University of Nanking - Linguist Yearbook (Nanking, China)

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l06 I -A THE IJNGUIS F AS THE GUEST OF AN OFFICIAL. Nine soldiers with fixed bayonets are really rather impressive. Asked for my card, I was tempted to think that ldid not want to go in after all. A few minutes later, I was escorted toward the guest hall. We passed thru court after court, for in a Chinese home, the most honored guests are received in the rooms farthest from the street. Past the servants' quarters, brilliant with the gay colors of the freshly washed quaint trousers and coats of the women of the house, beyond the kitchens until we were niet by my host. His beautiful long blue silk garments lined with whitest lambs' wool, his dignity and bearing, marked him a Chinese gentlemang the respect of my soldier- escort gave recognition of his position as the honored elder son of .an high ohicial of the Republicg and his courtesy and charm, bespoke in him much that is best and hopeful in New China. Continuing on our way, he pointed out the entrance to the chamber where his father even then sat in council with his cabinet, deciding the policies of the nation. I thought of the significance to China and the world of some of the things being decided even as we, unnoticed, passed-japan. Russia, debts, loans, the 21 Demands, England, concessions. railroads, all were there. Thru still more elaborately carved moon doorways into several more courts, and we had reached the guest hall, where I was im- mediately presented to the Honorable Mother who awaited us there. Comfortably plump she was, the sign to the Chinese of great hap- -piness and my western mind found in the calm kindliness of her face sanction of the sign. As I greeted her my eyes took in at a glance the rare teakwood furnitureg the great, high window with the wide seat beneath it. The floors were bare. but inia-corner was a tantali- zing pile of rugs with only a glimpse of satisfying blues and golds peeking out. I saw that one wall was almost covered to the ceiling, scverai layers deep, with small boxes-rich lacquers and varnishes and smooth surfaces-each with its striking black-lettered red tag pasted -on the out-side. Later I was toldthat these boxes containedithe- gifts that had been brought to the grandfather on his sixty-fifth birthday, just passed-and I saw many of the gifts, rare old lacquers, ancient brass of untold value, handsome new brass, wood carvings, until I wished that I dared play thief. But before I had had time to be curious about the boxes, a second very attractive woman came in and I found myself being introduced to my host's Second Mother. Second Mothern seemed a bit strange to me but I thought it perhaps but his extremely polite or affectionate way of speaking of his mother-in-law. I was still turn'- ing the matter over in my mind when a gay little bird of a body came dancing in, her smooth black hair not less full of shining lights than her gloriously blue and black, silk garments, her feet, scarlet slippered, twinkling in and out as gaily as if they were not less long than 1ny hand is wide. I think I must have gasped a bit when she was intro-

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.-XS THIS GUEST OF .XX Ol FlCI.'Xl. 105 After a montl1's trial, representatives ot the Language School meet in classroom, Nanking, and listen in while Dr. Youngman, Board Representative in charge of the experiment. radios his findings. lack Dalton takes exception to one item of.,the report which-announces the engagement of julia Hawkins to George Stevens, and is silenced with didiculty with the promise that the matter can be rectified later if necessary. The Secretaries upon hearing the report, reply that the plan has succeeded too well,-far' beyond their expectations. and they advise the return at once to the former methods, stating that it is better to let nature take its course. Thereupon jack questions George and estab- lishes his claimto 'lulia on the evidence he possesses in the form of the letters of connrmation from both julia and ,I une, George not hav- ing foreseen that both letters would be addressed to .lack Dalton. The latter in a final burst of generosity turns over the eousin's letter to George with the twofold suggestion that they marry and that they let nature take her course. General Feng Yu t-lsiang, the Oliver Cromwell ofiChinn, with his family.

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AS 'PHE GUEST OF .KN OlilflCl'Xl. 107 duced as Honorable Third Mother, for my host, speaking for the lirst time in English, said quite simply and with a frank smile, My father's third wife. Three NVives! I immediately became alert, watching for any sign of jealousy or ill-feeling. But neither then 'nor during the hours that I was there, did 1 see the least sign of it. Even when a fourth' wife came in, tho no one recognized her by for- mally introducing her, she was received into the conversation with very little if any distinction or difference. The Honorable Mother herself did not enter much into the conversation. Even during the feast which followed she, secure in her honored position, sat back -calmly and quietly while the third Mother directed the servants and -carried all responsibility. All in all. they seemed most like a group of sixteen year old girls having a party while Mother was away. Shortly after the Second Mother's entrance. my host a mere lad himself, had brought in his wife. just a littlengirl she was,with aching bound feet in spite of the beautiful jade ornaments in her banglcss hair, in spite of the cunning fat ball of a baby in the arms of the servant who 'followed her, in spite of the evident pride and affection of her young husband. She had immediately busied herself carrying 'to each Mother the lacquered box of lunglish cigarettes, often putting them to her own lips to light them and then passing them on to the Iilother, They thought it very strange that I would not smoke-but then they knew that foreigners were very queer and one just had to make the best of their strange ways. js- 1 V r Five months in China had scarcely made my knowledge of the ilanguage complete, but 'tis strange how much can be done with a very few words and many smiles. As we drank fragrant in-ehid-tea, etc. watcrmellon seeds and other dainties, they told me many things of the history of their own families and of their husband's family. llearned lthat 1 was only the second foreign woman with whom they had ever -come in contact. According to the ancient customs 'for the conduct of the women of a wealthy, honored ollieial family like theirs, no man -outside of the family is ever allowed to come into the women's por- '-tion of the house 5 the women seldom leavethe house and then only to go