Entering A Forbidden City

Some curiotís details are glven in , era from mlsslonarles In regard to the vlslt of a Germán traveler. Dr. Wolfe, to Chang-8ha, the capital oí Hunan, whlch never before had been entered by a foreigner. It seems that the doctor gained hls point and entered the forbidden city. but hls visit was a mere farce, as he was not permltted to go about in the city or to, sea any oí its features. He símply was carried Ín a closed chalr to the prefect's room In one of the government íialls, where he was entertalned with refreshments, and an hour later was taken back swlftly in the same w&y. Hunan Is the province of China which has gained notoriety as the most bltterly antl-foreign and antl-Chrietian of any in the empire. For years the mandarín in charge of the telegraph service attempted to connect Chaait-Sha wlth the other large cities of China, but he was torced to glve up, as the ieople burned hls poles and threw the workmen Into the nearest river or pond. Only three years ago an effort was made to run the telegraph line to Siberia through one corner of Hunan, but nafiive prejudice was stlll so strong that the wire and poles were destroyed and the workmen were i driven beyond the boundary of the provlnce and warned under pain of death not to return. It is only wlthin the last year that an Imperial decree was issued ordering the Hunanese not to molest the builders of the telegraph. It is expected that Chang-Sha In a few montñs will be connected wtth the rest of the world by telegraph. It was at Chang-Sha th&t the atrocioue books attacklng the Christian reMgion were published about elght years ago. Chou Han, a llterary gradúate and a man of meana, was the author of these libela on Christlanity, which were lllustrated wlth pictures too vile to describe. Dr. Grifflth John, a well-known mlssionary, exposed the authorshlp of the books, and descrlbed the publlsher who was sendlng them out. Through Li Hung Chang an imperial decree was secured prohlbiting any further puWication of the books, and an order was issued for the destruction of the wooden type f rom which they were Drlnted. This raer was evaded by Chou Han remov ing the type to hls country place, fortyflve miles away, but a curious feature of the matter was the change of heart on the part of Chou Han. Dr. John sent him letters calling hls attention to the injustices of attacking a religión of which he knew nothing personally. He also sent Chou Han the Blble In Chinese, with considerable literatura that explained the chief tenets of Christianity. Chou Han made no reply, but hls publisher, who is now one of Dr. John's friends, assured the misslonary that Chou Han had ceased to rail against the Christian religión, though the story of nis conversión was with1 out foundation. Chou Han appears to be a min of much nobility of character, for he has glven atvay in charity the greater part of a large fortune, retainlng only a small farm sufficient for the support of himself and his son. Formerly when he visited Chang-Sha he put up at one of the temples; now he stays at a cheap hotel. It is the eral opinión that Dr. Wolfe's persistsnce in entering Chang-Sha has aroused the enmity of the pcople, and that bis condact will make It more difficult for any other traveler to penétrate into the Interior of Hunan. Dr. Wolfe waited fifteen days for permission to enter Chang-Sha, and on March 19 thia was granted. ín a cloaed chair he was aken through the gate at 3:45 p. m., and at 5:45 p. m. he was brought out n the same way, his chair curtains jeing let down all around so that he was in absolute darkness, unable to see anything. After leaving Chang-Sha he went to Heng-Chou, where a street mob ooted at him and pelted him with :lods of earth. They tried to pull him iown to the water to drown him, but he escaped and reached Lyntang. There bis three bearers became alarmed at the violence of the people and deserted alm. Left alone, with no knowledge sf the language, Dr. Wolfe was forced to make hls way by water back to