With the Empress Dowager of China By Katharine A. Carl Illustrated by the Author and with Photographs [Illustration: Printer Logo] New York The Century Co. 1907 Copyright, 1905, by THE CENTURY CO. _Published November, 1905._ [Illustration: PORTRAIT OF THE EMPRESS DOWAGER This is the portrait which was exhibited at the St. Louis Exposition, is now owned by the United States Government, and is in the National Museum at Washington] TO SIR ROBERT HART To whose helpful encouragement I owe so much, I affectionately dedicate this account of my experiences at the Court of the country he has so long and faithfully served. KATHARINE A. CARL. _=New York, May=, 1905._ Contents PAGE CHAPTER I. 3 MY PRESENTATION AND FIRST DAY AT THE CHINESE COURT Drive Out to the Summer Palace--Presentation--Beginning the Portrait--Luncheon--The Palace Theater--My Pavilion within the Precincts. CHAPTER II. 18 PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF HER MAJESTY--A CHINESE REPAST-- BOATING Second Sitting--The Siesta--Her Majesty’s Barge--A Promenade on the Lake. CHAPTER III. 27 THE PALACE OF THE EMPEROR’S FATHER A Chinese Palace--Gardens--The Chinese Poem--Tombstones of Pets--The Highway from Peking to the Summer Palace--Chinese Modes of Locomotion--The Seventh Prince. CHAPTER IV. 34 HER MAJESTY’S THRONE-ROOM Clocks--Third Sitting--A Promenade in the Gardens--The Orchard--The Empress Dowager’s Love of Flowers--Customs as to Fruits and Flowers. CHAPTER V. 42 THE YOUNG EMPRESS AND LADIES OF THE COURT The Young Empress--The Secondary Wife--The Princesses-- Children by Adoption--Chinese Widows--The Princess Imperial-- The Relationships of the Princesses of the Blood--The Maids and Tiring-women--Women of the Eighth Banner--The Chinese Woman at Court--Slaves.