Seven Maids of Far Cathay: Being English Notes From a Chinese Class BookLedyard, Mary Forman
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Seven Maids of Far Cathay: Being English Notes From a Chinese Class Book
Ledyard, Mary Forman
Chinese in literature
Miss Powers great lady; of a tallness and much commanding, with snow
hair and bright eyes - at times of a hardness like steel - of them we
have much fear. For Miss Powers we have admiration greatly but our love
we cannot show out to her; only can we show that to Miss Sterling who is
of great dearness, with heart of so great bigness that for her we take
the name of "Mother Heart." Each, to her gather and wish of her that she
may play the new foreign game with us, but she make explanation that of
the letters there are but seven, and soon all Chinese girl go to herself
alone and open her envelope. As I have before spoken, B, was in mine. A
Biographer I have now become. I shall at once at the Dictionary of the
Centuries arrive and study to show forth the meaning of my word.
When we went forth on the first Monday afternoon to play our game and
drink the tea of our Honored President, the Chrysanthemums were of great
beauty. For many days the gardener had present pots of Chrysanthemums of
great choiceness, so that the walks of the Compound and the steps
leading to Miss Powers' study were of a two times border; inside part
show tiny yellow and white hemispheres, outside part show much large
yellow globes. When I behold Chrysanthemums to me alone I say, "Can it
be English flower-book is of a rightness? 'That a heart to desolation is
now left?' Perhaps the foreign game we cannot play." and I enter much
afraid.
Miss Powers meet us on balcony and invite us in and to take seat; we
have hesitation for Chinese must not at once sit down, but Miss Powers
command, "Be seated, it is the American way." Then she wave hand to tray
on table and say, "Young Ladies, here are your notes; I have had them
put into type that you may not know whose notes you are reading. Go
forward, Cui Ai, and select one to read aloud."
We watch with carefulness Cui Ai open paper and read of Folk-lore. I
look about, but girls' faces all most composed and to me I think, "That
paper is of Cui Ai's own make," when I see Fuku all of a shakiness and
am full of doubt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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