Seven Maids of Far Cathay: Being English Notes From a Chinese Class Book — John Shaqi
Seven Maids of Far Cathay: Being English Notes From a Chinese Class BookLedyard, Mary Forman
General
Seven Maids of Far Cathay: Being English Notes From a Chinese Class Book
Ledyard, Mary Forman
Chinese in literature
For five moons we play at game with greatest pleasure and much gaining
of English. All read aloud with more understanding and our Honored
President say we also write better. No Chinese girl know what other
Chinese girl have written, so we talk of papers most freely and with
great funniness.
One afternoon when we had complete our Readings and were drinking the
tea of our Honored President, she say, "Do you realize, Young Ladies,
that we shall meet together but once more, then our game is finished?"
When we told her that we had not so realized and were full of sorrow,
she say, "I, too, am sorry for I have enjoyed the play." Then she look
all about and of a suddenness request - "How many girls wish to
commemorate our game?" We look at Each. Commemorate is an Americanism
uncommon; we not the meaning know, but Miss Powers' bright eyes most
kind and at once we hold up hands. She nod head and say, "I thought so!
All of you! Each week I have marked the papers which you voted 'best.'
If your Biographer will select and arrange them I will have them printed
in book form that each girl may possess a Class book." We have haste to
assure her that such a possession will be most pleasurable, and Eng Muoi
jump on feet and say out loudly, "Our Honored President must also
possess Class book." Fear comes at sound of voice and at once she sit
down. Miss Powers smile most graciously and say, "Thank you, Eng Muoi, I
would like one, but there is one condition, it is necessary that I shall
know which girl has the B - not in her bonnet," she laugh, and we join
with laughter, for we also have knowledge of the bonnet - B.
Next morning I have honor to walk from Chapel with Miss Powers (our
Honored President) and tell to her of my troubles. By the Dictionary of
the Centuries, a Biographer speaks of one human in one book. How then
can I be a Biographer of correctness?
"But a Class book is different," Miss Powers say most polite. "It is a
chronicle of College life, Bing Ding." I am much puzzled. On steamer
days Cui Ai present Miss Sterling with American newspaper and say, "Here
is Chronicle!" Is newspaper in America all the same as book? Miss Powers
tell, in Class book must be something written by, and about Each; also
something about Residence and Doings. I will therefore now make picture
of our Adorable College. It is situate on hills of Island grown from the
shining bosom of river Ping. At left hand the Monastery of Dreams stands
of a whiteness of snow, from the tall mountain - Kushan. At right hand,
if eyes follow glistening trail many Li (miles) by and by see blue of
ocean of an unexplainable vastness. And all time - of gold with shining
of Sun - of silver with Moonbeams play, sleeps the great, beautiful
river Ping.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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