[Illustration: _One of the most curious Vehicles of the World: the Unicycle of Korea. Used for High Generals_ _From Stereograph, copyright by Underwood & Underwood, New York_] A KOREAN LADY IN HER PALANQUIN If we were in Seoul, we could not see this lady in the palanquin, because the curtains would be closely shut. The Korean ladies of the higher classes are seldom seen by anyone outside of their households, and the middle-class women, if they have to walk on the street, have a peculiar garment, with long, loose sleeves, which they put over their heads. The sleeves hang down, looking like a curious kind of ears, and the cloak is held closely before the face so that it cannot be seen. Would you like to take a walk through the streets of Seoul, and see the crowds of strangely dressed people, the many one-storied houses and the booths? Perhaps we should meet the water-coolie who goes about all day carrying water to anyone who wants it. He has a queer way of carrying it, too: a long pole is fastened cross-wise on his shoulders by straps going under and around his arms. From this pole hang two buckets or pails. There are many beautiful palaces in Seoul, with pretty little lakes and ponds in the gardens. Some of these lakes are covered with lotus flowers, and there is usually a tiny island in the centre with a tree on it, under which one can sit and enjoy the pretty garden. One of the very interesting things to see in Seoul is an old, old marble pagoda which has been built so long that the people cannot remember who built it. [Illustration: _Korean Lady and Maid, in the Streets of Seoul, Korea._ (_The Curtain is seldom raised._) _From Stereograph, copyright 1904, by Underwood & Underwood, New York_] A KOREAN GENERAL IN THE STREETS OF SEOUL The Korean general in this palanquin must be a very important person indeed. See the large number of attendants he has. An ordinary palanquin is carried by two coolies. Only high officials, foreign consuls, or legal advisers of the emperor are supposed to have four, and in the pictures we see at least eight men taking this general through the streets of Seoul. Only four seem to be really carrying the chair, so the men at the side are probably not coolies. See, their hats and clothing are different from those of the coolies. The streets of Seoul are very wide, but look narrow because the shopkeepers put up booths in front of their houses, and spread out their wares before them, on mats or trays, so that there is not much room left. One very wide street has two rows of houses or booths down the middle; so it seems as though there were three narrow streets instead of one wide one. When the emperor passes through in procession all these booths are taken down, and the street is swept and decorated in his honour. The next day the booths are put up again and affairs go on in quite the usual way.