Spring seems to be trying to break through the winter's cold, but she has been signaljy unsuccessful thus far in her! 1990 career. The long drought of the winter was ended by a season of rain and snow, snow and rain, and then some more, which watered the earth till those who had earnestly prayed for rain would tala have revoked their prayers.
The launches on the canal crepi. along at a snail's pace, scraping bottom during the dry weather only to retain the same speed when the canal became so full that there was danger of a fast-travelling launch causing the water to overflow the banks and flood the ssu: rounding country. Foreign travellers strove to remind themselves that!
"patience is a virtue," and derive comfort, during long hours of enforced idleness, from pondering upon the sad fate of the "man who tried to hurry the East."
A Mess 07 Porripore During the cold weather rice porridge was issued to the mul titude daily from a public kitchen. Every year hundreds of refugees from the north settle in Yangchow through the winter months to receive this benefaction of rice, and in the spring return to their castral acres to tend their crop: Owing to the increase in the price of all commodities, many residents of the city who usually pass their days without benefit of charity. this year took their crocks in hand and received their share of porridge. But there were heart-burnings, and even tears, over the consequent loss of face. A limited quantity of wadded garments was also given out. but not enough to have any visible effect on the poverty-stricken appearance of the city's poor.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.