The Newtown bee., 1878-03-28

l
 pie" Is one of the most widely known and ire.
 quented. l quote description of 'In the
 Central Hall we find n trio of gods. The princi.
 pal figure Is known by the hglrsounding title.
 'The Supreme Ruler of the Sombre Heavens
 and has control of the northern regions. He Is
 pretty good at preventing confagrat!ons, and
 so is called sometimes the 'Water.g0d.' He eats
 vegetables only. sitting at the len hand of the . Supreme Ruler is black, ugly looking fellow.
 the Chinese god fwar, sometimes called the
 Military Sage' This god is worshipped in order
 to become brave and courageous, At the right
 of the Supreme Ruler the Sombre Heavens,
 Is calm.faced image-'the great King of the Southern Ocean' This god Is said to be large hearted, almost b0undless iE the sweep of his | benevolence."
 These art. but a few specimens of the large
 number of heather deities which ornament the
 temples of this civilized and Christian land. What pure, good influences can hold sway over
 people whose religion Is simply I heartless,
 superstitious. blind idoatry? Will not con- tact with higher civilIzation--slowly perhaps,
 but just as surely, tell after while, upon these Mongolian? A missionary field is close home
 to those who long to convert the "heathen,"
 while India, China, and Japan arc flr, far away;
 and the seeker after some way of doing good
 may peYer reach those shores. They seem to be very grateful to those who teach them to
 read and write. A number of instances have been told me where ladies have taken an
 interest in those In their family, and have as
 sisted them in their studies evenings, and they
 afterwards always refer to the kindness with
 the warmest words of appreciation. It is very
 laborious work for the older ones to acquire the
 rudiments of reading, spelling and ciphcring;
 yet they are very diliSent and persevering,
 patient and ndindustrious. Marriage among them
 is consummated with no religious form or cerer mony but they pledge each other in small cups
 of wine, and perform together a whole ritual of protestations before the open heavens, and also
 before the family penates, There Is much cere-
 mony according to the rank of the parties to be
 unitcd." \ few of the better class of Chinese
 bring their families here; the others have a
 second wife, or else patronise the poor victims | of Chinese cruelty, the women who are brought here and sold as slaves
 These people are close and frugal ill their habits, and live principally upon rice and vege- tables. Their living costs but little, and their wants seem to bs few They do not drink. but yet they smoke opium, and universally gamble. To visit an opium-den, is to see one of the sad- dest of pictures from real life. As class, they are not considered either a neat or particular people; and their morals appeal much more to convenience than to conscience. To the fruit growers and the farmers wives, 1t is said, they have indeed proved a blessing; for without Chinese labor few of their ranches" could
 have been carried on with any profit to the owners "lt Is universally conceded that sober reliable white labor cannot be obtained at prices which capital can afford to pay" on this coast. John is always ready and willing to do what is required of him, even to the most menial ser vice, unc0mplainingly. Into all portions of the cify you vii see them trudging every morn ing, carrying fruit and vegetables to the houses of the rich and poor. With their baskets sus. pended upon sh0ulder.p0le, they patiently tramp over miles of surface daily, thus proving q source of real comfort to wives aud house keepers who live far from markets and have not the timeto go. The employment officers and agencies fellow about the same plan as our own; and here you can leave orders for the class of help. and tine number you would like, and they are furnished you quietly and quickly.
 Chinatown, of a weekday morning, Is lively, animated and altogether presents novel sight to the stranger who first passes through it's pre- cincts It smells of every conceivable thing all mixed up together, but you rather lose sense of the odors as you grow interested in the sights and sounds all about you. Different clans are utterng different dialects merchants arc selling their wares, and customers buying all stores and shops and signboauls are orna- msnted with gayly- painted characters in Chi nese; and even the natives stand in front of these for a long time. trying to comprehend their meaning, or else awed into 0pen.mouthed admiration of their own curious hieroglyphic Men saunter to and fro with their low shoes, shaven crown, and foreign dress; few women neatly arrayed, fit by, or, dirty and stocking less, disappear into dark and narrow alleys. Rustic and activity are everywhere observable; "a butchers shop has the fanciful, odd name over the door of Man Woo,-Ten Thousand Harmonies," such phrases being peculiarly pleasing to the "IIeathen Chinee" aud are sug- gestive of good luck, Inside the stores there is always book-keepeI, who seems to be fgur- ing, besides the statesmen.
 They do not ask you your errand, but wait for you to state it. and then politely attend to your wants. We went into several, one day, and asked all sorts ofquestions, and received only the pleasantest of answers. Some of the merchants have very nice faces, and lovk quite aristocratic. One might spend many pleasant hours in the influential and attractive stores, looking at their exquisite china; their beauti- fully carved boxes and fancy articles of wood and ivory; richly painted fans; books illustra, ting Chinese life and costumes; colored pictures on silk pages, and hpndreds of small gifts that were imported from the "FloweFy Kingdom" There is one large house having both Japanese and Chinese goods, where one can enjoy look ing over rare, curious and interesting eollec- tions; but the finest and incest are very high. priced, and quite beyond the means of ordinary people.
 They drink their tea out of such dainty little cups, using neither sugar nor milk; and when eating, the chop-sticks fly about in lively and energetic manner. In the better class of restau- rants is a raised platform or dais, underneath | canopy, when pipe and pillow are provided 1 for the benefit of the opium. smoker. Their | cooking Is said to resemble the French, They | have decided fondness formixing many kinds | together. They patronize these "easing places" as much as t1e white people do theirs; and i many, like the Americans, live altogether at | them. The entrance is usually through store and upstairs. We went into one of the largest !