The day after the assassination, the king’s second son, Prince Oui-wha, sent to ask refuge in our house, where, this being American property, he would be safe from arrest. The legations were all full of refugees of high rank, and several were staying in our Korean _sarang_ or guest room. We were, of course, delighted to receive the young prince, and also to have this further opportunity to prove our regard for him. In consequence of the presence of these refugees we were honored by being kept under continual espionage by the pseudo-government, our compound constantly watched by spies at all exits, by day and night. It seemed monstrous to me, who had never known any of the class whose movements are watched by detectives, nor ever dreamed of coming in any way into collision with any government (much less of being of sufficient importance to do so), but perhaps it was the spirit of revolutionary forefathers which made me believe, that if governments were wrong, right-minded people must oppose them, and that if sheltering the friends of the just and lawful ruler from a company of conspirators and traitors was standing in an attitude of hostility to the powers that be, it was both right and our unavoidable duty to do what we could to shield them from violence and death. In the meanwhile the new government was appointing new officials, trying, torturing and executing innocent people as the accused murderers of the queen, in order to shield themselves--useless crimes which deceived no one--making a number of new offices and placing Japanese in them on large salaries, and making new and farcical, as well as injurious and objectionable, laws. Women were not to be allowed to go on the street with covered faces, pipes must be of a certain length, sleeves must be shortened and narrowed, coats must be of a particular color, and hat brims a certain width. This was called “Kaiwha” or reform. Large numbers of Japanese flocked to this country and made their way to the capital or into the interior, in the industrious pursuit of wealth, which we were informed was not always limited to legitimate measures, or the possession of sinecures. Missionaries returning from the interior reported that they had heard lamentable tales on all hands, of farmers strung up by the thumbs, for the extortion of money or deeds of lands and of women dealt with brutally. The poor country people were like sheep in the midst of wolves, their shepherd gone, their fold broken down.