The other day the presence of a visitor from England gave the occasion to attend the Sunday morning meeting of the Confucian "Heart-Washing Assembly." We were late and missed the solemn minutes of silent heart-searchings rumour says that this part of the service is cut fairly short these days. The official had just concluded a statement of his views on the financial] value of brides. A few years ago the officially recog-! nized "gift" to the bride's parents was of three grades, viz., Tls. 24, Tls. 36 and Tls. 48. Now, however, when weddings are seldom possible} under $150, and range up to $800 or more, the authorities wish to make marriage more possible for the middle classes by fixing the price (!) at about $140.
The next speaker was the gentleman in charge of the services. His topic was self-culture and he took his text from a combination of two-character phrases from Confucius, Mencius and Lao Kum.
We next flew from the heights of moral philosophy, to the mundane topic of silk-worms and mulberry leaves, the lecturer from the Agricultural Bureau pointing out that no crop was anything like so remunerative, Lesiy axp Conevervs.
Doubtless many of your readers Drug Habit who have not had an opportunity of seeing a_heart-washing assembly From Our Own Correspondent. in modern Shansi will be interested to know that such an oration was} Kiangchow, Shan., Mar. 27. even possible—given by a pai Nothing seems more prominent in lecturer of the Government. We the officio] mind these days than hope this is exceptional, but inthe problem of "the little golden quiries only elicit the anewer that pill." Everybody speaks of it and the public lecturers are at liberty there is ample evidence that the to chose their own topics, and authorities are on the warpath methods in educating and enlighten-regarding this drug habit which is ing the people. regarded as the most formidable It is only fair to add that the enemy yet encountered. Recently weekly printed sermon only refers a special commissioner from the to the exposition of the Classics Governor is said to have retwned and kindred subjects. We have some cities as having 20 to 50 per not noticed political harangues be-cent. of their shops under suspicion ing given further publicity by rein connexion with illicit sale or use producing them in the bulletin. of these pills. Here a fresh campaign of publicity has been started by the official. Walls everywhere
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.