When, as soon as the fact of the protectorate was announced, the American Legation was so suddenly removed, there went up as it were a great cry from the heart of the people, “Et tu, Brute.” It seemed the seal of their misfortunes, the certainty that their best friend remorselessly and with hopeless finality had deserted them. Strong men were sobbing, moaning, crying like women or little children. Many committed suicide. Shops were closed with emblems of mourning. A nation was in sackcloth and ashes, on its face in the dust. It was a bitter hour for Korea and for the humiliated Americans who for once were not proud of their government so far as its policy in Korea was concerned. Well was it for the cowards who had signed the agreement that when they ventured through the streets it was with a strong guard of Japanese, for the people would have torn them to pieces, and as it was, numerous attempts were made on their lives. One of them attempted or pretended to attempt suicide, and to this step they were all advised by their compatriots. Japanese troops and artillery were paraded through the capital, with great show of power. Heavy guards were stationed at various points, though no attempt at resistance was made by the unarmed, unorganized, uncaptained mass of the citizens, against the victorious conquerors of Russia. Pro-Japanese societies and clubs suddenly collapsed. The party that had believed all along that Japan would keep her treaty and help Korea maintain her independence, was now disillusioned, horror-struck and indignant. The missionaries unanimously did all in their power to quiet the unhappy people, to prevent useless uprisings and bloodshed, and to comfort them in their sore distress. Some of them were inclined to resent these efforts to prevent revolt and to think and say that these missionaries were false friends who did not care for the welfare of the nation. Who could blame them for casting such a reproach upon us, when our own government had deserted them without even a word of commiseration or regret? To add to the distress an epidemic of malarial fevers with typhus and typhoid, took place, on account of the way in which the city drains had been closed. The city had always been drained by open ditches which empty into a large drain flowing out under the walls. These small ditches were, in addition, periodically cleaned out by men who gather fertilizers; and, purified by sun and air, and washed out by the rains, they were not so great a source of evil as they looked. But the new-comers, by way of reform, and with the inevitable eye to appearances, ordered all these ditches covered. A protest, private and public, went up from every physician in Seoul. Appeals were made, but in vain. The ditches were covered with boards and sod and left to ferment and breed countless colonies of germs, with the result just mentioned.