From Our Own Correspondent, Huaking, Ho., July 7.
Almost three days and nights of gentle rainfall has brought a smile of contentment to the face of the sun-tanned farmer. About a month of very dry weather followed the scanty wheat harvest. All cereals increased from 20 to 20 per cent in price. Rain processions Were becoming the order of the day. The rain gods were carried out from the cool shade of the temples and after a fresh coat of red paint had been applied to their already reddened faces, they were left in the hottest part of the street to scorch in thy blazing hot sun, until they—for their own sake at least—should compel ihe rain to come.
The Motor Company, after securing the right exclusively to run @ motor service from the Yellow River bridge to Huaiking, Chinghua and Tsiyuan, have ceased their car service altogether because of.incompetent' management. The drivers do not know how to take care of the cars while driving, and no provision made to have efficient mechani to repair cars when nee Hence, the total breakdown of the service, after sinking over $10,000 in the enterprize. Some members of the company claim they were cheated, in that they paid first-class prices for second-class cars made over. However, they still seem to have some money left and these are the ones who seem fo know how best to spend it in opium and_ riotous living.
Since the time that ancient his-was in the making a medicine fair has been held in this district. There is a large tract of several mow of land left vacant after the wheat harvest is reaped. and on this ea the great, fair is held under canvas every year. Crowds gather from Peking and Tientsin on the north, and Hankow and Shanghai on the south, end from equal di tances to the east and the wes Big wholesale medicine companies send their representatives to. make purchases of large quantities for shipment to large centres. The largest quantities of medicine for sale comes from the mountains to the north and west, on the Shansi_ borders: These natives bring all sorts of native medicines from the largest tiger-claws to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.