Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-10-21
A Chine chop House in Frisco

We we're ushered politely upstairs,
where in q large room were many little
tables, about WHICH the heather we're
pretty thick. Walters were running to
and fro, not very unlike their civilized
counterparts, and shouting the orders,
the lone fish.balI" or the rat and
pumpkin seeds" Of Celestial diners-out
Chinese pictures on the walls, wicker
iurpitnre, lacquered ware, bronzes, dark
covered Woodyork-everything very
Mongolian indeed. Aud near the bal
cony, among the jonquils, heyy of
brilliantly painted girls making music.
Such musici One slapped with broad,
plant bamboo sticks what looked
like large polished skull, and with
force and resonance that made us
Jump at every blow; another sawed a
ope-stringed fiddle with a one-stringed
bow, producing strains capable Of curd.
ling The blood of a professional saw
6ler; all sqpalled together in voices
many keys above the most earpiercing
fife. These we're few of The methods
by which they wooed the dulcet muse.
Yet through it all there was time; a
Qwing and rhythm that suggested har.
mony, and made it evident that the con-
lord of sweet sounds was the object
aimed st. But our dinner has come up
and been PLACED before us; let us inspect
It. Tea plain, and TO be taken at the
scalding point and without cresm eF
sugar; it is uheompromisingly sloppy
and poor. Try some OF this unbaked
biscuit with the red letter painted on
ton. It's sort of pallid doughball or
dumpling filled with dark and fnely-cut
meat, il certainly does not look edible,
and its faint aqYor suggests--well moth
ing at all; it is entirely negative. Then
here is o block Of pure white marble
two inches square, and on its polished
top again the red-painted character; this
is fairly artistic in Its perfect resem-
blance to block Of stone with elearcBt
edges and sharp corners. 1t Is some
preparation of rice -four, about the con-
sistency of stiff jelly or blanc-mange,
and 10 of o pleasantly sweetlsh taste aud
fairly good, o. Of least very unobjection-
able as food. We are getting treasured
and bold; let US try sample OF this yel-
low affair. 1t is round like biscuit, but
brilliant saffron.yellow in color, with Of
coprse the omnipresent red character
painted on its top. Shut your eyes and
bite boldly. Dalt sng ashes what can
this be2 Do they use the sacred Dust of
their ancestors ss food to feed the bar
barian on7 Bah this mouldy, medi.
cinal taste, this moutbfnl of dry yellow
ashes, is positively nasty. Ne more,
thank you and please pass the
sweetmeats; let us forget in
the familiar taste of ginger this
iidsb,t from the tombs. Finish, If you
like, with dried sweets and the pellucd
and cloying syrups; ] have had enough,
and shall be glad to get out. in another
quarter we visit an eating-house, under
convoy Of a policemen, and penetrate to
the kitchen, and this is really curious.
White aprons, saucepans, ladies-these
are like opr own; and they have even
adopted the barbaric range from Troy,
N Y. But the vegetables are all strange
to us, though they are evidently all fresh
aud California-grown. A cooks assist
ant is chopping up a vegetable that is,
externally, cross between a cactus and
a cucumber, but when peeled is mani
testify turnip, except in shape. This
kitchen is really reassnringi everything
is serupulously clean, and the sight OF
the raw material, fresh, nndisguised and
fragrant, inspires confidence. At any
rate, il is free from the dreadful mystery
that shrouds the finished dish.-J W.
Anles.