The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-01-29
Gb. ON Ga.n.,.
THE CHINESE.

the feet OF several female children who ere
undergoing the process Of having thar fses
deformed in the approved Chinese method.
The first was child Of tive years old Tier
pennance had just commenced. when the
bandage Of blue cotton vas taken Oh found
that the great too had not been touched,
but the other four had been forced down
under the ball Of the foot, and closely
bound in that position. The chiid' there
fore walked upon the knuckls joints Of her
four toes. The tues were red and Unnamed
and the ligature caused evident pain. In
the next three chi dren (all vi Ages sdvan-
cling at small intervals) the preparation was
only to the same eItent; IL was confined to
the tour toss; gradually. however. these
four toes, ceding TO the continual pressure,
Lost their articuIaiions and their indemnity as
limbs, and became amalgated with the sole
Of the loot. In the eldest Of the four. the
redne-s md inflammation had entirely disap.
peared, the foot was cool and painless, and
appesred as though the four toes had been
cut of by q knife. The foot was now some
what the shape Of q trowel.
In the fifth girl saw the commencement
OF the second operation-a torture Under
which sickly children frequently die. The
sole Of the foot WAS now curved into the
shape cfa bow the gr~at toe and heal Do
ing brought together ~ near rs possibls.-
Take jujube and double IL TIL two points
of the lozeuse nearly meet, and you VIII zee
what I mean. This is done very gradually.
The bandage is never slackened-month by
month il is drawn tighter-the foot inhames
and swslls, but the tender mama perssveres
-asthe bones and tendons accommodate
themselves 70 the position constrained by the
bandagc. 30 10 Is drawn tighter. AT last
the ball Of the natural foot its into the hol.
low Of the sole, the root OF the great toe Is
brought into contact with the heel. The
foot X n shapelcss lump. The instep Is
where the ankle was. and all that 10 lsit to
20 into the slipper and 10 tread the ground
il the ball Of the great toe and heel. This
IL the small foot Of the Chinese woman-a
bit of toe and Bit Of heel, with mark, like
a cicatrice lett after q huge cut, running up
between them. Two Of the girls were yet
suffering great pain, and their feet were hot
and infaIned, but in the eldest the opera
tion was com plete. She had attained TO the
position of n small footed woman, and her
feet we're quite cool, had no corns, and were
not tender 20 the touch. One 0f the mamas
Influenced perhaps by little iiberslity in
the article of rice money, intrusted uie with
n Chinese ,nysse-e de toiietts. Sometimes 1t
.een,s when woman is expected ~ have to
do hard work, her toe and heel are not drawn
50 tightly together as to produce the true
"srnah foot To disguise this imperiec'
ton upon her marriage day she has recourse
TO art. A pie,e Of cork, shaped like an in-
yerud sugar loaf, is strapped on To her loot
and the small part goes into her slipper and
passes Tor foot. Thus are We poor men de-
ceiyed." p.
A Bridal Party Let US enter this house
which is decorated for marriage fete. lt
is hung with lanterns inside and out. The
cortyard Is full Of relatives and hangcrs-on,
and nj the gate is the camprador, who To
ceives the money offerings Of the visitors
the principal RON opening upon the cort-
ward |. pre- pared for the feast. Lanterns are
hung from The ceilings, u small Joss-house
with candles and incense beforeit, isat one
end aud in the middle is the table on which
stand the small basins Of Sauces and sliced
shell. fish, and gooseaesh and sweetmeats and
cakes. which are the precursivc appetizer to
a Chinese dinner. The bridegroom (the son
OF the proprietary is loung,ng on chair, in
his SHIRT sleeves. smoking the bride is gone
up 10 her chamber, where she is sitting on
her nuptial couch and receiving her guests.
We NAV 90 up, II We please, but II Is les
trouble % wait and look about VI till che
comes down. wecr.ck u joke or two with
the bridegroom, and he reiires to put on his
gorgeous array, and then the BRIDE appears
iollowedby her retinue Of trademarks, aud
escorted by an old woman, the go-between
who has made up the match. !
We present ourselves in due form, and
the bride VINO, in spite Of her high crown,
and embroidered tune and trowsers, looks
nervous and twitchy, anil slightly cOnvul'
siye. lust a. she might IL her name were
Brow n, and II We had accosted her at the
door of,he ycstry room Of St. Georges liano-
y.r SQUARE. returns our s,lutation, and would
like 10 pas. on. But such is not scion les
rsolcs. The duenna insists upon our adj
mirinr the beauty Of the head.drss and the
tbiekne~, of the embroidered satin whereof
her tunic is made but, above all she ,riH
pull up the trowser- to exhibit the iauitess
propo.,ions Of the little feet. They are mar
yellously small. A lea couldn't lind room
to hop in that slirP'r. "ch'n-ehin : let US
be of. -
Serere yunisLneni for har'nJ S3udiiy
Children. Such family lived opposite my
bedroom window al Ntngpoo. From early
cock crow to shutdown the screams and
shrill cries were unsntsrmittsnt. The nui-
sance burst into being AL on . sudden but
found on inquiry. that u had existed in
its present aggravated form about two years
before. and vas then cured. After many
vain remonstrnccs, an English merchant
complained 10 the routar Next day the
lord of tho house was sent for to the Pre-
f.cture, aud being sospeuded by the thumbs,
received 6rty blows oi the bambco; he was
then dismissed with . warning. When that
respectable housekeepsf returned di.jointed
and marerated 10 his dwelling, he went in
and shut his DOOR about him. What hap.
pened IN the bosom of that family no man
NAV know bat thsnocforward the rice was
eaten made the house, and the screams did
not yibrate m tho street.. When heard OF
this thought would try what threat OF
the Toutar would do; - | sent my boy
down with . message. lie returned with
the air OF an envoy who has failed. "Weli,
what does the woman say ."Sho taikee
no care-last moon husband dead.
An o1jechsn 10 Chaes Giy.-Wemu
20 on " Is not pleasant to llneer in the
streets Of Chinese city. The porters jostle
you, and the palanqu ms push YOU aside, and
the smells asslil you. The French Jesuit.
TO whom compatriot applied to send her
specimens OF all the finest scents Of China,
rather exaggerated when he replied "Alas
madam, there is in China but one scent, and
that Is not perfume" There are many
scents, but. with the exception ct the white
blossom. whcrewith they scent their teas,
none or them are pcrfames.-Cor. Of the
London Tines.
A RURAL PnilosoraKR.-A certain good
natured old Vermont farmer preserved his
constant good nature, let what would turn
II.