. New China and old : personal recollections and observations of thirty years. arcoal, are used by the oldermembers of the family, and the beds are warm enoughwith thick, double-wadded coverlets. In the houses of the lower middle class of countryfolk there is no pretence to neatness or order orcomfort; yet at the same time there is no actualwant. One of the truest and most loyal friends whoseacquaintance I have made in China was a hill-manliving about twenty-five miles from Ningpo. A thoroughgentleman in feeling and in courteous manner, hisfriendship was absolutely disinterested, and the offer
. New China and old : personal recollections and observations of thirty years. arcoal, are used by the oldermembers of the family, and the beds are warm enoughwith thick, double-wadded coverlets. In the houses of the lower middle class of countryfolk there is no pretence to neatness or order orcomfort; yet at the same time there is no actualwant. One of the truest and most loyal friends whoseacquaintance I have made in China was a hill-manliving about twenty-five miles from Ningpo. A thoroughgentleman in feeling and in courteous manner, hisfriendship was absolutely disinterested, and the offer ofmoney as a return for his many friendly acts would havebeen resented with grieved surprise. I have more thanonce stayed at his house. It lay perched far up therichly-wooded hill-side, near the head of the largemountain village called the valley of the Mao the fifth small bridge which spans the mountaintorrent, and threading my way through the tortuouswindings of the lane, I reached the small courtyard infront of the house. My friends wife and daughter-in-. A Hill Village. 121 law were busy spinning cotton under the eaves. Theyrose to welcome me, and a nephew was sent to call theold man, who was cutting wood some way up the sideof the mountain. They urged me to step inside ; andI entered the main room of the dwelling. Kitchenand receptacle for wood-cutting and agricultural toolswere all in one. The younger woman at once lightedthe fire to boil the kettle, and to prepare cakes. Thechimney-flues are very narrow, and most of the wood-smoke filled the room, half blinding the eyes both ofthe cook and of the guest. The room was very dark ;and leaving the women there, with pigs grunting andpoking about; with cocks and hens making themselvesmuch at home ; and with a gathering crowd of neighbourspouring in to gaze ; all free to come and go as if in a greatfamily house—I was ushered by my host, who had nowarrived, into a small ante-room which he had built, sohe told m
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