"General Lung pretends that he is inclined towards the National-
The Chinese have a saying:—"Lu ta yueh up chu men" ("Don't travel in the sixth and 12th moons.")
The extremes of heat and cold are not the only reasons why long jour-noys are discouraged, there are also the perils of robbers, for whom the high-standing crops provide shelter in the summer, ard in winter, the collectors of accounts before' the New Yenr begins, provide likely material for their operations, 'A farmer had a load of beans to sell and he brought them to Choutsun ina cart. He sent the carter back with the empty cart, keeping the money he had received in Choutsun. When very near the home village, the carter suddenly saw four or five men rush up to him and demand his money. 'They were told that no money' had been brought, Dut insisted on moking a search, their disappointment, they vented their anger on the poor carter, and killed him in a most barbarous manner. They then took the two mules and made off, leaving the art and their victim lying in blood.
Tragic End On reaching another centre, a report was current that a Russian had committed suicide at a village called Shih Chia Kou, over 60 miles north-feast of Choutsun, Tt was said that he borrowed a rope and hanged himself from a tree. I happened to pay a call on the magistrate of the county in which this event occurred and he showed me the passport, and what may have been the final mos: sage of the deceased. He asked me T could translate it, but not _possessing any knowledge of the Rus: sian language, I could not obli was told that the official was very prompt in giving the poor man a decent burial. From all accounts, he appears to have been a soldier, a8 he was in possession of a revolver and wore military clothes.
'A third incident a little out of the,
One day, a church member, who had exdinary, was met with ons tae not been seen for a long time, was standing and smiling at the door of country preaching hall, After a friendly greeting he produced 9 letter which proved to have been sent from Curacao in the Dutch Indies, 'The writer had been at sea for 18 years, and had tried before to send money to his Shantung home, but without success. 'This time,' however, the letter got thr ough, and, on opening it, five clean, crisp, £1, Treasury notes dropped out. The family were quite at a loss as to how to change these notes, but were much relieved when told' that they represented ood money, and would be exchanged by me at the best rate I could obtain. Not having seen any Treasury notes for over seven years, my first impel Tam not ashamed to say, was kiss them.
In conclusion, sometimes that people who write to the papers refer too much to favourable sides of Chines After a long journey in the snow, on arrival at an out-station, nothing could exceed the kind thoughtfulness of the people or the genuine warmth of their welcome. This delightful trait in their character is deserving of the highest commendation.
Most, Jan, 23:—The N.Y.K, str. Omi Maru (3,394 tons) and the N.V.K, steamer Kasuga Maru (3, 492 tons), collided this morning inside the port of Moji. Both vessels were seriously damaged—Reuter. ists but, like the rest, his greatest concern' is for his own interests. In some respects this province not so badly bebay others. For example, there has been no lately to collect the Wa: Since November 1, the 24 per cent. tax has been levied but the additional 24 per cent. on luxuries is left until some future date. It is worth mentioning that the imposition of surtaxes would never have been considered at all had the Yunnan Commissioner for Foreign Affairs. not recently been a guest a 'Nanking, where he absorbed som¢ bright new ideas.'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.