The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-08-22
CHINESE RESTAURANT.
ACCOUNT ORA REPoRTER'svI VISIT TO
ONE 1N NEW YORK.

Harpics.
Accompanied by Wong Chin Foo,
the editor off the ChineSe-American,pub
lished in New York, Il Sun reporter
has made tour Of the Chinese quar-
ters in Mott street. We Gull from the
reporters long description of the va
rlous curious things witnessed this ac-
count Of his visit to a Chinese restau-
rant:
Tom Lee, who, though no longer
deputy sheriff. remains a Christian,
and a wealthy man, has moved his
family into an uptown dwelling, and
has established restaurant where he
used to live, over his cigar store. After
the San Francisco fashion, he has built
balcony cut from the second-stlry
window, rooted it over, and hung big
and gorgeous lanterns from the roof.
Mr.. Wong led the reporter up a pair of
ladderlike stairs, such as Caucasians
mount into their garrets by, into ahig,
dirty, hot room. A few pine tables and
rough chairs and stools stood about,
and through an open door were seen
bue-bloused Celestials pottering with
dancing attendance upon great range,
over which was suspended a huge,
smoke begrimmed, inverted iron fun
nel evidently designed to carry off the
smells that nevertheless filled the next
room. Mr.. Wong had what appeared
to be violent alteration with the me-
}lials in the kitchen, though it proved
that he was merely explaining that he
wanted dinner for himself and the
reporter.
The dinner began with plate of
peanut candy. iced fruit cake, plate
of biscuits stuffed with baked nuts,
and some very delicious tea-the leaves
being put in the cups and the tea
being brewed by pouring hot water on
the leaves and fitting saucers over
the cups. Chop sticks, which are
merely ebony sticks twice as long and
half as thick. again as lead pencils,
were served in place of knives and forks.
They are very easily managed. and with
china scoop, such as the Cinnamon
use in place of a spoon, and chopped
food, which is the rule, a Caucasian
can eat as rapidly and easily with them
as with a knife and fork. Three dishes,
that seemed to be as many varieties of
Irish stew, were next brought on. One
stew was principally made up of beef,
young bamboo, potatoes and bay leaves;
another appeared to be chicken, mush-
rooms and boiled onions. The third had
boiled duck and rock moss for its prin-
cipal constituents. The duck and
chicken had been chopped up, skin,
bones and all, and each of the stews
ioated in very rich and greasy gravy
Next came dish of boiled fish, chopped
up, skin, bones and all, and mixed
with picked onions.
The grease, the rich pastry, the
candy and the nuts led the reporter to
suspect that he had discovered why
drugs in great quantities are displayed
in all the stores.
"Do the Chinese ever have dyspep-
sia?"
IAN Of them do" said Mr.. Wong.
Wine Of thousand fruits was served
in teacups as small as eggshells, out
of beautiful bric-a-brac flask. twas
stronger than Roosevelt street whisky,
and seemed to ignite on its way down
the throat. The first cup Of tea was
too strong, the second brewing was
too strong, the third was strong, the
fourth was Just right, and the seventh
was pleasant. Nothing more was
brought to the table, but in the four
bowls was food for twenty persons,
A saucer of sooy-a condiment like
Worcestershire sauce, but very salt
was recommended as an aid to diges-
tion, and a curious pickle of dried
fruits, spices, peppers and vinegar ap-
peared with the fish.
Other Cinnamon sat at the other
tables and ate in silence. Mr.. Wong
sail that it is rule, that those who
dine must not jest, curse or, in fact,
talk much at all, until the close Of the
meal Cinnamon who can afford it
spend four or five hours at the table.
After meals they partake of strong
drink, and accompany it by a singular
pastime. One diner shouts to his Wis
avis any number that occurs to him,
at the same instant holding up num-
Der of fingers, the number of fingers
differing from the number spoken.
For instance, he calls out "siX" and
hold up three fingers. The other man
at the same instant goes through the
same formula, holding up chance
number of fingers AMI calling out
whatever number under ten occurs to
him. If either has happened to name
the sum of the two sets of fingers thus
held up he loses, and pays for the
other ones drink. Thus. if he calls
ten and holds up two fingers, and the
other calls five and exhibits three
fingers, the second man wins, and the
first one drinks at his expense. Both
must speak at once, however, an
instant before the fingers are shown.
Mr.. Wong declares that there is in
this game the very essence Of friend
shin