The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1864-12-02


building for its business headquarters,
lars, the furniture and outfit costing many
thousand more. Its recent completion
has been made the occasion of grand fes.
tival, continuing through many days and
nights, in which all the Chinese in the
city are participating, and to which many
Americans have been invited. The cere-
monies began with a Cinnamon going
about blowing water from his mouth upon
the furniture and into The corners Of the
rooms and this queer proceeding was
followed by hideous outburst of barbaric
music, the burning of incense, bowling be.
fore Josh, visiting and feasting. A great
many "outsidc barbarians" have improved
the opportunity to study Chinese customs,
and to inspect the temple of trade aud su-
pc stition which is worth describing. The
main building is of brick, about twenty
feet front, forty feet deep aud three stories
high. The front is a recessed arch under
square cornice, the windows opeuing
upon rallied balconies built within the arch
aud outer square line Of the building -
This editice Is approached tkrous h square
one-story brick, opening into an inner
court.
THE REGISTER OF THE DEAD.
THE first fnor of the main building is
divided iuto several small reception aud
smoking rooms, at the entrance o which
stands police offi ser, who admits whoev
err has one of the invitation cards issuel by
the company. In these rooms visitors are
sometimes handed II cup Of tea, souc fried
cakes, or paper cigar, and Chinamen
may be seen reclining on lounges an |!
smoking pipes of wood and metal which
omit Il very villainous smell. Back Of the
reception rooms is sort of altar, covered
with gilt and red haugings, the front being
open aud showing what resembles sue
cession of small steps or shelves, which
are covered with paper and inscribed with
Chinese characters. This is the register
of the dead. Here are inscribed the names
of all the members or wards Of the Ming
Yeong C1mplny who have died in Cali
fornia In front of this ghost record
lamps are kept burning night and day.
THE EXCHANGE"
"The furniture of all the apartments on
the first floor is Of the plainest description.
Ga the second haor is the company's bust
ness room. or exchange, where the presi-
dent of Sing Song, whose name is Wing
GA, and his heal manager, Alb Wee,
smoke aud talk, receive visitors, preside
over meetings of the company, and direct
its ordinary concerns, relieving the tedium
of these occupations with al occasional
tune on some Of those thrilling two string
ed instruments for which Chinadom is 50
famous. This apartment is supplied with
chairs and tables made of u very hard
black wood, and which All Wee assures
his American friends will break the edge
Of steel instrument. TIE walls arc pa
pered and partly hung with oblong tapes
tries of crimson and yellow silk or satin
el,borAtely embroidered in gold and high
col9rs, and heavily fringed. All Wee
says this cost $50 a yard, and was pre-
scented to the company by some of its
friends.
THE FITTINGS OF THE TEMPLE.
"But the wonder Of the whole building
is The temple in the third story. The
first glance at it reveals only confused
heap of gilt, crimson and blue cabinets,
brass ornaments, crimson and gaudy signs,
while the air is laden with warm aud sicken
ing doors. A more careful survey ex-
tracts something wonderful and systemat-
lie from this naelange of barbaric tinsel and
furniture. The walls aud ceilings are
nearly hid with huge crimson, blue and
gilt sgns, each bearing four large letters
supposed to be motto of some SORT
and some an iucri ption in smaller charac-
tiers at one end. These are said to be pres.
ents from other companies, and from
friends here aud in China Across the
centre of the room are placed three cabi-
inets, each about ten feet long Ly two feet
wide and four feet high, made of exceed
ingly dark and heavy wood, and the fronts
carved in high relief in the most grotesque
and elaborate manner Some of the cary
Jugs represent the interior of houses, with
figures of men, beasts, birds and insects in
strange juxtaposition, while others consist
of trees vines aud scroll work-all gldcd
the background being the original dark
color of the wood.
Son the top of these massive cabinets
are large hrazicrs tiled with incense, OF
containing live Goals, in which sticks Of
sandal wool are slowly burning; fantastic
wax tapers; sticks of punk three feet
high and four inches thick; forty vessels
Of metal like tin, whose use is no: app
rent; small images; peaked yellow flags
pyramids or ianshaped bunehes Of artificial
flwers, peacock tails aud insects mixed
with tinscl ornaments; blazing laups
carved and gilt stocks of sandal wood, &c
Along the sides of the room, at the euds
of three cabinets are banners of clubroider-
81 III. I