The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1879-02-27

seass q haaor Ia the matter. / heard
Mrs. Casey tel = stovy The other day
ofiwo II ~her boys. She said throS
years ago they each agreed 70 give The
school oae dollar per naouih AT the
end oftx months one wtnt 10 China, bot
before leav.ng 10 csme 20 Der, ooauicd
oai IL dollars hDd sad, "Hsre u What
promised yea "uas you hsye alre,dy
paid NE ak dollars, she said, EYES,
be aos~ercd. "bot | promised h Zoe =
year, abd ! pay voc al ssnee' ~ DO 20
away The other boy only paid tao
dollars, tbeu wsui iato basiness which
took ~ biz money and Involved him 10
debt. lie did i Ia order to give employ
ment 20 soms Of his friends who were
suaetiug Tor lack Of work. His enter
prise was not successful, asd he lost al
be pat ia aud was considerably 10 az
reAts. For . year OF more be came to the
school bat bad 30 money 10 meet HE
engagement. Tic spoke OF bis poverty
aud OF his saTiety 10 get work several
times 10 Mrs Carey, aud she always told
bin 10 come TO ibe evening school jast
The same a. II be bad money. 70 her
great surprise the other day be came to
her aud banded hef = dollar ior every
month la which be had been Delinquent.
"see," br said, With a bl 'ul smle, ~
got gnod place 10 wetk, uaw pay oil
nv deb,..n How aUsufd 10 accuse poor
John" IL v ho.esale dishonesty aud dis.
honorl
They have just bad their annual holiday
"Chiua New Yesr." Il comes shout tbe
lst Of February, aud the celebration lasts
a week. Il ]. a gala time. | a,sufe yoa.
TIE Grst we sntw 0fiI was Just sitter We
bad begun housekeeping Ia Sau jose.
/ was AMAkeusd =, midnight by the most
peculiar cracking and banging noises
After listening 10 complete be Silderment
for q while, wondering il earthquakes
sodDded Chat way, or II this could posi-.
bly, be the scraCk OF DOOM" | awoke my
liege lord, aud afler such efforts asd re.
butfs as are familiar to all sensiuve-esred
women when they ''hear something at
night, | succeeded IN fairly convincing
him that IL was no auricular illusion OF
mine. Then having bis curiosity really
aroused he proceeded on a tour OF investi.
CATION, first within doors, thea without.
No, il wac not fire; on " house was
quiet anl dark, likewise the domloils Of
our neighbors. There was no glare in
the sky, no alarm OF fre-bells, no noise
or commotion on the streets. The Fourth
ofJuly was months ahead OF us, yet the
unearthly noises continued. We went
back TO bed but not to sleep. Could II be
spirits? Daylight came, aud with II 8
partial cessation OF the noises, but Mr..
Field sailed out In q search for iuforma.
ton. The first man be met enlightened
him. 1t was China New Year" and
all ihe devout ceIestiais in the city were
assembled ia Chinatown" popping off
fre.crsckers and torpedoes, siugIy aud
en- masse, ia order 10 terrify aud drive
oil the evil spirits who might at this time
be preparing for their years campaign!
We were greatly relieved.
This year, in company with several
ladies' aud children, visited "Chiua-
town. at their festive lime. The Chinese
quarter consists OF a cluster of old rickety
u~ninhabitaOle buildings, clustered to-
gethor promiscuously, with narrow alleys
running In every direction like the bur.
rows of rails or moles. Every bit OF space
is ulil zed and fairly swarming with
population, while sights and sounds and
smells unhvly'' abound on every side.
We bad n guide who politely escorted us
first Into n sort Of store where sl sorts OF
~uncanuy, dried fish, aud evil looking
shrimps aud s%nsils, were offered Tor sale
along with more civilized groceries.
There were dozeus Of Cninameu cluster
ing around the counters, all jsbbering and
laughing good nsturedly, smoking, and
drinking tea, which they politely offered
to us la little cups on curious trays. We
declined as courteously, aud then they
insisted on our accepting candies and
dried fruit-all with the oldest taste and
look-aDd to the little folks who were
with Us they gave punches of fire crack
ers. They also offer to all visitors little
bits OF RED paper folded once or twice,
and with Chinese characters printed on
them, which are said to mesu "tlappy
New Year viii drop into my letter
Que which wa. sent 10 Tue by a mrmber
OF ''fhe Cninese Young Meh'. Chrlstian
Associttion,n as yun viii see bY The
stamp. I may give It II you please g.
Rev. De. Wlckhlh. with all the 20 d
wishes stlh .r"sdH irom rs aIl
We .pePsd ~lprVuzh little dark alleys
aud hale sld prcrvd iuio rooJps where
the people seemed ialriy huddled together.
We were ,utfoca,ed by The smoke witch
protested from burning sandal wood
ana various spices aud gums which we're
kept smoking evefl where 10 honor OF
suudry images and tablets With Chinese
chAl acters uscribeAl upon then, but cqn-
Guided thai tle smoke might be LAT more
agreeable asd Wholesome Than the naiu'
raj vile Oduls OF the town. Finally we
were lakrn Up a rickery pair OF stairs aud
inlrod ucel inlQ the ''JOss house." Here
were five gtes4 hideous nome Idols OF
difiereGN Sizes airsnget Ia little a%lcoves
or shrines, with incense burning before