Tin-; CRICAT WAIJ. OK CHINA. 7 



aloni;- the east or outside of the wall. A poor raj^ged man 

 advanced and niurniiired something which was construed as a 

 remonstrance ; and, sure enough, it was in due time developed 

 that this dignified and powerful personage was the official in 

 charge of that portion of the Empire. Nothing- in our inten- 

 tions, however, contained any menace to the existence or well- 

 being of the Middle "kingdom. We were, for the time l)eing 

 and so far as that spot of earth was concerned, stronger by 

 a great deal than the whole four hundred and fifty millions 

 that stood behind the Imperial Representative — and we had 

 come a long way on purpose. So we disregarded his feelings 

 and gave him money. His efforts to exclude us were persisted 

 in, but it was so clear that this was a solemn farce " to save 

 his face " that we were no more moved than before. 



The children, but for their little tails all over their heads 

 and their wholly scanty costume, were just like any other 

 children — more so, perhaps, for they were excessively well 

 behaved. I gave one small boy a brass anchor button from 

 my jacket, and I do not doubt that it will be treasured in his 

 family to the lates^t generations. 



Perhaps, after all, we might let the Wall stand as a monu- 

 mental record of the difference between bulk and greatness. 



Multiply the Erie Canal by four and then set out to give 

 the striking characteristics of that much under-rated structure. 

 It is all striking together, like the clocks of a great city. Use- 

 less to dwell upon a part with the allowanced glance of the 

 bodily eye. The mighty whole must be taken in with the 

 limitless sweep of mental vision. Think of the number of 

 " days " that must, in contractor's parlance, have been " put 

 in" from first to last. They had all the "time" of that 

 kind that there was when this wall w^as built. 

 " ' T is not so now ! ' ' 



Be that as it may. The man who does not have a real 

 traveler's sensation when he looks on this Titanic failure to 

 make bricks and mortar take the place and do the work of 

 valor must be tolerablv well case hardened. J. B. B. 



