ways wore some
kind of fresh flowers. White jessamine was her favorite flower. The
Young Empress and the Court ladies were not allowed to wear fresh
flowers at all unless given to them by Her Majesty as a special favor.
We could wear pearls and jade, etc., but she said that the fresh flowers
were for her, her idea being that we were too young, and might spoil
fresh flowers if we wore them. After she was dressed we went into the
Audience Hall. She ordered her cards to be brought in as she wanted to
play solitaire. She talked all the time she was playing, and said that
we must all be very nice and polite to the American ladies, and
show them everywhere. She said: "It doesn't matter now, for we have
everything changed." She said: "I want to laugh myself. What is the use
of changing everything? They will imagine we are always like this. By
and bye, if they question you about anything, just tell them that it
is not so, and that we change everything at each audience, just to give
them a bit of surprise. You must tell it some day, otherwise no one will
know it at all, and the trouble would not be worth the while." It was a
private audience for ladies, and Her Majesty did not use the big throne,
but was sitting on her little throne at the left side of the Audience
Hall, where she received her own Ministers every morning; the Emperor
was standing. A eunuch came in, the same as the day before, and
announced that the ladies had arrived at the Palace Gate, nine in all.
Her Majesty sent some of the Court ladies to meet them in the courtyard,
and bring them to the Audience Hall, which they did. I was standing at
the right side of Her Majesty's chair, and could see them mounting
the steps. Her Majesty whispered to me, and asked: "Which one is Mrs.
Evans?" As I had never seen the lady, I answered that I could not
tell, but when they got nearer I saw a lady walking with the American
Minister's wife, and concluded that she must be Mrs. Evans, and told Her
Majesty. As they got nearer, Her Majesty said: "Again that missionary
lady with Mrs. Conger. I think she must like to see me. She comes every
time. I will tell her I am very glad to see her always, and see if she
understands what I mean."

Mrs. Conger shook hands with Her Majesty and presented Mrs. Evans and
also the wives of the American officers. I was watching Her Majesty and
saw that she was very nice and amiable, with such a pleasant smile--so
different from her everyday manner. Sh