The houses consist of one six foot room and an open kitchen. The walls, ceiling and floor of the room are bare, and the floor has no flues for heating it. Instead of this a large hole is dug in the floor of the kitchen and in the cold weather a fire is kept there day and night. Around this fire they eat, work, and sleep. This again is different in the cities where the houses are much the same as on the mainland. All the houses with a few exceptions are thatched. On account of the strong winds the thatch is fastened by a net of straw ropes two inches thick and eight inches apart. The needs of the people for things outside of their own products seem to be so small that a few shops supply them all. In the capital, Chai-Joo, there are some eight small shops; in Tai-Chung one; and in Chung-Ui perhaps one. These are probably the only shops on the whole island and from them the people obtain the few needed foreign articles, such as shirting, dyes, thread, needles, nails, etc. The periodical markets which are held on the mainland and in all the towns and many villages every five days, are altogether absent, and on the whole trading seems to be yet in its infancy. The things exported from Quelpart are pearl oyster, seaweed, native medicine, cosmetic oil, horse and cow hides, horses and cattle. The cosmetic oil is pressed from the seeds of the fruit of the _Ditnea Strawmium_ or, as the Koreans call it, _Tang Paik_. This tree grows abundantly all over the southern part of the island. It is evergreen and blooms in February with beautiful crimson flowers. On the mainland this tree is very rare. (TO BE CONTINUED.) The Magic Ox-Cure. A wealthy country gentleman, whom we will call Mr. Cho, tiring of the _otium cum dignitate_ of provincial life and wishing to throw himself into the vortex of official activity, came up to Seoul and became the ante-room loafer and flatterer in general to one of the highest dignitaries in the land. Morning and evening he inquired assiduously after his patron’s health and backed up his words with frequent and costly gifts. Of course this began to tell upon his finances and after ten years of perseverance he received word from his family in the country that he was bankrupt and that as his household were about to die of starvation they must write and let him know. This disclosure aroused Mr. Cho to violent anger against the official who had so long accepted his gifts with complacency but had never suggested any equivalent in the shape of a government position. He hurried to the official’s house and explained that as his property was all gone be must return to his shattered home and his starving family. “Very well,” replied the official. “Of course you will consult your own convenience.” This made Cho’s anger burn seven times hot. He stalked from the room and posted to his country place vowing that he would find some way to bring the unfeeling official to terms.