Notwithstanding poor crops and canty yield of cotton, general depression' in trade and other conditions over which people sigh, the celebration of the Chinese New Year has passed with all the usual signs of gaiety and feasting.
Loose cash seems plentiful in the pockets of young and old, and catchpenny vendors do well in hawking odds and ends for the holidaymakers, Peace reigns and the amusements in which the people participate are of a very tame and quiet order except when gamblers quarrel and The veneral trend ly distinctly towards the old-fashioned idol worship, and temple theatrical 'The rebuilding of temples, and redecoration of idols continues, chiefly in the villages, and this should be remembered as' sot off against, the wholesale abolition of temples which a few years ago was 0 widely reported.
Honan would hardly be considered fan inviting health resort by some nervous people in these day's of war lords and bandits, but it is a fact that numbers of Shansi people think a desirable province to. repair to at that time, even though they may have no special business in Ww. This is a very strong evidence of the effective measures which Governor Yen continues to pursue to vid the province of opium-smokers.
When it is said that So-and-so is going to Honan, the hearer lifts his eyebrows and whispers or makes an inquiring sign to ask if he still smokes opium, liliand the destination is Shensi, there is ie of thy shoulders' and a query "will such he dare to smuggle opium Smuggling and seizures we hear of continually. On euch ide the campaign is vigorous, We have heard of no further Visits of soldiers or banditti to. the southern boundenes of the province, Twice recently executions have taken place here, and the fact ix widely proclaimed around. Our provincial administration has intention of letting lawlessness get footing in Shansi.
Mails are. much disorganized in. reaching Shansi, and mews comes from the const slowly.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.