them.

The taste of power brought drunkenness and the thirst for more. The work of their hands had wrought triumphant demolition back there in Hell's Kitchen, the foetid Kitchen, whose foulness had never oppressed them until tonight, and the multiplied voice of their command had struck down the hand of the city's authority.

Already they had tired of watching the swift devouring of rotten frame houses, and of the scurrying population which came out of their depths and fled. It was late; morning would soon be upon them, and they had yet to get the negro Turford. They were going to burn him in the public square. He had killed Uncle Joe.

They left the crackling furnace behind. them, and when they were gone, the fireengine made its way once more across the tracks, by quiet streets and with no obtrusive clatter of gong, lest the thing get beyond control and respectable Fallsburg be offered up on the same altar as the Kitchen. Another engine joined it there, and, little by little, stubbornly slow, the flaring beacon of the Kitchen subsided into smoking black embers.

Back to the county jail the crowd swarmed in a resistless torrent-no indecision now-and with them they bore a formidable log as a battering ram for the door. Sheriff Rawlins, waiting behind it, had faded into a legend. Farley seized one of the five gallon cans and drenched the piled fagots with kerosene; others dragged up the log, steadied it, and rushed.

Under the first onslaught the jail door quivered and stood firm, but from above a deluge of shot poured down upon them, and they dodged back grunting like nipped animals. A voice went up in derision.

"Duck shot! Ah, what'r yeh 'fraid of? Twicet more, 'n we've got 'em. One-two -three!"

The rattle of shots and the thunder of the log came as one sound, but as they retreated, smarting, stinging, cursing fretfully, there was a two-inch gape at the lower hinge, and a long split from the middle showed what had done it. But for that and the fury in them they would have hung back, cowed by the lashing fire from above.

"Once more!" It was Farley's voice.

Remember Uncle

"Remember Hansee!
Joe! One-two-three!"

This time the door went down with a screech of splitting wood. The foremost fell forward with the rush of it, hot pressed by those behind, scrambled up and poured through the opening.

Sheriff Rawlins was not there. A quiet corridor stretched before them, with the scared and excited faces of prisoners peering from the cells. Midway

was Warden Cale, apparently unarmed, standing against the wall and watching them. They jostled him roughly, and a revolver was thrust close to his face. "We want that nigger."

"He's in Cell Three, below."

The

The Sinclair County jail was an old building, made in the days when the law considered the punishment of the criminal, but gave little concern to his psychic influences or hygienic conditions. underground cells were not particularly nice, nor were they often used now, but it was in one of these, scenting trouble to come, that they had put the negro Turford.

Down the narrow stairs the crowd struggled, the foremost apprehensive of ambush below, and those in the rear pushing them resistlessly, but the cellar of the county jail was as quiet as the upper corridor. There was Cell Three, and a kerosene lamp, swung on a bracket from the corridor wall, sent yellow rays down. through the bars on the man they wanted, a crouching figure huddled in the back of the little cell and peering out at them with rolling eyes of terror.

"A-a-a-a-a-a-a-h!"

At the sight of him their rage foamed again, and they came on with a howl of triumph.

"Stand back!" It was Sheriff Rawlins' voice booming above their own like a cannon above the rattle of musketry, and it commanded. "One moment, boys, and then you can do as you please."

He had moved into the circle of light beneath the lamp, and his leveled revolver held them half way. On the floor beside him, just in front of Cell Three, stood a squat box, the like of which some of them had seen before. Deputy Bergen came out of the shadows in the rear, and with the most gingerly precaution handed

over a lighted taper. Then he jerked away and vanished in the shadows again. Under the steady light of the lamp and the flicker of the taper, the box was a sinister thing, a menace to flee from, filled to the brim with black powder. Sheriff Rawlins spoke again.

"I guess you all know powder when you see it, and if you have any doubts, I think I know a way to convince you. Now before you come any closer, you just look at this box and think what it means. It means for one thing that I'm Sheriff of Sinclair County. At first move to lay hands on the prisoner I'll touch off this powder and blow up the whole jail and every son-of-a-gun in it, including myself. Take your choice."

He watched them with narrowing eyes as they shrank involuntarily away from him, and his fearsome weapon of wholesale slaughter. In the cell the negro was whispering unintelligibly to himself, a hideous sibillance of terror, rasping into the silence.

The hand with the taper moved a few inches nearer the chest.

"For God's sake, Sheriff!"

The terror broke on them. They crowded back precipitately, falling over one another in their frantic scramble for the stairs, pushing, tramping, cursing anything to get out.

Sheriff Rawlins smiled. He could afford to. Already the early flush of dawn. was paling the world outside, and only a few seconds before his sharp ears had

The press in a score of States featured the Fallsburg riot and the magnificent rashness of Sheriff Rawlins' last stand in the cellar of the county jail, and they photographed the Sheriff in every posture in which that embarrassed official could possibly be caught. Fame came in a night to Sheriff Rawlins, and to Fallsburg, too, but to Fallsburg it came with a difference.

duck

In four weeks' time the negro Turford paid his penalty for the murder of Uncle Joe Babcock, for under the lash of unflattering notoriety, Sinclair County bestirred herself to virtuous action, and not the least among the results of her holy zeal were the fines that came dripping steadily in from numerous citizens of Fallsburg, convicted of participating in a riot. Some of the culprits were identified with humiliating accuracy by the shot embedded in their skins. There were those among the wiseacres who said that, between these and the leaders in Sinclair County, whose high seats had been unpleasantly jarred by the force of recent disclosures, the career of Sheriff Tom Rawlins as a politician would end with his term of office. Well, that may be. sibly we don't understand the inner workings of these things. But we do know that he was re-elected last autumn by a speaking majority.

Pos

T IS NOT the intention of the writer to enter into any consideration of China in its political aspect, but merely to give expression to the impressions formed of that interesting race, the Chinese, after a residence among them of some years; their emergence from the chrysallis of exclusiveness in which they enveloped themselves long ages ago, their commercial instincts and methods of doing business, and a few hints. upon other kindred subjects, which may prove of interest, and possibly of some benefit, to those who contemplate entering into commercial relations with them.

When it is borne in mind that China contains a population of about four hundred and fifty millions, or approximately one-third that of the whole earth, it must be apparent that any general movement among so vast a number is bound to make itself felt in a greater or less degree by the remaining two-thirds. And that a movement of great significance is now arousing the masses of China into an activity never hitherto displayed must be manifest to the most casual observer. By some it is commented upon with gloomy forebodings, while others-among whom are the majority of those engaged in the Oriental trade-take a strongly optimistic view of the change.

With China for a theme, embracing even but a cursory consideration of a people possessing such bewildering peculiarities, one scarcely knows where to begin. Peopled by a race whose chronological history reaches backward into past millenniums, a civilization whose medieval period was, probably, co-eval with that of the siege of Troy, a people who only now are begin

ning to turn their faces from the setting towards the rising sun-to live in the present, and not in the dead past-perhaps a retrospective glance may not be deemed amiss.

After the completion of the Great Wall, some two hundred years before the Christian era-an undertaking considered to be one of the most stupendous ever conceived and successfully accomplished, and except the Pyramids of Egypt, probably the most ancient monument of human labor extant the Chinese, having now erected an insurmountable barrier extending along the immense length of their northern frontier, and feeling themselves henceforth secure against the predatory inroads of the fierce Tartar hordes by whom they were perpetually harassed, resigned themselves to a repose which the passing centuries but lulled into a narcotic slumber, apparently so undisturbable that foreigners came to regard a condition. of chronic somnolency as one of their most conspicuous characteristics.

But slumber, however, deep, must terminate sometime, either in death or an awakening to life and its potentialities. That awakening throughout China is now well past the incipient stage; the mantle of stoicism in which they so long enveloped themselves is cast aside for ever; and China, with outstretched arms, invites the nations to come and help her in the development of her vast, but latent, resources, and receive in return a quid pro quo that will richly compensate them.

Except along the littoral, the great natural resources of China remain practically undeveloped. A condition, however, that present appearances indicate will not obtain much longer, for the Government is now evincing a strong disposition to encourage the investment of foreign capi

tal in the construction of railroads and the opening up of mines. Valuable concessions for those purposes have been granted, and English, French and Italian syndicates already have had preliminary surveys made of roads that will pass through territory abounding in mineral deposits and said by competent experts to be phenomenally rich, requiring only the introduction of improved mining machinery and modern methods to extract their full values.

But while the mining industry offers alluring prospects to the foreign investor, it is but one of the many branches of business that may be profitably engaged in. The few American firms that, with commendable enterprise and foresight have established permanent branches at Hongkong, Shanghai and other places, have in most instances met with gratifying success, and have created a steadily increasing demand for American manufactures. This is encouraging, when we reflect that our European competitors have had a long start of us, having enjoyed almost a complete monopoly of the Chinese market until the advent of the "American invasion," as they facetiously called it a few years

Since then, many English houses, that studiously abstained from doing so before, have found it to their interest to carry several lines of American-made goods, in order to keep their customers from going over, en masse, to the "invad

ers."

Hongkong, being a British possession, and the first port in China to be reached by ships coming via the Suez Canal-also being a free port of entry for all foreign goods-is naturally the entrepot for merchandise from European countries destined for interior points, or for places further north; and regularly established steamship lines radiate from that point in all directions. Junks, or native sail boats, however, do a large proportion of the reexport business. But Shanghai, being more centrally situated-about one thousand miles north of Hongkong-and the initial Chinese port reached by our fine fleet of well-equipped, but altogether too few Pacific Mail boats, is the emporium for American productions. From this point merchandise intended for the interior is carried to its destination by means

of junks, and canal, or cargo, boats; the former, with a nondescript rig consisting of a single mast, as broad, if not broader, at the head as at the step, and a square, or more correctly speaking oblong sail, composed of bamboo rods strung together, while the boats (yulos) are propelled by immense sweeps, as much as forty feet long, operated from the stern, one at each side, and manned by half a dozen men or women, usually the latter, with the inevitable baby strapped upon their backs.

Those boats occupy an important place in the economy of Chinese life, a large proportion of the maritime population knowing no other home; and at Canton, where the "Flower Boats" stretch for miles along the river banks, little urchins, garbed after Nature's own fashion, swarm the decks, disporting themselves as well as the large bamboo logs suspended from their necks or strapped around their waists will permit; the logs answering the double purpose of life preservers in case of their falling overboard, and of allowing their mothers to attend to their household duties, undisturbed by any apprehension for the safety of their offspring.

Thousands of miles inland, where a network of waterways-off-shoots from the Grand Canal-take the place of roads in other countries, the ubiquitous junks and cargo boats, laden to the water's edge with merchandise of every description from all parts of the world, may be encountered in endless procession going and coming to and from the various ports of entry. The rates-fixed by law-for the hire hire of cargo-boats at Hongkong, used for loading and discharging ocean-going vessels, are almost ridiculously low and where conditions regarding accessibility are similar, or nearly so, may in general be taken as a guide to those prevailing at other Chinese ports. A first-class cargo boat, with a capacity of eight to twelve hundred piculs (a picul being 133 1-3 lbs.) costs but $10 per day Hongkong rency, which with exchange, say at 47 5-8, would equal $4.76 gold. Second, third and fourth-class boats, with maximum capacities ranging downward from 800 to 100 piculs, can be had respectively at $5, $3 and $1.50 per day Hongkong currency. Fluctuations in exchange affects those

cur

rates, of course; but in so small a degree as to be almost infinitessimal. Not so, however, in transactions where large sums are involved; for there, a variation of a very few points in exchange rates may entail disastrous consequences on those who indulge in that kind of speculation.

More than one large foreign concern in Shanghai was forced to the wall a few years ago, and compelled to retire from business through unfortunate speculation in exchange. While the temptation to make money this way is sometimes hard to resist, yet the conservative is the only safe way, for while one may miss a chance by abstaining, should rates prove favorable, his loss is purely nominal, or in other words, he only loses what he might have possessed; while should he indulge his speculative impulse, and rates at time of settlement prove adverse, his loss becomes real.

One of the prerequisites to success in the establishment of satisfactory relations with Chinese houses, is the acquisition of their entire confidence, lacking which it is idle to attempt to do business with them. But, on the other hand, having satisfied themselves of one's integrity a quality they possess in an eminent degree suspicion (one of their most pronounced characteristics) is cast aside, and implicit confidence in the white man's trustworthiness takes its place. Shame, indeed, upon him who abuses it, and merited punishment is generally his reward, for once that confidence is lost, no apologies, explanations or excuses however plausible, will ever again entirely restore it, and the culprit's usefulness in that field terminates.

Firms not having branches in China, but who send representatives there periodically, might do well carefully to consider those facts. Many of those representives, actuated doubtless by a commendable zeal in the interest of their employers, but forgetful of the deep-rooted prejudices of the strange people with whom they are dealing, often make representations concerning the superlative quality of the goods for which they are seeking orders, not always borne out upon inspection of same after arrival, perhaps two or three months after the order was given, the merchant meantime having

sold the goods in advance, relying on the representations of the agent, often has them refused, and thrown back on his hands. This naturally causes disappointment and distrust; the latter unfortunately not being always confined to the offending party; and is apt to arouse a similar feeling towards all houses of the same nationality.

If our manufacturers and merchants still entertain the idea that "anything will do for China"-an idea which up to a few years ago at least they certainly took no pains to conceal the sooner they discard that fallacy the better it will be for their business; for as a matter of fact, there are few more exacting markets, or where a more rigid adherence to all the stipulations of a contract is necessary to insure the retention of custom and good will. A little consideration for Chinese peculiarities and superstitions superstitions always produces desirable results; and this is a point our European competitors never overlook. No matter how seemingly capricious the request to have goods put up in a certain form of package, our English and German friends never fail to comply, while our people calmly ignore it, with the result that many a large order, which by preference would come to this country, is placed elsewhere. This apparently trivial point has been dwelt upon time and time again by our Consuls in their reports; and their long residence among the Chinese, and opportunities for observing their peculiarities and preferences, entitle their remarks to considerable weight.

The Chinese merchant has cogent reasons for making those requests concerning the size, weight, shape and color of certain packages, incomprehensible though they may be to the American manufacturer; and as the working of the Oriental mind is inscrutable, would it not be better to meet their views in this simple matter than to arouse a feeling of antagonism by refusal, especially as they are willing to bear any additional expense the manufacturer may have to incur by compliance.

Of course, all foreign houses opening branches in China find it imperative to employ a compradore, and upon the w dom of the selection largely dener success of the enterprise much care cannot