The Woman who held China until Death.

Western Star, 24 November 1908, Page 3

The Woman who held China until Death.

The Dowager Empress oi Cbiinai who was one of the most remarkable ■women that this generation or the Hast had seen, possessed the miost amazing strength of character. and with it the vanity that has so often accompanied overbearing greatness m , ir „in or woman. Some months ago, i'Figaro'’ published from the pen of Peking correspondent a description of the Dowager Empress’s elaborate toilette that equalled anything history has had to record of great Elizabeth's vanity or the arte of the most famous European beauties. Now that there is an, end to all the fair lady s contrivances and device, the account of them, when published when slie was alive, roads pathetically. Tsl Hsu has always teen proud, says "'Figaro,” of tl:te good looks to Which her rise to power would seem - originally to have been due. dhc cosjL metical facilities of her palace to- : as the Peking correspondent of '' v the "Ei(gai’o’' details them, afford ' an outlet for the beautifying! energies of no less than, nine young ladies of she imperial suite. Her Majesty Is rouged every morning regularly every morning after breakfast until her cheeks flame delicately against , ; the oifkhmy composition with whicyi the rest of her face has been, coy tad. A huge mirror is them rolled to the couch upon all the source of all •Power in China reclines. Tsi Hsu stud the effect of the labors of her young ladies so critically that it is said to be necessary occasionally to rouge her twice or thrice before the technique «f the operation quite roal- , ises the imperial ideal. Tee monotony i*? made less tedious by 'song, tWe narration of court gossip, and . ; not infrequent application of her Ma- : jesty’s rattan oano to sensitive surfaces. No attack of illness could bo top Severe ‘to justify the slightest omission ..of cosmeticul detail by the era! ladies ‘com- ••rued with the Em-t ■ todet- Thdttglm -Tsi\

spent in.bed, she is rouged, pencilled and) massaged on the flat of her back. Her Majesty wears peculiarly contrived glotves in bed, not, as has been inferred, for the beautification, of her supple, delicate hands), but for the preservation of that unparalleled length to which flier finger-nails have attained. The nails .will breaiv ‘ at, times, the phenomenon ■ portending, in hos Majesty's opinion, a calamity to the country.

By the time the last clash of carmine in the Cupid’s bow 01 her Ufa- ' jesty’s upper lip has been made appropriate to the charm of woman 'at forty, the eunuchs have oegun to admit the throng’s into the hail of audience. They comprise usually, the privileged ones of tbc court of Pe king]—a viceroy or two in favour, supporters of the four candidates for the post of heir-apparent and some member of the diplomatic corps tearing a personal message Iro a his sovereign. The progress of the imperial toilet is bulletined by the The fate of a decree abolishing the opium traffic or the promulgation of an edict for which a whole province is sighing may depend upon the skill of the young lady with th 0 rough brush. Once the wig is adjusted and the • Empress has passed into the hall of audience—not to be con- | fused with the grand apartment in which the diplomatic corps is officially _ welcomed the serious i us iness of Ist Hsu's day commences. If, may -fe summed up in the word evasion. So dexterous has the aged woman become in the art to which her life Has been giv'eh that it i 8 a saying in some parts of -Peking that she has ceased to live, but is evading, death.