Show CAUSE FOR MOURNING the at weep und wall over ft ga the chinese legation has always been an object of curiosity in washington and the mysterious goings on in the fa mons old castle which the ce lesti als used to inhabit were a never failing source of wonder and speculation now that the legation has a magnificent triple house for its home out on the heights the interest in the inhabitants is still further increased the chinese minister is new to washington and his ignorance of some of its ways was the cause of a very peculiar complication the other day the monthly bills of the washington gas light company anre printed on paper of ft peculiarly dirty yellow tint which happens to be the exact ahne of the chinese emblems of mourning the long strips are left regularly at the doors of all houses in the city and at the chinese legation among the rest the other day one was left for the first time at the new home of the legation which is filled with now chinese servants the gas bill strip was left in the vestibule and being carried to the new minister profoundly affected him it was evidently intended ho thought a notification of some death and as it was left at the legation door it doubtless indicated the bereavement of some family high in official life the minister at once gave orders to close the house the usual instruments of mourning were brought out the shutters were drawn and passersby for the remainder of the evening were regaled with a combination of curious noises such as the chinese only know bow to utter when engaged in bewailing the dead and the minister retired with the satisfaction of knowing that he had performed a diplomatic courtesy cor boston advertiser |