Suchien, Feb. 22.
Chinese New Year has come and gone, and after two weeks of idleness the shops are open and everyone is settling down to work again. To-day,—the 15th of the first wonth—the country people from carly morning, flocking into town expecting the yearly proce: n. but our Magisttrate thinking discretion was the better part of valour' decided there should be none. A great many plans were tried to persuade him to change his mind, but I heard he would not do so unless there were those who would "guarantee" there would be no trouble. Nobody was brave enough to do this, and so the day has passed without the usual yearly There have been one or two "fracas"? which fortunately did not come to much. On Saturday afternoon some of the Camp soldiers went to the market place, where usually at New Year time they are furnished with all kinds of ainu: ment. They got hold of a nec! maneer and suggested he should entertain them. Acting on orders already received from the Magistrate the yamén_ soldiers decided their wish could not be gratified, and therewith ensued a fight. Your correspondent met five or six of these Camp soldiers guns hand" being taken to the yamen, with a crowd of civilians following. The Magistrate unwittingly provided entertainment for large numbers of amusement seekers: and I understand the Camp soldiers had to hand over $10 per head to the yamen soldiers who had been hurt. This is reported as the finish to this affair. Needless to say report has it the market was soon emptied of both salesmen and purchasers while the fight was going on, and some had their goods badly destroyed.
The motor service looks as if it would be short-lived. The very first day one of them broke down, the other no one seems to know much about.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.