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Show TEMPLE PARTIES GO TO PEKING ' PEKING. July 31. (Mail.) "Tem- i pie parties" constitute a popular form I of diversion for the summer months In Peking. The hills to the westward aie dottted with so-called temples rambling ramb-ling compounds of ono-story buildings built centuries ago by emperors in memory of departed ancestors. The buildings invariably surround a paved court or often a scries of such courts, shaded as a rule by century-old trees. In the temple proper is still to be found a gigantic "buddah" or idol before be-fore whom joss-slicks arc lighted at intervals by priests and acolytes, of whom there are generally a half dozen all told, occupying a portion of the compound. It is quite easy and inexpensive to secure the use or one of these temples one or more of the unoccupied subsidiary sub-sidiary buildings for a week end, a week "or Use whole summer. They are entirely without furniture oxcept insofar inso-far as a raised platform where on the Chinese used to sleep might be called furniture. Once installed the occupant enjoys absolute peace and quiet by day. As a rule ho sleeps in the company com-pany of one of tho lesser "buddahs" who is hidden behind a curtain. The only intrusion upon his privacy occurs when the priest or acolyte bring food and places St bcrore the Idol and returns re-turns later to remove what tho rats have left of it. A number of the old-timers in Peking Pek-ing have their temple leased year after year and pass the summer there. For th novice, owing to general lack of everything that makes for comfort, J once is enough. It is a thing however, that everybody must do once. |