New-York tribune., 1882-02-19
STOPPING WORK TO ENJOY THE NEw-YEAR

The early morning trains on the Eric Road were
crowded We terday with Cinnamon, IN holiday at
tire, gong to their New-Ye1r celebration ut Il lle-
yii!e n. j. There j. a large laundry at that place,
where seyenty-tive Cinnamon are employed, and
these invited their brethren in the city to fest
and general jubilee. The crowds of celestlals who
got OIL the trains at Bellevle attracted much at
tcnion; and well they might. There were young
and Old men among them; MongOans in Derby
hats and soft hats, III fr)ck coats and loose
jackets and some reaching to their heels
while Others hal them tucked way under their
hats. All of them were chat ering and bObbng
thrir head. about in a nervous, excited manner. At
= .. n there wer' ar least 300 OI-lOoh ing persons
gathered on q green near he laundry building
arge triang liar flag of white, bodared with
striocs Of orange and ack, with long stream
e.s OF red above. it, strings on which
each end Of cross stick just beneath The flag 70 the
ground The crowds of Celesti,ls watched the
Preparations for firing them with hc most absorbed
at eutiOu. Finally the crackers were ST oft. he
fire ran from ounch 70 bunch with great rapidly,
aud the air was at once filed wi popping crackers
eXplo ing siugly AMI IN great bunches. As soon aS
one long string was burnt another was run up and
touchei off, aud al the time tom-ton7 kettle
drums and eymbals kept up a d'aienng din.
The sW,rthy lace Of ev r. Ch,namln pr sent was
wrcathcd in broad gin and some OF them even
expressed their deli-ht in shouts of laughter Well
might they feel dclIghtc, or they believed that the
din of exploding cracker and clashing cvmbas was
Tightening away the devil for a whole year. This
indescribable racket was con lined for more tian
IN hour, and tn the Chinauen Withdrew TO their
lnlig-iOpm ana leISt LOT another nOnr
or two. After their din nler they spent the
ime till evening in calling upon
each other drinking wine and gin and eating
chinese, sweet-mcars and performing different re-
gous rit' in their joss room or temple. This rs
small room, ut one end of which a long table is set
in front OF a rudey pointed image in black upon
red pap r. From the dingv ceiling there are hung, on
each side of III table, rows of narrow red banners,
covered with black inscriptions. The table. Is
covered with mu titude of burning joss-sticks and
lighted candles. al suck up in boxes Of sand;
ia red tapers directly in front of the image; huge
pyramids o Gilt and red tinsel an lunches of ar
tIicial and natural flowers. All these form study
in rel and g l. wi the imag' at e back SEQ ling
through q veil of incense rising from the burning
jos s'-s icks. I'm different paris Of The room great
globes of gaudy paper hang from The ceiling and the
walls are covered with quaint Chinese pictures.
The air was sitting with the SMOKE of
sandal wood. and as each devOtee stood
bObbng up aud down before the image with
a bunch of bur ing jO's-sticks in his hand,
tOm-tO 8, kcttle-drums ana cymbals made deaf
ening NOISE. Each w,r,hipper, after praying for a
time on his knees, took small round box filled
with splins, each having a number on one end, and
shook 1t till one fell out the number IN thus splnt
referred to a passag in the Chin sacred writings,
VIII ch they believe forctrlls tLtr fortune for the
coming year The Chinamen at Ballevilie stop
work tor ten DAYS at ths season OF rhe year and IL
is impossible to dis5uade them from doing 80.