Nanking, Dec, 2.
A cold wave is sweeping over a wide area in the country, according to reports gathered from" various cities to-day, To the great rejoicing of the farmers in Shensi, heavy snow fell at Sian and its surrounding di {rlets yesterday morning, which has saved the winter crops, half withered by the prolonged drought.
Hsuchow, an. important railway junction in northern Kiangsu, also experienced its frst snowfall yester~
A slight drizzle brought the mercury down to the vicinity of freezing point in Hankow yesterday morning, and the thermometer registered a further drop in the afternoon, when 8 howling wing hit the city.
'A hailstorm, lasting for 30 minutes, struck Wuhu' yesterday morning Contrat News. line up all the foreign residents the own; American, French and Dritish, usually occupying an import ant place on every oficial platform. 'This can be, however, somewhat em-perusing. as a short speech is scme-times called for from. the foreign' visitors. And the Chinese language] has tones and the nervous visitor discovers that the first thing to desert him are these same tones.
Picks up Teashop Gossip Dr. ScheMler having lived in Pel ping, Nanking, Fuchow and Canton; fand come in contact with the leading} lights of the Chinese Republic, had many interesting events and incidents to relate. Unfortunately he has now Picked up a good story against the missionaries in Tachienlu. The con-Sul studied the life of this border town from every angle and the Chinese teashops did not escape his notice. Here the doctor would sometimes sit and browse among the tea drinkers gaining impressions of frontier life difficult to find elsewhere. On' several occasions Dr. Schefller met the grand old man of the border. Cheng Tung-fu. Cheng is now acting under Gen, Lin as Special Commis sioner and is responsible to a certain extent for some 83 districts through out Sikang. Cheng Tung-fu probably has more knowledge of Eastern Tibet than any other official, 'A. scholar of the old type he is} deeply imbued with the Chinese classies and on occasions will leave his official duties behind and take up classes. in normal schools. Ho. has made himself a master of all qiestions relating to Sikang, its history, politics and. religion. He has essed a number of administrations come and go but somehow he is able hold office and_pass on his knowledge of Sikang to each succeeding generation of new Chinese officials.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.