Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-06-03
Letter from California.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.
May Is, 1882.

tempated visit to Chinatown, did not re-
alize the difficulty of the task had under
taken, else never would have made such
n rash promise, and it is only in Difference
to the wishes of your correspondent, "Hoc
Loco" that l now attempt the fulfillment OF
it. Chinatown, proper, embraces about
four blocks right in the heart of the city,
and is inhabited almost exclusively by Chi |
nese, there being but few white people so
low down as to consent TO live within its
classic precincts. 1t is estimated that with
in this limited space there are thirty or for
ty, and sometimes fifty or sixty thousand
Chinese domiciled, SO you can imagine how
densely they are packed. During their
holiday season, when all in the city and
many from the country are congregated
there, they swarm like bees and almost COM
pletely block up the streets | am not ia
nliliar with the Chinese calendar, and do
not understand their method of computing
time but l believe it is governed by the
moon; at any rate the beginning of their
new year varies materially every year
though they all seem to know exactly when
it will begin, and for months beforehand
both old and young look forward to it with
as much pleasure apparently as the chill
dren of Virginia look forward TO Christ
mas, and during the continuation OF the
holidays which last about week, it is al
most impossible to get them to do any kind
of work. The Chinese new year. began
this year on the 18th of February, and ON
that occasion, my husband and l, accompa-
MED by Mr.. and Mrs. R., both Virginians,
went to the store of a Chinese merchant
whose "Melican" name is All Sam, and
were very cordially received. The store,
like all Chinese stores and dwellings, in this
city, has very low ceiling, and the atmos-
phere therein is anything but pleasant. On
small table at one end OF the store were
placed refreshments for their visitors, con-
sisting of some kind of sweet wine, lot OF
dried fruits and other things tempting to the
appetite of the Chinaman, but by no means
SO to US Melioans, and when invited to par
take we did so very sparingly, and with a
feeling akin to sea sickness. An attempt
at decorating the table was made by plac-
ing thereon some immense mock oranges
and few earlier flowers. The counter was
strewn with ''new year" cards made of bits
of red paper folded together and the names
of the visitors written upon them. A num-
Der of visitors called while we were there,
and it was quite amusing to witness their
mode of salutation, They do not shake
hands as we do, but clasping their own
hands together they make profound bow
and in smiling way pass the compliments
of the season. Their style of dress is also
peculiar. The holiday attire Of the better
class of males consists of a loose jacket
made Of fine cloth, or silk, with wide flow
ing sleeves, silk pants tied closely arount
the ankles, white silk or cotton stockings
wooden bottom shoes or sandals, and fin
cloth or silk brimess cap But few of then
1,ory ,r1 nd f1,..ir haoH rio ap
except round spot about four inches IL
diameter on the back of the head, from
which the hair is plated with black thread
and hangs down their backs like black
snake The females are similarly dressed
except that they wear no covering on theil
heads, and their pants are unconfned a
the bottoms, and very wide. 1t is utterly
impossible for me to describe the manner
in which the women fix their hair, but it il
quite fantastic, and should judge requires
considerable skill to arrangeit. | am tolt
that they are SO particular with their hal
when it is fixed up that they sleep will
their heads in wooden frames to prevent it
becoming disarranged
From All Sans store we went to tn
"Joss House" or place of worship. Tn
Joss or Idol is located in the top story of
tall brick building, and in order to reach i
we had to ascend a long and narrow t1igh
of steps outside of and back of the build
ing, through room in which were mum
Der of Celcstials smoking opium, and int
room about fifteen feet square, and light
ed by one small stained-glass window, AM
single taper suspended in front of tn
joss. The latter, which is made of bronze
looks like Chinaman with a long nous
tache and goatee, is about as ugly as any
thing could possibly be, and from all hav
heard of his satanic majesty it would,
imagine, be a most excellent representatio
of him, minus the beard. 1t is mounted o
a throne and surrounded by carved wOr
representing beasts and birds of variou
kinds. On narrow stand in front of til
joss are several large metal urns filled wit
earth in which were stuck number
burning sticks which gave forth an ODD
resembling sandal wood. In front of til
is larger table or stand, the under part {
which is made of wood or brass Il coul
1T tell which, as it was inclosed in glass
an very handsomely carved or moulde
into Chinese images, birds, beasts, an
scenes of different kinds On top of tn
stand are number of large and handsom
metal vases and some hideous lookin
bronze images, also several plates contain
ing sliced cocoanut, watermelon seed an
other Chinese edibles, which All Sam il
formed us were placed there as peace-ofle
ings to the joss. Around the room we
placed a number of banners, with mOtto
on them, beautifully executed IN silk; all
o lot of wooden implements of war, and
large bell From the joss House we wei
to one of their restaurants four-stol
brick building, the first floor of which
used for preparing and cooking the warrior
edibles:indulged in by the Chinese; the Sc
Ond floor is for the accommodation OF u
~ HI 60, 81