The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-12

Then Wing Hi or Fun Lee comes for his
clothes, carries them away in two blue
bags swung over his shoulders, sprinkles
them with water squirted from his mouth
in spray, and brings back the ladies ties
as white as the driven snow, but so stiff
that to bow to friends across the dining
room is an impossibiity. Then Chee-Lee
appears, who comes on regular mornings
to the ladies rooms with his attractive
wares, and beguiles them into unlimited
purchases of fans, cups and trays, just be-
cause they can be bought from him so
much cheaper than at the regular shops.
Then comes a visit to China Towu--one
of the Regulation" things for ali Califor-
MIA tourists.
CHINA TOWN.
China Town consists Of rectangular
block. seven squares in length by two in
breadth, near the business centre Of the
city and only a few blocks away from the
palaces Of its railway kings, The blocks
are cut up into sections by narrow alleys,
aud the houses are nearly all tall, deeayed
buildings, swarming with tenants, filled
with underground dens, and attics with
overhaogiug dormers, which shut out the
sunlight and all but patch of blue sky
which is natures perpetual gift to this
city The streets are lined with the stores
of the Chinese merchants. These stores
contain many choice things in tortoise
she'll, carved ivory, aud erepes; but little
effort is made in display goods in their
limited quarters, aud the investigating turu
of mind aud the push which are quail
ties Of the average Eastern Traveller are
serviceable One alley Is devoted 10 the
opium joints, another Is given up to the
market men, others are mOnopoliEed by the
most dissolutc classes. There are six res.
taurants aud two theatres 10 the quarter.
Their plays are historical, frequently run
from noon Of one day until uoon Of the
next, aud series runs through two months.
No reliance Is placed upon the setting,
there being no scenery aud almost no stage
furniture, aud the slain man rises aud
coolly walks of the stage while the audi
euee looks calmly on One brief visit
sufiees the average white theatre -gocF, and
he Is glad 10 escape from the close air Of
the theatre, heavy and foul With opium
smoke. II be chooses-thc dolcful music
Of the stage sill ringing in bis ears--be
can adjourn to a restaurant IN the vicinity
and eat cakes, sgee,meals, aud preserved
watermelon, aud drink genuine Chinese
tea served ia Celestial style.
VISIT To rnE cHISEsE orARTEE.
Did ever a drive equal the one we took
one sunny morning through Golden Gate
Park, over "Nob Hill, past the Plaza
TO China Town ? And < i, to be woades-
ed at that after dreamy morning a, the
fascinating Cliff House VIC rubbed our
eyes 20 see If wc were really awake ?
Everything about Us had an Oriental
aspect. The shops bad Chinese sisus-
Chinese wares hung in The windows OF
were shown on tho sidewalks Chiuesc
plaeards were on the walls. The Chinese
themselves we're eyeyWhere.
We were accompanied BY a policeman,
and our bevildermcnt vas increased By
seeing him saddeaiy disappear ike a jack
iu-,he box Directly his head aDda beck
Osing hand appeared, aud, pinuipg our
faith 10 our guide, VIC prepared to descend
VIC knew not whittier Our faith was re-
warded BY hnding fight Of steps leading
to a dark passage oPeniog apon a covered
court, surrounded BY galleries from which
opeaed innamerable apartments In one
OF these We found woman al home.
She was dressing her bair, which was
glossy and most pFofasely gummed. Here,
thought We, Is found among this ancient
people the germ of bandoline Toe woman
showed Us the little wooden pillow upon
which she slept, in shape very ike dumb
bell, aud when informed that those who
used them were only obliged 30 dress the
hair once week their utility was aPpar-
ent.
The court was evidently used as eom-
mon kitchen. The stoves in use were
simply h,ile sheet-iron boxes, containing
few Goals aud With an arrangement for
a skillet over the fire. This Is the only
means many Of these poor creatures have
Of cooking their meals To be sure it
simplihes very much the process Of getting
dinner, for the stove can be put on 4 table
or on the floor or "laid on the shelf, as IS
most convenient, aud one cooking utensil
serves for the rice and tbs numerous stews
which they make
The Chinese are very economical IN their
food, as IN everything else, using parts of
animals which are discarded in the mark
cts aud making, it IS said, very pala,able
stews from them. But, after seeing the
process and the cooks, We had no desire TO
taste the dishes Oar repugnauce was
strengthened BY a visit to one Of their
market-houses, where everything, from
chickens wings to the tiniest fish, seemed
to be "eut aud dried very much ike the
customs aud habits Of the people them
selves.
Our policeman next led US to an opium
Joint We shuddered as we looked into
the dark damp underground den, at the
end Of which, we could see only the faint
est gIimmer Of light By the aid of
candle We made our way across the place
aud to the side Of man stretched upon
mating and already half stupe6ed by the
opium he was smoking. His wild, bright
eyes, and his thin, haggard face told of the
terrible power of this vice. He was, in
deed, frightful object, and when the Off
Ger took his pipe for amoment, to show US
its structure, he followed it with his glar-
ing eyes, as if his existence were bound
up in it. We were glad to hasten away
from this sad place, which at night would
be filed with men, smoking away their
lives; and, as we drew long breaths of the
pure, sweet air outside, we reflected upon
the responsibility of the English Govern
ment that forced the opium trade upon
China.
Another underground room remained to
be visited which, we were told by our es-
cort, was sixty seven feet long and nine
feet wide Into this den this officer one
night chased thief, and, after arresting
him, went back and counted ninety-tWo
sleeping men. There was not a window
and but single door to the apartment, and
the berths were one above the other like
the boxes of Post Office. He made a
hasty computation which showed the num-
Der of cubic inches of air for each person
very small
We next looked into an old decayed
building where, we were assured, fourteen
hundred Cinnamon lodged We explored