Dr. Arthur Smith, Wee had called at the Roman Catholic premises in Hsian soon after our arrival only to learn that the venerable Bishop, now 71 years of age, was absent at the city of Kading 70 Ji distant, where there was a large school and a chapel.
On the evening of our last day in the city we had a. visit from the man who in the absence of the Bishop was in charge of the establishment. In the course of the conversation he mentioned that he had with him an official document which he said belonged to one of the priests who could read English (but could not speak it), one of the other fathers, however, being reputed to be the master of six languages. On examination this diplomatic curiosity turned out to be the original credentials of Mr. John W. Davis, as Commissioner of the United States of America to China, The document was as follows:
Jastes K, Pour, President of the United States of America, To His Majesty The Emperor of China.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.