Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-12-05


arobe of pale blue fiowered Grape, lovely,
| delicate and lustrous, a silvery azure,
| falling in a soft, graceful way over a
brocade silk skirt of the peculiar yellow
green which is known in the fashion
plates as "faded leaf" color; in this at
! tire the refinement of his features and
| slightness of his form were more appar-
ent than when in his visiting costume.
| The interpreter, who is also servant,
came Immediately and took his position,
standing several feet from his superior;
and soon Mrs. Ko Kun-Hua entered,
dressed ~ when 7 first say her. followed
| by the two little girls. And on my re-
marking that l had not seen the baby,
the professor, understanding my words,
smiled and said something to his wife,
which seemed to be asking if the baby
could be seen, to which she, half laugh
ing and giving her head a slight toss,
seemed to answer: " / don't care" So
the interpreter disappeared for moment
and returned leading tiny girl two
years old, diminutive specimen of
Chinese woman, a wee thing with round,
grave face, ana clad in indigo blue
clothes figured with white, like some of
those India silks which were so much
worn few years ago. The little thing
stood quietly holding fast to his hand
and solemnly contemplated us-fantasti
cally attired creatures that we were
! her eyes.
And now, with considerable help from
the interpreter, we had some interesting
conversation about the education of
children. The father said they were
to be taught English at once, and sent
them for their new books, which were
copies of Halliard's First Reader" in
which the superintendent now gave
them little instruction, to the great
delight of the family. Then he went to
his study and brought out pile of Eng
lish and Chinese school books which
had been given to him, and was very
eager to get information about our Ian
guage. He produced our cards, and
asked us one by one to pronounce our
names, and then each card he labeled
with the Chinese. Mine required three
characters, which were made in per-
pendiculaI row at the upper right-hand
corner. These were done with few
| skillful strokes of a dainty black brush
or pencil which lie took from some re
ceptacle attached to a girdle beneath his
| robes.
1t was evidently his habit to translate
in this manner for his own convenience,
the names of his visitors, who had al
ready been numerous, to judge by the
quantity of cards in the decorated porce-
lain salver which he brought from his
study.
AS the Chinese is a language of sym
bols, of hieroglyphicsr rather than l( tiers,
a single character represents what with
us it might require several syllables to
express. The spoken dialects are numer-
Gus. according to different provinces of
the empire; but the Mandarin dialect"
as it is called, is the purest, and has an
extensive literature. 1t is otherwise
known as the Court dialect" being
the language fixed upon by govern
ment to be learned and used by officials
throughout the empire" so that those
who acquire it can always find persons
with whom they can communicate in
every part of China. This. as he in
formed us, is the language he speaks, as
much an unknown tongue to the com
mon class Of that nation as our own is.
The mandarins. of whom there are
several ranks, have special privileges.
They all wear blue, and they alone can
use gold embroidery OD their clothing;
and their wives are attired according
to the position of the husbands, which
IS seen at once by the color on their caps
or the peculiar emblazonry on their
robes. 1t is their custom in the pres
ence of others to sit Gas Mr.. Ko Kun
Hua has already been described) with
the hands on the knees, and in a very
composed manner. No mandarin can
with propriety return visit on foot;
and when he appears on the street nc
person of inferior order must presume
to salute him.
In spite, however, of all such limita-
tions we found our interviews with the
Ko Kun Hua family delightful; and this
last one was closed by our trying to pro-
nounce the name (Which sounds as il
written "Ko Dung Whah " and by
tea a-drinking-" high tea," am sure il
ought to be called. The Interpreter
who appears to be man-of ail-work
and always full of business, smart, capa.
BILE and bright wherever one meets him
whether indoors or on the street-camt
in with waiter on which were six cups
of tea, each in its "salver," which he
set on the table before us.
The etiquette is for the guests to take
up their cups, when the heads of the
+ house Immediately initiate them, anC
, then all silently partake together; bu
! though we understand that such wa,
, the custom, anu saw that Mr.. and Mrs
Z Ko Kun Hua waited our movements
) not one of us ventured to do this, no
3 even when the Mandarin said, "Tak,
: tea!n for how should we manageP-
3 that was the question. Each cup wa
' on q long narrow "salver" or waiter o
/ metal, which had a sunken circle int
which it fitted, and each cup had cove
on it like a small saucer turned Lotion
upward. We waited, as with one con
. sent, till Mrs. Ko Kun-Hua, seeing ou
e dilemma, raised hers with her righ
Q hand and daintily carried it to her lips
4 holding her arm high, and she sippe'
: with the cover on. We all tried, an,
! made a universal, ignominious failure
! In fact, as for myself, could hardl
convey mine safely to my mouth with
: out using both hands, such concer
v was in lest the cover should drop of
! We tried again; and then we laughed
n the whole company of us; and then tn
v host and hostess, with considerabl
Ie kindness and courtesy characteristic {
: that people toward their guests, remove
| the covers from their own cups and lai
n them on the table, and we at once TO
g. lowed their example; and then we a
% took tea, decorously and in state. n
/. spoons, no sugar, no milk; they nevt
,e use them. A few tea leaves are put
the bottom of each cup, boiling wat,
J. poured on, tke covers put in place, an
IS thus, with all the flavor kept in, it
s served.
lg They were extremely agreeable ar
ie obliging, and no doubt if our curiosi
s, had so far overcome our good breedir
n as to have induced us to ask about ther
or they would have taken down tho
us lovely ornaments from the mantle,
rs which had been added some exquisi
=, | l,ouoc op1 n Iaro clap 1a1. ,yo