For. one merey we are thankful. On. December 2 came a fall of snow. For weeks there had been no Mhoisture and the precious winter wheat was withering under our. eyes. When.hope was almost gone the some prospect of a wheat harvest next year.
'At the moment grain is cheaper: than it has been for a long' time, bist that is due to fear of possible looting which has caused the merchants to unload their stocks. During the last day or two large numbers of troops have come in from the southeast and it is said the bandits have been driven out from Shangehow and Tungchuchai on the main road to Hupeh, which looks like a retreat in that quarter too. There is persistent talk of peace and the Russian ad-n Manchuria is thought be a powerful motive tending thereto. But there is usually a mid wi ter lull in Chinese military opera. tions and though nearly everybody longs for a settlement few seer io. have any power to fulfil the Christ. mas message of peace on earth and goodwill to men.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.