New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-02


has the dreary look and musty smell of cheap
American clearinghouse.
Pass up still another stairway, steep and crooked
and the dining of the first class is reached-a
spacious room, well lighted and tastetuliy orna-
mented. Here arc three large round tables OF ola
Chinese oak to which long use has given the polish
and deep ruby color of fine rosewood. Their
beauties are hidden by no cloths About each are
placed dozen chairs of the same substantial
material. These tables are laid for dinner parties
which arc to be held few hours later The place
of each guest is marked by two fine ivory chop
sticks, curious porcelain wine glass and n little
dish filled with ginger preserves Along the bal
cony in front of this room is a of small private
apartments. One contains all the appliances for
opium smoking on q raised dais at one end, while
about the room are some fine old chairs which
would excite the envy of collector of antique fur
niture. They are of Eastlake form, with plates of
solid silver inserted in the arms and the absence OF
all carving adds to their air of richness and sOldity
The walls are hung with the ancient Chinese de-
signs in neutral tints which were in vogue before
the present highly colOred pictures became fashion
able. From the ceiling hangs a curious oil lamp,
covered with hexagonal glass shade adorned with
painted figures. Strings of bright-colored beads
arranged az pendants, increase the play OF color
when the lamp is burning.
CURIOsITIES OF THE CUISINE.
A Chinese dinner is not to be recommended. 1t
is too greasy, and that Mosaic abomnaton, the pig,
not only appears frequently as piece dc resistance,
and in sundry clever disguises, but contributes an
unmistakable flavor to nearly every dish. 1t comes
in the full pomp of the boars head or in the moro
attractive form of the tender roaster" tho praises
of whose cracking" Ella has sung. Each restau-
rant uses several wagon loads of hogs daily. The
animal is boiled roasted, fried fricaSsced, minced;
it forms the unsavOry contents of innOcent-lOOkng
dumplings and is disguised in dozen deceptive
entrees Not even the dainticst of swectmeats can
remove its communicating touch from the palate.
Hence, for the curiosity seeker who has stomach
not under perfect control it is safer to try te lunch
served at midday in which few meats appear The
garcOn appears with two teacups and saucer and
kettle of boiling water. In one cup he puts
pinch of dry tea, pours the water upon it and
covers it with the saucer. Your tea is then "draw
ing" Quickly he returns with chop-sticks and the
regular lunch. The bill comprises three egg-cakes;
two dumplings, with species Of Chinese straw
berry mark ON the top; three scraps of an unknown
part of the pig; dish of preserved watermelon
and another OF sweetmeats. The tea Is now stepped,
and placing your fOretnger on the saucer YOU tilt
the cup over and allow thin stream OF the fra;
grant beverage to escape into your saucer YOu will
win the good graces of the waiter IT you shake
your head when he asks if you want sugar 1t
never to him that you would ruin the cup
with milk. The tea, made of the tender shoots OF
the plant tastes like unusually fine English break
fast, but with moro delicate flavor and aroma.
BY its aid You may eat spaTingly of the dumplings,
relish the egg cake in spite of the lard in which it
is fried, enjoy the watermelon and devOur the
sweetneats. Of the pork, the Od0r alone is ample;
long drawn smell would be equal to surfeit All
these daintes are eaten with chOp-sticks by the
Chinese around you, but the use of these articles
comes with nature not art 1t is idle to initiate the
skill of your neighbors; you will drop all the food
on the table. Better IL IL to accept the Offering OF
an old-fashoned battered knife and fork, which
the proprietor doubtless gathered in at an AUCTION
sale of antique household goods. There is no limit
to the amount of tea that you may guzzle. The
attentive waiter will fill your cup again and again
with hot water, and. singular to relate the tea
soaking The cost of all this refreshment is only
twenty cents. A regular dinner, at which meats,
coffee and rice brandy are served, costs from forty
to seventy-iive cents, according to the number OF
courses and the service.
NEW YEAR FESTIVITIES.
To see " Chinatown" Alright, one must visit it
during the Chinese New Year-the great national
festival which generally in the second week
in February. For the poor Chinese the holiday
lasts two days; for the wealthy it means week or
ten days of constant rejoicing and complete sus-
pension of business It means more to the Chinese
than any feast-tidc in the Christian calendar. 1t
marks not only the beginning of the year, but the
adjustment of all business accounts Hapless, In
deed is the fate of the Chinaman the debit side of
whose ledger al this time is " blooming" while the
credit side is stricken with hopeless depression. If
his case is not too bad he makes compromise with
his creditors and starts afresh. But the Chinese
have one very good doctrine, that frequent insOlv
eney is sign of dishonesty rather than of disaster.
The Chnaman who liquidatcs yearly ut q ruinOus
discount to his creditors is put on the black list.
The dread of social and business Ostracism is
great bar TO loose business methods. Debt ~ one
Of tho objectionable sins TO the singular mind OF
the Chnaman running in debt is q far more hcinOus
offence than disembOwelng your worst enemy or
abandoning your best friend in case of sickness. IL
is an onGr9ppng OF th GJ encmty PG%GitGGa
ment, and hard mateTialism rules. unswcctcned by
sentiment, unlighteG by any fugitive CLEAN OF I'LL
This festival is heralded by great preparations
and an interest which the apath, TIC Cc!cs-
tial seldom manifests in any mundane matter For
days before the great event the cuTbst0ne dealers
in poultry and pork are overwhelmed with business.
The door posts of many of the shops of rich mcr-
chants receive fresh coat OF vivid red pant, while
the walls of the interior take on q sky-blue tint
ImprOvsed sdebOards are put up, spangled with
fancy tlnsel PAPER ana loaded win nuts, candies
rows of largo lanterns painted i'll all cOlOrs and
adorned with those curious figures which may rep
resent the fauna of the Confucian age, but which
have no living cOunteTparts in tho beasts of Coles
tial fields or the fishes in Celestial waters. Ar
ranged in corner of each shop is Il store Of fire
crackers for this noisy squib plays great part in
the TejOicings.
CnISATowN IN HOLIDAY DRESS.
The night before the great day is ushered in with
hideOus changing of tOni-tOmS, squcalting of one
stringed fddles and rattle of thousand exploding
iirecTackers. This is the time to see the Chinese
quarter thoroughly aroused. A walk through the
main streets is not always safe, but the risk Of
burned coat or a snged eyebrow is amply repaid by
the many amusing spectacles seen on every side.
The shops and houses are all brilliantly lighted,
while the rows of lanterns arranged Mt varying
heights mako the street ut n distance look like a
political tOrch-light procession in which the ward
patriots have absorbed too much beer. On each
side of the street long scarlet ropes of recrackcrs
hang from the upper balconies, the blazing ends
dangling over the sidewalk. One gets n kind of
opera bou1e "baptism of fire in Yenturng through
the street. Seated aloft smoking ls small pipe or