The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1858-02-20

Another custom, Whlch at llrS innnu Ut
/ tie favor with either Mr.. Hue or Mr.. Fortune,
! thry discovered upon experience, to bc en-
| ctcdugly agreeable. Towels. from which hot
! water had been rurrg ont. arc brought round
| in trays af,cr meals, and each of the guests
wipes his taco with re King cloth. The same
process is gone through fer journeys. 1t is.
! in fact, tue Chinese mode ui washing, and
! though not The most rircInal, Mr.. Fortune.
! pronounc,s ii far more refreshing than cold
/ bathing to person who is hot and tired with
! walking. Tie natives rarely use soap. When
our party of six had scaird themselves 1T tn,
centre table my attention was attracted by
covered DISH something unusual at Chinese
mcal. On c,r.ain signal, the cover vas ic
moved, and presently Me face Of tie table
/ was covered with juvenile crabs, whiGl! made
! Their IXudus from The dish with al! possible
| laWlity. The crallct- lad been thrown into
a plate u vlmtGa just NJ the company sat
! Down such ALI immersion nlTNing them more
/ brisk and lively than ever. Bat the Slrlgh'ly
| sport Of The infant crabs WAS soon checked l'y
each guest SeIzH. which he could daShIng it
! into his mouth, crushing it between his tech.
| and swallowing the whole mor,el without GER
! eIuony. Determined TO do as the Chinese did.
! | t,id lhiA novelty also. With Two Of these
{ succeed finding the shell soft and gclati-
J nous, tol they WCr" lInv creatures, not n're
! than a day or Two cid. But | was compelled
I to give IN to the third. which mad resolved To
! take vengeance. and gave my lower lip nip
/ 50 sharp and severe Is 10 make ne rclInqnish
my hold, and l,keTiae dc,>t from any further
! experiments Of thla nature
CHINESE PolITrNnss.
! Thtrc is fanny account O. Chinese man.
! ncrS witch VIII amuSc some of cur plain re-
! publications.. 1t appears that they rn actlce
politeneS>S winch is talk : :" The essence of
| good planners Is IN the nr, ference CIR Others
in tic Su!al!cr affairs tflfc in a petty bcneyc.
| lcnce reduced 10 rule ana enforced By society
! uron all to supply the want Of the reality in
mlny. The rules are defective in proportion
MS the ciyiIity is barren. Tried by Ibis test
| the Chm st are not much in advance Of our
| selves. They Give you, SAYS Mr.. tuc, the
most pressing invitation, but it is on conIi
| ton that you Refuse thcm. The native Chris,
| tial,S Of . Roman Catholic static in The north
went on ohe saints day to attend service in:
! chapel attached to- the house Of Il catcchSt.
! tn" service ended. the caIechiSt pressed the
whole Of the congregation which WAS numcr-
! Gus, to stay and dine with h,m. Every one
| replied to his tnl,"aticS by an excuse. With
an All If uoltiiration Al the repeated ufusal>
| he nj last caught held If crrl,in, and begged
! linn, hy the ties Of relationships. ;o ieluain.-
| lhe cuuSln ad,i business. and aItcr pro
! usctcl contest OF earnest req IpatS aud per
/ eHptory dunlais the ca,cCh-t proceeded 10
/ list force. and t!dGvDrcl 10 dap his r,lra:-
I tory Er,gionIatu the house. II. said he,
/ 'yuu wi. not eat ricr, with M 0 least come
/ III ',ud drink glass OF vIne.' The cousin con-
! synNl 10 this conproIniSc. hf!rr Sjtlng long
and 40 vine appearing, lie ycninrri loInfulrv
! Wh,u Il wa : likely to he brought IN. Wine
wine said his as!onishcd host do ycu sup
pose have any wine here and do You no!
| know that never drink wine, since it gives
me the siouache ache" Then, why replied
his guest, did you not lct me go instead OF
Insisting upon ms colnming in d! The question
threw he calerulst IN a race. He phused
his cousin ipr an ignorant boor. asked him
where he had learn! manners. and with ca"
ting S,lra>n exclaimed, What! do you
The riv!ity to invite you to drink Wine and
yur have not the courtesy to decline w
Mr, live witnessed the scene.
CHINESE: DWELLING HOUSES.
The architecture of the Chi ,,S! is unique
What "" express hy the word house, for eX
ample, finds no corresponding term idea
among them. From the palace to the hoyul,
hc tent type prevails; as well in temples as
in private dwellings,. Dwelling houscS are
generally Ct one story having neither cellars
nor basement. and for the most part, without
lonm.rwi"dows or attics They must not
have ornaments appropriate to palaces or tenn
pies, or to aspire the height Of the former
The common materials ale brick, but wooden
houses are not unknown.
The general arrangement Of the interior Of
f'iin..u 1,y, limo 4 TIM hot ,prr ,,F
series ofroomS old lcrcmL dimensions, sepa
rated and lighted by intervening courts. &C.
ccsslhe along a covered corridor communicate
ing with each or by side passages, leading
through the courts The custom of cIamrny
the loot, and thus disabling the women in a
degree from going up ard down stars, may
have had the effect Of making buildings low,
and causing an expansion on level, III order
+ to make the necessary room required for large
or wealthy families. Donr-plaeS and nun hers
are unknown: as Il substitute lqr which, under
the rIoj' cling eyes, hang paper lanterns. IN
forming lnsscrs- by OF the maine and title If
the household, which, when lighted at night,
strive to Hume the street and designate his
hahiaiion.
The entrance into large mansions in the
county is by triple door, leading through
lawn or garden up to the hall but in towns
; a single door, usually elevated step or two
above tie street, introduces the visitor into
a porch or court. The intervening space Is
occupied by the porter. Passing behind the
movable screen inside the doorway, paved
open court commonly adorned with flowers
or fancy tsh pool, is crossed upon entering
the principal hall, The floors are made Of
: square tiles Of brick or marble or hard cement
and Inatted-wooden floors not being common
= on the ground story. The rooms are DIM ever
in bright day in the absence Of carpets, and
: Iire-I accs, and windows. TO afford from then
prospect abroad The kitchen is n small af
fair; for the universal use portable furnaces
; enables the inmates to cook wherever tn,
, smoke will be least Troublesome. Warming
the houses in the latitude of Picking is done
by closing the cleyices and constructing ilue'
under The rooms, which are heated by on
y tire.
Il The poor build sort of brick fire place
which is used for cooking by day, and by
night fer bed, where all the family sleep o.
g felt carr placed Oh the warm bricks. Fue
II IL scarce and dear. The house of the poo
/. are dark, dirty, low. and narrow tenemrnts
n with neither floors nor windows, and but few
1t apartments, wretchcd in the extreme. Th
G door is mat swinging from the Intel and tn
d whole family sleep, cat and live III a singl
d apartment, and pigs dogs and hens dlspui
ti,, ,,,a "a. h tho chIllrpu WIN ura ant 4