country, and changes in the government of Brazil would be liable to affect
all the other countries which trade with it.

* * * * *

A party of wealthy Chinese merchants arrived in New York the other day
from San Francisco. They were on their way to Washington, to see the
Chinese Minister and ask him to intercede for them with the Emperor of
China.

Their trouble is that the Emperor has kindly invited ten of them to visit
China without delay: two to have their heads chopped off, and the other
eight to be imprisoned for life.

Of course none of the Chinamen are going to accept the Emperor's
invitation, and so they are not seeking the help of the Minister for
themselves. Their anxiety is on account of their relatives.

It would seem that one of the curious little customs they have in China is
to arrest all the relatives of a man accused of crime, as well as the
criminal himself. These unfortunate people they cast into prison, taking
away from them their property, and everything of value they possess. This
punishment is for no known reason but that they have had the misfortune to
be members of the same family as a rascal.

The consequence is that when a Chinaman gets into trouble, his relatives,
instead of standing by him, and trying to help him, desert him with the
greatest possible speed, and do their best to hide themselves in less
dangerous districts.