Miss Kong, the lady referred to, does not tell us whether, if the suffragettes obtain equal rights with men, they will go red in the face, thump the table, and insist upon paying half of the hotisehold expenses.

She also expresses surprise that the American women don't know how to cook or to sew, quite ignoring the fact, apparently, that no young woman does.

Even admitting, for the sake of argument, that the trouble and time spent by the Chinese girl, and the pain endured by the Chinese men as a result of her culinary education, are worth the unspeakable filth which results, I quite fail to see why she should recomniend our women to mess about in the kitchen and upset the cook.

Personally, I wouldn't marry the prettiest woman in the world, given the opportunity, if she insisted upon doing her own cooking. Marriage has been described as giving half one's food to get the other half cooked. This is, of course, an absurd philosophy, since no woman under forty-five can cook, and then she is fitted for no other occupation. There is neither difficulty nor expense about getting a new cook, but the same cannot be said about getting one's wife a new complexion.

Again, imagine sitting opposite to a lynx- eyed wife, with a slab of dreadnought pudding upon one's plate, and trying to conjure it bit by bit under the table to the cat without being observed.!

Again, as to sewing. Imagine the dear, thrifty little wife making one's socks and ties, to say nothing of waistcoats, Cast your thoughts over the home-made ties you have seen; call to mind the waistcoats; let your shuddering imagination dwell upon thick, hairy, worsted socks with four darns in each foot, that conthually try to crawl down over your boots, and tell me why this wretched woman is trying to upset the march of civilization in foreign lands. Avaunt, woman! cook seaweed and explosive eggs, sew preposterous pants for your own mankind, but leave us in comfort.

Whilst she confines her efforts to teaching Chinese women their household duties, all is well; but methinks she could have done this without leaving the salubrious streets of her native land. Making Chinese clothing cannot require a great deal of learning. It is only necessary to stitch together a garment that will fit any of the family equally badly, and there you are! Moreover, this is a one man one coat country; the garment, being entailed, descends to the male heir.

We recently received a visit from a troupe of entertainers who have entertained us immensely, but not in the manner advertised in the bills. The show was not a success, and directly the ghost ceased to walk, the proprietor commenced to run, and left the poor munirners stranded here. Then we heard that one of the actors, who was niarried, had run away with one of the actresses who wasn't. Public sympathy was aroused to such an extent that a substantial amount was raised by subscription for the deserted fair one. Now it transpires that the joke is on us, for this elaborate "plant " has been worked by the same trio, I understand, on four previous occasions, the method being for them to effect a happy reunion in some more profitable locality and sort themselves out again.

In the line of entertainment, Shanghai expects a great deal for a very little money, and is very apt to complain about its lack of amuse- ment, yet when anyone puts up the very best show the probable returns will warrant, Shang- hailanders put their hands in their pockets, and -keep them there.

Perhaps the explanation of this is that Shanghai just wants to be left alone, make its money quietly, have a good time on Satur- day night, and cool its. head under the electric fans in church on Sunday morning, thus building up a reputation for a quiet and regular life which is very nearly, but not quite, justified by the facts.

As I write, we have only about another ten days of the heat to endure, after which saddles, guns, and dancing shoes will have to be over- hau]ed, as the races, paper-hunts, and dances will shortly require our attention. The close season - for birds ends during September, and that for girls with the Caledonian B-all.

As to shooting, I am afraid the day is past for good bags. Time was when the sportsman could return with his houseboat loaded down with deer and a goodly number of pheasant, snipe, quail, bamboo partridge, hares, woodcock, plover, duck, geese, wild turkey or sand-grouse, according to district shot over, but nowadays he must go far afield and be content with two or three brace of birds a day.

The natives are also more hostile to the sport as practised by foreigners than heretofore, and trouble is becoming more and more common. The cry "Lally bong" (thief) follows the sportsman everywhere.

The price of accidents has also advanced out of all reason. Should a native be inadvertently punctured by a careless or incompetent gunner, trouble spreads like a prairie fire, and the whole countryside is roused within half an hour. When one finds that this admittedly righteous indig- nation has for its sole object the acquisition of gain, one cannot help losing a certain amount of sympathy for the agitators, for the indignant relatives are immediately soothed to placid con- tent by the transfer of a satisfactory number of dollars.

The end of September will also witness the return of all those employes who have taken a trip home on six months' leave. I say em- ploye's because I do not kriow any employers who have been able to afford it this year, trade being so bad. These home-trippers usually depart in high glee at the prospect of getting away from Shanghai, and come back with even greater glee at the prospect of returning to it, which, you will observe, is the best possible frame of mind for each occasion. It will, I trust, be my good fortune to experience both next year. I am, in fact, already anticipating some of the delights of looking up old haunts, and, when my mind runs upon this subject, I always think of old George, the head-waiter at my favourite restaurant.

I remember his smile when I returned from Africa the second time. He bustled up with a cheery greeting, as if I had been away a week, and remarked: "Ah, sir, glad to see you back again. Let me see, two years next month, isn't it, sir?-yessir, that's it [right to a month tool, and you'll start with anchovies and capers, sir, I suppose, as usvai? Yessir," and over the meal I got more news than I could have obtained from any one else I know, for old George Wows his West End, and the inside history thereof, like a book.

Your affectionate son,
JIM

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