The Sunday Oregonian., December 27, 1908, SECTION TWO, Page 2, Image 12

THE SUNDAY OREGOM'AX. PORTLAND, DEOE3IBER 27, 190S.
HORRIBLE LIFE OF
CHINESE WIVES
Sultan of Turkey's Despotic Rule Is Nearing Its End
French Woman Who Married
Celestial Diplomat Rends
'the Veil.
REDUCED TO MERE SLAVES
After Being Rescued hy Mother and
Obtaining Divorce She Describes
'Life of Degradation of the
Chinese. - Women.
PARIS. Dec. 13. (Special.) Miss Marie
IVnenx, very beautiful young woman
nd a student of Oriental history and
literature. lias. Just been granted a di
vorce In France from a Chinese diplo
mat. S!i g Ling, formerly of the Chinese
embassy. She has written for the press
her weird experiences in the Celestial
Kmplre. and the details are not only stir
ring but revolting. During the hearing
in court there were many demonstrations
of sympathy for the young woman that
at intervals interrupted the proceedings.
Mian Deneux is emphatic In cautioning
American or European girls against en
tering Into marital alliances with nations
of the Far East. Whether In palace or
hovel, the wife, she declares. Is not re
garded much better than the more Im
portant domestic animals. This Is the
sad narrative of her deplorable expert
China's Crnel Proverb.
-o one but an oriental should ever
marry a man of the Orient. Six yeara
of torment as the wife of one of the
highest 'of the Chinese dignitaries has
convinced me that a girl would much
better he in her grave In her own coun
try than the inmate of a palace in any
country of the East, and particularly in
China.
The rrue proverb. "A Chinese woman
marries, hut a Chinaman only takes
wife." sums up the horrible situation.
which, from the day of the ceremony
until death, is a long. Interminable sla
very.
On our wedding journey to China my
husband was a model bridegroom. He
was attentive, chivalrous, even romantic.
It was only when we reached Pikin and
I greeted my husband's relatives that
there was borne in upon me the truth
that In China there Is no romance, and
that no Chinese has ever felt an impulse
or chivalry. Arrived upon his own shores,
the veneer of European or American cus
tom drops away from him and he stands
in his pristine ugliness.
Her Welcome to "Palace."
When I stepped across the threshold
of the palace in which my husband's
family lived for two and a half cen
tunes, a hideous old hag led me across
a smoldering fire of straw at the door
muttering' sobid silly. Indecent doggerel
between her toothless gums.
Into the hiiae iriuln room of the pal
ace I was led, expecting that my hus
band's mother would come forth to em
brace and welcome me. Instead, they
pointed to some ugly pictures on the
wall, and my husband whispered to me
that 1 was to kneel and say prayers
before each of them. I was in brief to
worship his ancestors.
This mummery completed. I had to pass
before a long lino 01 more cr less de
crepit relatives and ' to bow low. my
forehead touching the floor before each
of theni. In my Parisian traveling cos
tume this was torture to body as well
as to spirit. And the absurd custom I
had to repeat every morning of the six
dreary years I spent In the palace.
Little Higher Than Slaves.
The second day under the ancient roof
I learned that 1. as daughter-in-law. oc
cupied a place a little higher than the
slaves of the palace. I was my mother-
in-law waiting maid. My first duty in
the morning was to go to her door and
learn what was "ner pleasure for the day.
I transmitted her orders to the lower
servants. Then I helped her to dress
then I wtnt belou to worship the an
cestors and kowtow to the seniors. livery
person in the family who was older than
myself were entitled to my homage.
My youngest sister-in-law. 2, months
older than myself, exacted it with the
rtst. ' Once, exasperated beyond endur
ance. I slyly pulled cne of her pigtails
as I bent my forehead to the floor re
forj her. and I was punished by not being
allowed to eat for three days. There,
again, one of the co'd-blooded proverbs
on which Chinese husbands are reared
was applied. '"Never believe what your
wife says about your sister." That Pink
Hyacinth had pinched me at tea and
had placed a bug in my bowl of rice he
would no: believe, because she was his
sister and I was only his wife.
All Chinese Beat Wives.
I had been married six months when I
learned that wife-boating is an almost
universal practice In China. It had
seemod to me absurd that when women
from. other lands visited us my sister-in-law
would lean forward over the little
tea tables and eagerly ask: "Does your
husband beat you?" I had even argued
with several -of them about it. That
5s. I had protested, for they would not
argue. They instantly relapsed into
enigmatic silence - and looked at each
other, but not at me. Then one day.
literally, the- blow fell. Jly husband was
In an ill-humor. We had a trifling dis
pute. He struck me, and I. in ruge and
pain bevond words, trying to defend
myself, flung my hnnd out at him and
it glazed his face. He looked like a man
who had suddenly lost his reason. He
dashed toward the wit-dow of the palace
as though he would call some one. Then
ne locked hack at me. Irresolute, white
with indignation and amazement.
; Crime to Strike Husband.
"Do yoj know that if I but call for
help you will receive 1X blows with, a
bamboo club?" said he.
"For what?" I asked.
"For lifting your hand against your
husband."
"But you struck me your wife."
Again that white look of amazement
and Incredulity, as if he thought I had
gone suddenly mad.
"What would happen if I called some
one and said you had tried to beat me?"
1 asked.
"Nothing would happen," he calmly
and insolently returned. "A man may do
anything he wishes with his wife. If he
tires of her he may sell her. He may
even kill her by the law of China."
All of which I lecrned was quite true.
It is an accepted truth In China that a
wife should never be seen outside her
own home. I lived In an old house sur
rounded by a park, and was never per
mitted oncj to go beyond the park. In
all respects I was a prisoner.
Despised Because Child Girl.
When my child vas born I was more
than ever despised by my husband's
family. The little one wit a girl. That
gave my husband the right by law to
take another wife. I was. the chi, or
principal wife, but the word principal wai
i "V n.. If y- Mi . fw - -a f-..-. .
l - V 4 ijt i ' 9 I -1 - I ''-'-5' -:'-:'' 4
r. I tli ill")3 I 4 J
' Ail ! --1 Jii - u.j is f I I i I - t
ir 0 ii i S f i f'pi'
N
EW YORK. Dec. 26. (Special.)
This portrait of the Sultan has
Just been received from Constantinople.
It is the only authentic likeness extant
of the dread old man of the TUdlz
Kiosk. It Is contrary to his religion to
be photographed. He was pictured
when quite young; but he has never
been photographed since and until this
picture was made nothing existed which
would give a clear idea of the appear
ance of Abdul-Hamld II. With the por
trait comes the report that the Sultan's
reign is near an end that the party
an absurd mockery: The next wife was
secured by purchase and was nominally
w'lat is called a secondary wife, an In
ferior, or a concubine. But the term did
not matter. My husband pr;ferred her
society to mine, and she knew it, and
In subtle ways she exulted ovar me.
When, in a year, he brought home still
another inferior wife. It was the turn
of the third to exult over the rest of us.
I:i China a man can take as many wives
as he likes if those preceding do not
bear hiru a son.
Rescued by Mother.
He had brought home a fourth, when
at last my rebellion became open, for
my mother arrived. Fhe had eome all
the way from Paris In answer to a heart
broken letter I had at last smuggled out
to her. She called with the French min
ister and took me away. Had she called
alone I believe she would have been slain
and her body hidden in the cellar be
neath the palace, where, I believe, are
other graves not Included in the cate
gory of ancestors.
When I came away they would not
permit me to tring my child. But they
had taken her from me long before. She
did not seem part of me. She never
loved me. B.'en to her I was a despised
alien. Al any rate. I should rot want
to let her feel In France the alien that I
felt I was in China. So fr.r as one whose
heart is broken can be so I am content.
And thus closes the pitiful story of
blighted hopes and a wrecked life, show
ing there can be no marital union of the
Hist and the West.
FRENCH JOKE; NOW LAUGH
But Don't Try It Here,
for It
Might Fall.
PARIS. Dee. 26. The Parisians have a
new catch-word which is the equivalent
of "If you want to know the time, ask a
policeman. ox meet a friend upon the
boulevards. "What time is it? ' "I'll
telephone and see." he answers. The
Joke was hatched by M. Sacha Gultry in
little two-act farce produced at the
Theater Antoine. The clock has stopped.
One of the characters catches up the
telephone book, picks out a name at haz
ard, rings up its owner, asks him the
time, and then rings off.
The notion was so new, and so absurdly
aggravatingly possible, that the house
rocked with laughter, and telephoning for
the time has become one of the favorite
jokes of Paris.
Editor Charged With Sedition.
CALCUTTA, Dee. 26. (Special.) The
Government Advocate has filed a com
plaint in the Court of the District Magis
trate. Allahabad, charging Babu Ram
Hart, editor, printer and publisher of
"Swarjya." with sedition in respect of
two articles . entitled. respectively.
'Bomb and Boycott" and "The Tyrant,
i Political Ode.V which appeared in
that paper. - Shantl Narayan. a former
editor of this vernacular paper, la at
present undergoing a sentence of three
and a half yearss" rigorous Imprisonment
on two charges of sedition.
Dance every Tues. eve., Riugler's HalL
of "Union and Progress" does not trust
him and will not be satisfied that the
recent reforms are permanent until he
leaves the throne. The question of the
succession is a matter of doubt. Abdul
Hamld II is the o4th in male descent
of the house of Othman, founder of the
Turkish Empire. He Is the 28th Sultan
since the conquest of Constantinople.
By the law of succession, the throne
would descend to the oldest male de
scendant of Othman sprung from the
imperial harem. The oldest brother of
the Sultan, Rechad Effendi, is heir to
the throne.
This portrait of Rechad Effendi and
his brothers was made many years ago.
SHOT FOR REVENGE
Bengali Police -Detective
Victim of Assault.
Is
MASTER CRAFT DISPLAYED
Officer Who Was Active Against
Xative Conspiracy Tracked Down
by Thugs and Riddled
AVlth Hail of Lead.
CALCUTTA, Dec. it. Two days after
tlie attempt on the life of Sir Andrew
Fraser. Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal,
Detective-Inspector Nundo Lall Bannerjl
was shot in Serpentine Lane, Calcutta.
Apparently the whole affair had been
well thought out and carefully planned.
That the assassins were able to carry
out their design in a congested part of
the town at a time when there were a
number of persons moving about points
to their baing able to rely upon a safe
refuge not far from the scene of their
crime; for. although the attack was made
at a cross-road, and at 7 o'clock in the
evening, the miscreants appear to have
been able to get away comfortably.
Inspector Bannerji lived in Kerant
Bagan. a locality almost at the back of
the Church of Scotland Zenana Mission,
about 100 yards in the direction of Seal
dah from the Junction of St. James street
with Bow Bazaar street. He had been
writing a letter which he was anxious
to post, and set out to post it himself.
His assassins, lurking about, with fire
arms concealed under their garments,
followed him quickly, and overtook him
at the crossing of Serpentine Lane and
Keranl Bagan Lane. Ostensibly the two
men were ordinary 'pedestrians who were
walking faster than Bannerjl, and as
they came abreast of the inspector one
of the miscreants fired- a revolver at
close range point blank Into his right
sido Just below the armpit, the bullet
passing through the body and coming out
on the left side. As the unfortunate man
dropped to the ground several shots were
fired at him. Leaving their victim wel
tering in his blood, the men turned to
the west and ran down Serpentine Lane,
and that is the last that anyone saw of
them..
The deceased had received one wound
at the back of his head, one in the mid
dle of the back and one on each shoul
der; In fact.his back was simply riddled
with bullet wounds. twh!le he had also
received a shot in the left hip. All
the shots, with the exception of the last
named, had been tired at him from be
hind, and at such close quarters that the
clothes he was wearing were singed.
Little is known about him. He is re-'
puted to be a man of education and
liberal views. But this may be merely
legendary. It Is, In fact, impossible to
say whether Rechad Is still in the land
of the living. If he Is the Sultan is
not above making away with his
brother if he thought he was likely to
succeed him on the throne. He is com
monly accused of having done away
with two other brothers. Nor is fra
tricide the worst crime charged against
him. It is believed that his eldest son,
Mehemmid-Seltm Effendi, is either dead
or a prisoner in the palace. In fact,
rumor has it that he is locked up in a
room next the apartments of the Sul
Then more shots were fired some ac
counts say three and others four and
five in quick succession. The sound of
the shots quickly brought a crowd of
people to the place, and Just before the
spark of life flickered out Nundo Lall
was heard to say, "Inform my brother at
102 Serpentine Lane."
Inspector Bannerji had no doubt been
"marked down" by the conspirators on
account of the part he played in the dis
covery of Dhinish Roy. the Muzafferpur
murderer. Dhinish Roy went across
country, and finally took rail for Moka
mah Station, on the East Indian Rail
way. On the way he was met and
drawn into conversation with the young
Bengali Inspector of Police. .Just as he
arrested his man the latter shot himself
dead.
Inspector Bannerji received a money re
ward, and was shortly afterward trans
ferred on promotion from' the Bengal po
lice to the Bengal criminal investigation
department, and finally found himself in
Calcutta.
BIG HAT CAUSES TROUBLE
Three Men Needed to Get It Out
of a Theater.
PARIS. Dec. 26. (Special.) Judging
from recent decisions In the courts, there
Is now little sympathy with the wearers
of matinee hats. A woman who described
herself as a baroness, but who was really
a plain madam, attended a popular music
hall, and when she took possession of an
orchestral stall It was soon discovered
by those sitting behind her that the large
hat she was wearing concealed a part of
the stage. The familiar cry. "Chapeau,
chapeau." was shouted from the pit. But
the "baroness" was not in the least dis
turbed by it.
An attendant Invited her to remove her
hat, but she took no notice of him. Then
an inspector appeared on the scene. The
woman with the large hat ignored him
also. Finally it was found necessary to
employ a brigadier to expel the "baron
ess" and her hat. Then she made
use of an expression which baronesses
do not usually employ. In consequence
of this remark she was summoned to ap
pear before the Eighth Chamber of the
Tribunal, which yesterday fined her 15.
BAR "NEAR CHAMPAGNE"
French Government Limits Output
of Real "Bubble-Water."
PARIS. Dec. 26. The Council of
State has unanimously decided to "de
limit" the champagne district. As the
result of this decision only wine made
in the greater part of the Department
of the Marne, as well as Chateau
Thierry and Solssons, will in future
be entitled to the name of champagne.
It Is hoped that this step .will mark
the beginning of greater prosperity for
the champagne Industry, which is said
to have suffered greatly, not only from
natural causes, but from the practice
of importing inferior wines entitled
"champaigne" after a short sojourn in
the district.
tan. The Sultan's other brothers, too.
are never seen and whether they still
live is a matter of doubt. So the legal
title to the throne is in doubt in case
of the death or dethronement of the
Sultan.
The Sultan counts on his Grand Vi
zier Kiamil Pasha to placate his ene
mies and postpone his downfall. He
showed his usual acuteness In the ap
pointment of Kiamil. Twice before Kia
mil had been Grand Vizier. When the
recent bloodless revolution occurred, the
Sultan tried two Grand Viziers, keep
ing Kiamil in his Cabinet without any
portfolio. He was finally obliged to
restore Kiamil to his old position.
FOUi Br HOVIHe PICTURE
BULGARIAN". RECOGNIZES LOST
BROTHER ON SC1JEEN.
Scene of Paris Balloon Race Gives
Clew and Mano Mailer Opens
Correspondence.
NEW YORK, Dec. 26. (Special.)
Through the medium of a moving-picture
show R. J. Mailer, a Bulgarian civil and
mining engineer, recently learned the res
idence of his youngest brother, whom for
three years he had been unable to com
municate with. Mr. Mailer one day went
Into a -theater where moving pictures were
aelng displayed. The picture man threw
upon a screen a description of a balloon
race in Paris. He gazed at the lifelike
scene presenting the members of the club
assisting in gsttlng ready for an ascen
sion. Suddenly among the members he
noticed one of the figures. Mailer gasped
and stood erect, and was shouted at by
the audience, who admonished him to "Sit
down!" But he disobeyed the command.
On the contrary, he rushed to the man
ager and begged that the scene be aifain
projected upon the screen, explaining that
he was confident that he had recognized
one of the commissaries wearing a badge
upon his arm as his youngest brother.
Mano Mailer, of whom he had lost track
for three years.
The manager told him that it was im
possible to repeal the pictures at that
time. He advised Mr. Mailer to com
municate with the company owning the
picture film, who would undoubtedly af
ford him an opportunity of examining the
photographs. Mr. Mailer followed the
manager's advice, and next day was In
formed that the pictures were to be ex
hibited -that night in a moving-picture
theater In Houston street. He went to
the place and besought the manager to
permit him to have the picture stopped
when the figure Mailer supposed was
that of his brother should be reached.
Then Mailer recognized his brother. The
face was turned toward him in such a
manner as to permit of no mistake. He
had only to communicate with the offi
cials of the club to obtain his address.
Correspondence followed, and wittiin a
few days mutual friends have assured
Mr Mailer that his brother is alive, pros
perous and happy. He is at present ab
sent from Paris, but upon his return will
be put In possession of his brother's New
York address. 3fi0 Broadway.
Mano Mailer came In-to notice in 1905
through his pronouncing Agostini Rinal
do. who stirred Europe with a pretended
unknown tongue which he claimed to
speak to the exclusion of any other, a
fraud. After Rinaldo had nonplussed the
savants of Paris and all Europe, Mano
Mailer tested his language and found
that it was a mixture of French and Sla
vonic, dialects, and so confounded the
fraud that he confessed.
Soon after this episode Mano Mailer
went upon his travels. Always devoted
to aeronautics, he returned to Paris and
engaged in business at la Rue Legendre.
SELZ SHOES "TREAD IN"
You probably never noticed it, but n shoe that throws the
weight of the body to the inside of the foot "treads in'" is
one that wears better.
That's a point for the Selz Footform last; and every Sek
last is made on the general measurements of the Footform : the'
styles differ, but they all fit perfectly.
For comfort and wear ask for Selz Royal Blue shoe. $3.50,
$4.00, $5.00.
INDIANS BOYCOTT AUSTRIA
MOSLKMS AT CALCUTTA DIS
CARD If ATKU FKZZES.
Europeans Blamed for Turkey's
Loss of Trade and
Prestige.
CALCUTTA, Dec. 26. Since the In
uguration of the Swadeshi movement
the Hindu and Moslem leaders of Cal
cutta have held Hindu and Moslem so
cial gatherings on the Id day. the great
Mohammedan festival. This year an
Id reunion was held in the house of
Lieutenant-Colonel 17. N. Mukherji. I.
M. S. (retired). Invitations to the
gathering were Issued In the names of
Abdul Kasul. Abdul Hallm Gaznavl,
barrister-at-law, and Babu Krishna
Kumar Mitter, editor of the Sanjibani.
Babu Nityananda Shaha, who Is a
small cause court pleader and a noted
gymnast and trapezlst, came with his
gymnastic and concert parties, and en
tertained the large audience with mu
sic and gymnastic and balancing feats.
National songs were put on two of Mr.
Gaznovi's gramophones. Dr. Abdul Gaf-
fur distributed Nurjahan attar and
rosewater. and birl (indigenous cigar
ettes) and betel were supplied by Mr.
Mtikhri himself.
Moulvl Abdul Hossain said they had
met there to do good to the country.
and not to fight with anybody. If
they fought nt all they would not fight
with physical weapons; their fight
would be a religious and bloodless
fight. Passive resistance was their
only weapon. He told nis hearers that
he used to wear Austrian fezzes. but
had now discarded them for Swadeshi
caps, and further said that by the or
der of the Caliph (Sultan of Constanti
nople, and by the united voice of the
Turks, fezzes and enameled articles
had been boycotted by all Moslems be
cause they were made in Austria, the
people of which country were trying
to harass the Turks.
NO PIANO; PRIDE; SCENE
Domestic Drama Nearly Disrupts
Parisian Reception.
PARIS, Dee. 26. The curious fact
that since Mile' Fallieres' marriage
there has been no piano at the Presi
dent's palace, the Klysee, caused an
embarrassing scene, says the Vie Pa
rlsienne. one evening during the King
Cr
A rheumatic picked up a live
wire that had fallen In the street
and received a powerful shock.
He wasn't hurt by the Jolt, but
It knocked out his rheumatism
and he walked away leaving his
crutch where it fell.
Every day brings new proof
of the wonderful curative power
of electricity. People who had
dosed themselves with drugs for
years, without getting more than
temporary relief, have found a
lasting cure in this great rem
dy of nature.
Very few would care to take
chances on getting cured by hold
ing a heavily charged wire.
There is no need for doing so.
The best results are to be had
by using a milder current and
applying it just where it is
needed.
Electro-Vigor is a scientific
, body battery which infuses a
steady, unbroken stream of elec
tric life into your nerves and
vitals while vou sleep. Its In
fluence Is powerful, yet soothing
and pleasant. It does not shock
or blister.
Electro-Vigor is not an electric
belt. It requires no charging,
for it makes its own power.
Electro-Vigor will drive out
your pains and aches, renew your
Cured
By
Cor. 7th and Washington Sts.
of Sweden's visit. A well-known' op
eratic star had been engaged to sing,
and M. Massenet, the eminent composer,
had consented, in honor of the presence
of the King and Queen, to accompany
her. Suddenly it was remembered that
there was no piano In the palace, and
In a great hurry an instrument was
borrowed during dinner. It proved to
be a cheap instrument, and M. M.'is
senet disgustedly refused to play. on It.
On this Mme. Fallieres requesled an
other well-known musician who was
present. M. Isidore de Lara, to accom
pany the singer, and this he did, as
the theatrical advertisements say, "at
a moment's notice."
SCIONS FAMOUS FAMILIES
Descendants of Moslem Generals in
Turkish Parliament.
ATHENS. Greece, Dec. SC.-tSpecial.)
Two members of the new Turkish Par
liament. Rohl KnTendi el KhalMa and
Said Effendi. who have been elected for ,
the Ctty of Jerusalem, belong to two of
the oldest families in the Islamic world.
One of these families, the Huselnl clan,
claims descent from Husein, the son of
All, whose father, Abou Talih. was the
Prophet's guardian and protector. The .
Khalidl clan, which Is the other great
rival family In Palestine, Is descended
from Khalid, the famous Arab General
who subdued Damascus and took Jeru
palem in the reijrn- of Omar. If good
blood, therefore, counts for anything in
political life, the two M. P.s for thu
Holy City have been well chosen. Their
families have for ages past been In the
habit of ruling; and this, too, is a strong
point in their favor.
LONDON FOLK PROVINCIAL
Fail to Widely Know Noted Visitors
From Other Shores.
LONDON". Deo. 26. Ignorance of the
presence of celebrated people In their
midst is as characteristic of Londoners
as it is of New Yorkers. Only last year,
when Mark Twain was the central lig
ure In England, the greatest of living
Americans drove down Fleet street In
a pony trap, and though his big white
head challenged attention, nobody re
alized who he was. Hardly any of the
present members of the Hrltlsli Min
istry are recognized In their walks
about the city. Only last month a
roughly bearded man came out of a
teashop in Parliament street, and In
his hand was a paper bag from which
lie begun to eat buns. It was the
Duke of Norfolk. Premier Peer and
Ear! Marshal of England, but nobody
knew him.
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