From Our Own Correspondent, Lanchowfu, Kan., May 30.
During the past few days, the great annual "trip to the country" of Lanchow people, small ani big, rich and poor, has takengplace. It is a sort of Whitsun holiday, when a general exodus of everyone who can get away from work, with wife and children, or more often, wives and children in groups by themselves, goes on. A great influx of country people is to be found here at the same time. People whose homes are six or 10 days' journey away, make it their time for doing business, or having a holiday in town. And remem ben pi that Lanchow is to them what London or Paris is perhaps to. you. There are modern fashions. Here "things are hum-{ming with life. Here are ever new" wonders, the American iron bridge,- that spans the great Yellow River, ithe electric lights, the telephone, \the siren at the arsenal, the Gov-jemer's demisemi-foreign brass iband, and what not.
Do nat think that our—locad Whitsun holiday means the seaside, or even a run ona railway train for a hundred' miles or so into the country. No, the great interest is in a- prettily located group temples, where theatricals go on in honour of Buddha, whose whose baptizing day is, celebrated here on the eighth day of the fourth moon. As it runs in the Parable Scripture "Buddha subdued six legions. These _confessed themselves worthy of death, but said: 'May Buddha with the water of the Law wash away the impurity of our hearts.' Now we beg the monks to bathe, and wash away impurity of the body."
Around this old custom a great fair has grown up. Toys of all kinds, straw hats of kinds never seen in Europe, beautifully turned wooden utensils and ornaments and eatables and drinks of great variety may be bought. Endless strings of city cloth covered carts. of country straw-matting-covered carts, donkeys, mules and horses. Everywhere people, everywhere noise: whether in the theatre grounds, or among the groups enjoying the shade of the trees around. Such is our gala day!
It seems clear that in spite of the- official extensions and: terrible slump in the exchange, that Lanchow is still rich. To judge by the money spent at the fair, and the pretty bright dress that abound' everywhere, Lanchow is still the Queen of the far northwest.
But, for my part, I confess that I should rather be up in the mountains 10 miles away, among the rustling pine trees, or on the hills that are higher still.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.