increased taxes. The Christians are thus able to pay increased taxes and not offend their consciences. An enterprising gentleman was going around a neighbouring hsien a few days back, selling tickets. He claimed to have some authority. Alas! for the purchasers, for the tickets were for the drawing that took place a month back!
Reminiscences of the Great Rebellion.
But the lottery question has taken a back seat for some days past. Rebellion is the topic that attracts attention in the teashops. The movements of missionaries are regarded by not a few shopkeepers as storm. signals. A parly of three adults and three children, with much baggage and servants, on the way to Kuling, caused not a little commotion, Rumour had it that they had fled from the interior with their things from. some unknown rebels. There is undoubtedly a good deal of talk of coming in, but none to whom I have spoken a any authentic information of the many re-reminiscence of the T: ug elliot is hellions that there are in the Empire. One
worth noting. I having often wondered why there are two "Sze" Mandarins in Wusueh, as well as the Erhfu, who controls riverine matters. I find that it is one of the fruits of the Great Rebellion. When that rebellion began there was a mandarin at Lungp'ing, 20 miles above Kiukiang. That town was then the centre for trade, and rumour has it that those days Ki Kiang was nothing! But for the rebellion letters would probably now be addressed "Kiukiang, via Luogp'ing!" And there was a mandarin at Makou, forty miles further up the river. Makou now consists ofa row of tumble-down houses. In between the two was the village of Wusueh. When the rebels came, Lungp'ing and Makou were given to the flames and the mandarins fled to Wusueh. Wusueh, be it said, was under the Makou Sze. When the pacification began, Lungp'ing did not revive, but Wusueh grew into a town. The Makou Sze went back t6 his ruined yamen, but the Lungp'ing Sze rented a house in robbery la the town. The next morning Wusueh. One night there was a great the sufferers petitioned the Lungp'ing Sze to help. He referred them to the Makou Sze miles away. They were indignant, and it so stirred up the people that the mandarin received an ultimatum—he could either help the Wusueh people in their affairs or go back to Lungp'ing. He elected to do the former. Then the Makou Sze, finding that none came to him in his remoteness, moved to Wusueh too, and to this day both are here.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.