Since my last note we have had, late in September, several days' rain—the most rain of any three consecutive days of the year, Ithink. It delayed slightly the planting of the wheat, but put the ground in most excellent condition, so that a very large crop will be put in, I went out for three days last week to a large market town and found the fields alive with people, preparing and planting wheat and gathering their beans, cotton, sesame, ete. All autumn crops' are most excellent and the people seem happy. We do not' see much cotton growing in this region, but the many small lots and any that comes from surrounding regions must be sufficient to make a great. deal of cloth, The one store with which I deal, in money matters, told mo the other day that they had sold this season: over 200,000 wooden spindles that are used by the country people in spinning their native cotton. They report cotton, peanuts, and sweet potatoes all full crops, Wild Talk, There has been not a little wild talk on the streets about. the review of the northern troops to take place this month at Paotingfu, They say that six kings of great nations are to be present ud that there is sure to be a great war. A Catholic priest moved a few days. ago from a country station to T'aihohsion and closed up the country station, I hear for lack of a sufficient number of priests, and now they report that all the Catholics from the stations at this and Lubsien cities have closed their places and fled! As soon as I went to the country, on @ small wheelbarrow, they reported mo fled. I suppose they would add also that my sister and five children were killed and the place destroyed, since I was alone and only had about 20 or 30 Ibs. of luggage.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.