Officials Bringing in Missionaries to Big Cities from Outlying Towns From Our Own Correspondent.
Fukow, Ho., Sept. 26.
Less than a week ago I wrote a letter saying all was quiet here, but things have moved~ rapidly sinca- then. The first intimation of the coming storm was on Saturday, when we heard bandits reputed to be ex-soldiers of Chang Hsun had crossed over from Anhui and were threatening Chenchow fu and Chowkiakow. They were repulsed at Taiho in Anhui, also at Huattien on the borders, but on Sunday morning at cock crow they gained an entrance into Sihwa and carried off the two ladies, Misses Darroch and Sharp. The news reached us on Monday and of course the city gates were shut.
In the afternoon soldiers came from the west saying the had been sent to escort the foreigners here to a place of safety. As the letter was not in proper order and had no official seal, the mandarin thought it was a ruse of some bandits to get possession of us and came round and told us not by means to go outside the city. The soldiers went away the next morning and now we hear they had been sent by the official at Hsuchow. We are very anxious about the ladies, and heard that they had gone in the direction of Taikang. All were apprehensive about the missionaries there, but so far have had no certain news.
As we hear friends are anxious about us and as- it is said the pandita are coming to-morrow we are going to Hsuchowfu.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.