years the Emperor had been studying these foreign books, hundreds
of thousands of young scholars all over the empire had been doing
the same, preparing themselves for whatever emergency the studies
of the young Emperor might bring about.

One day during the early spring a young Chinese reformer came to
me to get a list of the best newspapers and periodicals published
in both England and America. I inquired the reason for this
strange move, and he said:

"The young Chinese reformers in Peking have organized a Reform
Club. Some of them read and speak English, others French, others
German and still others Russian, and we are providing ourselves
with all the leading periodicals of these various countries that
we may read and study them. We have rented a building, prepared
rooms, and propose to have a club where we can assemble whenever
we have leisure, for conversation, discussion, reading, lectures
or whatever will best contribute to the ends we have in view."

"And what are those ends?" I inquired.

"The bringing about of a new regime in China," he answered. "Our
recent defeat by the Japanese has shown us that unless some
radical changes are made we must take a second place among the
peoples of the Orient."

"This is a new move in Peking, is it not?"

"New in Peking," he answered, "but not new in the empire. Reform
clubs are being organized in all the great cities and capitals.