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. She grasps the reins with a firm hand; and her
courage is such that she does not hesitate to drive the chariot
of state over many a new and untried road. She knows she can rely
on the support of her viceroys--men of her own appointment. She
knows too that the spirit of reform is abroad in the land, and
that the heart of the people is with her.
--W. A. P. Martin in "The Awakening of China."
V
THE EMPRESS DOWAGER--AS A REFORMER
In June, 1902, soon after the return of the court from Hsian to
Peking, a company of ladies from the various legations in Peking
who had received invitations to an audience and a banquet with
the Empress Dowager were asked to meet at one of the legations
for the purpose of consultation. The meeting was unusual. Many of
those who were present had no higher motive than the ordinary
tourist who goes sightseeing. With the exception of one or two
who had been in once before, none of these ladies had ever been
present at an audience. Several of them however had passed
through the Boxer siege of 1900, had witnessed the guns from the
wall of the Imperial City pouring shot and shell into the British
legation, where they were confined during those eight memorable
weeks of June, July and August, and had come out with their
hearts filled with resentment. One of them had received a
decoration from her government for her bravery in standing beside
her husband on the fortifications when buildings were crumbling
and walls falling, and her husband was buried by an exploding
mine, and then vomited out unhurt by a second explosion
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