The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-02
CELESTIALSIN CALIFORNIA
NNS INTEREsTISG PICTURE or LIFE
INsIDE CHINESE HOMES.
Bis Feet AID Little Fecs-How they Wash
and Ireu-Bcepomy Of speee-A Chtncss
Holiasy-Beund to be "A Painter In OIL

houeay-Bound 10 DC n thihhef - Vtt-
From, IA cowferJouvnai
SANTA BARBARA, May Is, 1871 will
take back every word i ever said about not be-
Hevipg that sny Chinese women have feet only
ohree inches long. rne great biz footed Chi-
Dese women who tramp hareheuded through
the stree OF California have, as usual thii q,
the ugIiest, nat-soled, bis-ankIed peosl extrernN
about half n big az their feet, leaving the heel
and half the sole Of the foot projecting over
their sandals: me other dsy heard tns. s Sa,
band on a visit to SAINT Batbara, aud her Feet
were only two inches AID tbiec-qu rters i9ne'
a. ~ where the Chinese lady with ht 10 feet
could he seen, he told me her husband wasa
cousin OF Sing Lee. proprietor OF n wash mouse
In town, and she was STAYING there. 30 accom-
panied by several Ladies' aud gentlemen en-
tered The ironing room, where dozen heatben,
clothed 10 white drawers aud wnite gowns. were
putting the gloss on sim linen GA the taDle py
each ironer there was yellow basin nlled witn
water, and after the garment 10 De smOOtbed
was spread out, rourh-drted on the tanie, the
Chinaman, suddenly uucking bis head over the
bowl, sucked w mout hful OF water, which no
spirited In a fine spray through his closed teeth
over the clothes. The noise made BY dozen
men squirting water In that way sembles the
hum Of sewing machines. Immedi ttely after
che moutbful Of water has been disc harged, the
iron Is run over the npened place until it Ia
perfectly diy; then another spot Is tnOistened IN
the same way.
Sing Lee oourteousiv conducted US through
tho dark washhouse, where men were beating
clothes with bamboo sticks, scrubOing them IN
the suds with bamboo brushes, and a China boy
furD &C, to range OF terths like those of ocean
steamers, and, lifting the curtains OF the bed In
GOouced us to the LADY by saving: This Is my
cousin" he woman Immediately rose from the
bed ON which she was sitting, and extended her
hand TO MS, saying, uow do. Her husband
was sitting ny her side, holding boy a year old.
lie WAS very pleased at our visit, and proud OF
the notice we took Of his boy, who was already
dressed In trousers and gown, and wore red
silk turban cap on hts hoad. The wife was more
elegantly dressed than any Chinese / hid yet
seen. Her nair was elao Dratey DIRE ssed, and fts-
II coil u laDpu
Plus VI gold. Her gown, or robe, was loose. ex-
tended to the knee. and had big loose sleeves,
dlstcnded by hoops. Her robe WAS of dark blue
silk, embroidered with yellow and red silk her
arms had several bracelet ornaments; her hands
were small ana well formed, aud covered with
rings ; sue wore big hoops OF gold IN her ears
she had pretty face, oval SHAPED, large
eyes, small mouth, aud dimpled cheeks. She
smiled frequently as we conversed with Sing
Lee, out took no part IN the cODversation. |
.h,ua g.: r"'y could speak a very few SEN
fences. When | said we wanted to see her foot,
she evidently understood. for she laughed. and
yst out her tiny. pointed shippers. got on my
Knee, and took her foot IN my lap and examined
u closely, ana measured n.
PooR FRET FOR WALKING.
The foot and leg were bound tightly In white
satin. apparently sewed neatly around the limo.
There were bands OF gold around her ankles
her ankle measured ten inches In circumference
AT Its smrllest place. her foot wis two and
three-auarter inches long, two inches broad In
the middle. nd one inch at the toes over the
white satin band or stocking she wore blue
satin slippers, embroidered in silver. The slip
pers me almost 10 a point nj tue toe. she
could only walk ov aid OF her cane, which was
on the he'd beside her. Even with its aid her
walk was limping and painfully slow. The doll.
baby foot, 50 elaOOrately decorated In blue and
silver, hanging To the big ankle, which was, OF
course, OVERWHELMINGLY large. looked any
thing but handsome. according to my standa ard
OF arstOcr .ticaly mOlned limbs and feet. Her
legs looked like STICKS Of wood whitfield down
TO "a point for foot. But she was evidently
very vain OF her deformltv. Her baby, one year
OLD, had feet i've inches long. but he was a BOY
and entitled to masculine feedom OF limb. IL
sttIn, aud jewels ON one poor nttls crippled
won ~ sitting In q little room back Of a wash
house, and dressing aud living IN the bunk OF n
bsd. set against the wall. But she seemed to
be as much at ease. aud have as much room In
her curtained six feet by four, 10 American
ladies' I'd IN n twenty roomed house She
again, when We said goud-oy, and repeated
"soo1 by after US In parrot-like voice We
followed sing Lee back through the dark steam
tDg w,usnhodse, and saw, under the slightly DIS
arranged curtains that surrounded the long
ironing tables IN tho iIont room, beds on the
door. and learned that the men who wash and
iron here sleep nd live under their ironing
tsbie- on the floor. THESE Chinese understand
economy OF space, and not one incn of room
Alter leaving Sing Lees establishment we
wandered through the Chinese quarter Of the
town, and espled a grand silk Chinese 1le flying
from the joss house. We drew near tue crowd
what the n,e was there Tor. One sad, Big day
for China boys" another said. "Chinl boy
work today all same, Washington's birthday"
Pursuing my inquiries further, another In
torn ant said, IAN same, Odd Fellows' cele-
Dfhtloh; another, "AH a same, Christmas"
The joss house IL an old, two-story adobe house,
with porcnes extending from both fiours. The
upper porch Is hung with colored Chinese Ian
terms, trimned with many gilt ornaments. We
went through the gambling room Of the nrst
Moor, wnore money was clinking and shrll
voices snrleklnR IN a borriOis mt dley, and as.
ceDoing the stairs In the rear OF the room, en-
tered tue temple. or house dedicated to the
worship OF joss. Chinese incriptiOns on boards
hung around the wall The floor was bare, aud
several small tables set carelessly around. AT
one of these stands Two men were drinking tea
out VI CUPS the slzs Of walnuts. They chanted
hrst one. then the other. then in unison; their
faces wore solemn, and they were surrounded
~ a silent throng Of Chinese, but we could get
no ide, what hey were trying to do. After one
verse OF their strange winning feline song, tney
each took tins sly Of tea, and then struck up
wall again. After half hour Of this amuse-
ment, another Chinese took down from nail
OF The w4ll KIND Of banjo, and twanged the
striuHs In accom- paniment. rhis Chinese ndule
wac niaid with ivory anu pearl and the box or
boiy OF the instrument was covered with snake
skin. anaconda skin, glittering, metallic look
lhk' covered with little scales that look ike hue
ini-id work.
a LAMP THAT HOLDS OUT TO BURN.
The altar of the Joss was curtaned and draped
in crimson. and many elittering gilt spansles
der tho picture OF their io there Is little crys-
TAI nanLing lamp nlled with the oil of the Cocoa
nut. N witch the threud-lke wick Il curled.
I his lamp never Is allowed TO GO out day or
night. below the lamp, on a table, is spread
Clnese tod US while we were Ia the joss house
tuit they had just got "a new joss from China,
anu theb were having feast day because they
b the new Joss. J asked what good the Joss
did. " n.y. said my heather, Mclean 20 to
churchee, alnsee, prafee, tIlkee to big joss up
IN skyee. China boy go to joss house, singee
and pr.yee 10 old JESS In house. Mclean man
want 20 te godee, prayee to Joss Cnna BOY
wants 10 be godte, 20 to Joss house, all a same
Chris ian"
IN. re IS in Santa Bar. ara about one dozen
Christian chm itnen, belonging TO the Presby-
teri n Church. lhey have their regular corner
NJ the left side Of the pulpit 1t Is "A study to
me Ill IN a pew midway the centre aisle,
an The lustlin1 silks and rafting fans Of the
n hhiOnahle audience, 10 see one by one these
twelNe men " TX quietly down the side aisle,
ana dressed IN their strange RhrD, crowns shaven
sud cues hanging To their heels, take their seats
aru listen 40 In ently so hTeatnlessly, 1t seems
TO tbs words ~ their beloved pastor. notice
when the contribution box goes round Johns
shNcr makes often louder ohink as It drops In
the pl tie than tho dime OF the millionaire, and
susp, CT when the rich man gives Ave cents the
Aundry boz or cook gives one dollar.
AN ESTERPRIsISG cHINAMAN.
All Quin is one Of The lost astute and SUCCESS
ful business men Of the city. lie runs an extern
sive laundry, Chinese intelligence ONCE, a
Chinese store containing tea, silk, and Chinese
trys, and owns a line OF garbage wagons, and
vegetable gardens, from which men carry bas-
kets ON long poles, swung over their shoulders,
Containing celery, peas, lettuce, and caulifow ers
the year round, bringing them 10 your very door,
ana no' alone TO your door. but through every
room IN your house, until they are told 70 leave.
An GUN II not satisfied with the extent and
variety or his enterprises, but he II now jealous
ana apt student IN photograph gallery Ab
N aralas