The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-12-03
The CHINESE In MASSACHUSETTS,,
From Appletons' Journal. !

weed Of the superiority of the knife
fork, and spoon. They eat, as be
fore, mainly rice, and drink the te;
specially imported by them from
China. But it is to be observed
that they have discarded pork, ant
eat, with other meats, a great dea
of the vegetables of the country
Their simple regimen has kept then
healthy through the trying summer
though they have suffered from the
exceptional heat, like the rest of us
and look forward to the cool days
coming as much more like the pleas
ant climate of China. They have
taken great care of cleanliness, bath
ing very frequently, and every Sun
day carrying their mattresses out
into the yard and beating and airing
them thoroughly, so that they have
had no Inconvenience from their
somewhat crowded manner of living.
They have taken care also of the
the other great sanitary principle,
outdoor exercise, strolling about
the village in squads and couples,
quite relieved from apprehension OF
the hostile spirit that at first threat
ened them. One or two of of them
have been knocked over by furtive
blows from belligerent Irishmen
but they have been wise enough not
to resent the demonstrations posi-
bly, due to drunkenness, and have
seen that such affairs were excep-
tional, and not Of Importance enough
to deter their wanderings about the
town.
Some Of the Chinese have taken
radical steps toward discarding the
national style of dress. They find
their slip-shod shoes particularly in
convenient, and many have ordered
tirst-class boots made to measure by
the village shoemakers, being quite
too fastidious to accept the more
coarse]y-made sale boots which might
be had for half the price. Nearly
all have purchased flannel under
garments !; and it is to be observed
that they scrutinize prices carefully,
and leave a store in dignifed silence
If they suspect that too much is de-
manded, They show no stinginess
in obtaining clothing, but simply
strive with Yankee prudence to
get the worth of their money. One
of their number caused some sensa-
ton in the street a few days ago by
appearing in the full-dress costume of
our day and country from hat to
boots, including bosom shirt and
neck-tie. Charlie Sing and one of the
men have ceased to shave their
heads, producing very great change
in their appearance: but not one of
the seventy-fve has yet dispensed
with the long cue, the preservation
of which is with the Chinaman aA-
most an observance Of religion. y
This brings me to say that one of
the most surprising things about
the Chinese colony here is the little
stress laid upon the observances of
which we had been led
to suppose would be adhered to to
the the last. There has been no ap-
pearance Of any vestige of idolatry,
except few weeks ago the Chinese
forman announced to the manufac-
turer that seven of the boys would
like to quit work the next day, it be-
ing the full of the moon, and a day
of worship. But the majority on the
other side carried the day for work,
and Charlie made some pithy re-
marks to the faithful few which de-
serve to be recorded. "Boys" said
he, "you no swear, no steal, tell no
lies, be good all much better than
the moon" Meanwhile a
goodly delegation of the Chinese at
tends every Sunday the Methodist
and Baptist churches special clas-
ses Of them have been formed in
the Sunday-schools, and every Sun
day at dusk the whole company is
taught by volunteer instructors from
the different religious societies. /
do not learn that any of the pupils
have made special advances toward
any particular sect. They have
made good use of their time in ac-
quiring the English language, com
to memory with surprising
speed the motoes and texts upon
placards hung up in their room for
their instruction by, the Sunday
school people, spending money for
school books, and learning to read
the language as fast as Or faster
than they learn to speak it. They
strive to learn the tongue in it's purity,
and disdain "pigeon English" In
the one great principle of charity
they seem qualified to set an ex-
ample rather than to follow one. |
They have combined to support one
Of their comrades, who is incurably
sick, and confined to his bunk.
They have given lavishly to beggars
asking aims beneath their windows.
e You mustn't let the boys give away
all their money" said somebody to
in the way of caution.
. That no loss" he replied. "No
good refuse to give to poor people.
We do not suffer by that" And
more surprising than all was the
of the q" heathen Chineen
when a contributions box for foreign
designed expressly for the
pennies, was passed
around the Sunday-school. He plac-
idly dropped in a dollar, and thrifty
Berkshire holds up it's hands in
-----~---~-@~---~~I~~ -
A barrel of -four weighs one hun
dred and ninety six pounds, bar
rel of pork two hundred pounds, a
barrel of rice six hundred pounds,