TOUR ROUND THE CITY WALLS.

It is well known that the Chinese consider their walled towns in the same light as fortifications are regarded in Europe, and disallow foreigners entering them, excepting on special occasions.  But there is no law against walking in the suburbs.  Usage has, however, limited the Europeans in China to very small bounds.  Some persons occasionally violate them, and attempt a longer walk.  Once round the city walls has frequently been effected, but always at the risk of a scuffle, an assault and battery, from the idle and mischievous among the native population.  On former occasions, some of the foreign tourists have returned to the factories relieved of the burden of their watches and clothes.  An English baronet was once, on his passage round, robbed of his watch, and stripped either almost, or entirely naked.

A few days ago, a party of three started at six o’clock in the morning, and performed the circuit at about eight, with impunity.  The distance round the walls they estimated to be nine miles.  A few days afterwards, two persons set off in the evening for a walk under the city walls; but they were not so fortunate.  They were violently assaulted by a rabble of men and boys, the former of whom pursued them with bludgeons, brickbats, and stones, which not only inflicted severe contusions, but really endangered their lives.  The two foreigners were obliged to face about, and fight and run alternately the distance of several miles.

We, who know the hostile feelings of the population, are not surprised at the occurrence, and rather congratulate the tourists that they effected their escape so well.  We notice the affair to put others on their guard; and (as the Chinese say) if they should get into a similar scrape, they cannot blame us for not warning them of their danger.

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THE GATHERER

  “A snapper-up of unconsidered trifles.”

SHAKSPEARE.

BAPTISMAL PROMISES.

One of the subjects for confirmation at a bishop’s recent visitation, on being asked by the clergyman to whom she applied for her certificate of qualifications, what her godfathers and godmothers promised for her, said, with much naivete, “I’ve a yeard that they promised to give me hafe a dozen zilver spoons, but I’ve never had ’em though.”

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A GOOD WIFE.

The real portrait of a fine lady, wife to one of the ancient and noble family of the Fanes, Earls of Westmoreland, drawn by her husband, and inscribed in old characters upon a wall of a room in Buxton Place, a seat belonging to the noble family, near Maidstone, in Kent.—­Taken from Mist’s Journal.