he cocoon and rattle it
near the ear. If the worm was exhausted you could plainly hear the body
rattle inside the cocoon. The cocoon is then placed in boiling water
until it becomes soft. This, of course, kills the worm. In order to
separate the silk a needle is used to pick up the end of the thread
which is then wound on to a spool and is ready for weaving. A few of the
cocoons were kept until the worms had turned into moths, which soon ate
their way out of the cocoons when they were placed on sheets of paper
and left to lay their eggs, which are taken away and kept in a cool
place until the following Spring, when the eggs are hatched and become
worms.

When the silk had all been separated we took it to Her Majesty for
inspection and approval. On this particular occasion Her Majesty ordered
one of the eunuchs to bring in some silk which she herself had woven
when a young girl in the Palace, and on comparing it with the new silk
it was found to be just as good in every way although many years had
passed since it was made.

All this was done with the same object as the Emperor sowing the seeds,
viz.:--to set the people a good example and to encourage them in their
work.

CHAPTER NINETEEN--THE SEA PALACE

THIS year we had a very hot spring and Her Majesty was desirous of
getting back again to the Sea Palace. However, as war had already been
declared between Russia and Japan it was thought best to remain in the
Forbidden City until things were more settled. Her Majesty was very much
worried over this war and spent most of her time in offering prayers
to the different divinities for the welfare of China and we, of course,
were expected to join her. Things were very monotonous about this time
and nothing particular occurred until the beginning of the second moon.
By this time Her Majesty was quite sick of staying in the Forbidden City
and said that no matter what happened she would remove the Court to
the Sea Palace, where Miss Carl could get along and finish the portrait
which had been hanging on for nearly a year. So on the sixth day of the
second moon we moved back to the Sea Palace. Everything looked fresh and
green and many of the trees had commenced to blossom. Her Majesty took
us around the lake and we were in such good spirits that Her Majesty
remarked that we acted more like a lot of wild animals escaped from a
menagerie than human beings. She was much brighter now, but said that
she would be happier still