Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-02-09
ARs. sRUsOY
Tslis All About Lie dc the chi.
nese Legation, aud How the
Minikter and His Wife Enjoy
a Life OF LOnesOmeness.
Corresnondence CourIer.IournnI.


Minister, Mr.. Cheng Tsao Ju, who is
advanced in years, may prove of inter.
est. The entertainment of the 9th
was similar to that given by the same
/ Minister last year, and is only the
second large party ever given by Chi
nese gentlemen in Washington, TOR the
predecessor of the present Minister
did not entertain at all.
On the walls of the long parlor at
the Chinese legation are eight panels
with gilt Chinese letters thereon, which
have been placed there within a few
months. They give consecutive verses
Of the Chinese National poem. 0ppo.
site them hang other panels with fig
ures thereon, representing scenes from
every day life in China. Hair dressing
by women and the cutting Of silk 10
make into garments are among the
occupations illustrated. Dolls dressed
to represent accurately Chinese men
and women Of different classes are on
mantels and shelves, and on top the
piano, near woman gleefully playing
the lutte, is larger doll representing
the Prince OF the Devils" who is
looking toward the woman with very
wicked leer on his face. If better
representation of a Mephistopheles it
would be difficult to conceive.
MANY RARE PIECES OF BRONZE,
porcelain and bric-a. brac are also ia
this parlor Panels with moral pre-
cepts thereon also hang on the walls,
and on either side a small picture OF
President Arthur on such panels, on
which, in Chinese characters, is the
injunction: BE generous, and on the
other, BE just
On the table in the dining room of
the Legation are ivory chop sticks,
looking like knitting needles, but these
are used only when Chinese food is
served. For American food knives
and forks are used, aud the Minister
and gentlemen of the Legation eat
American food quite as often as Chi
nese and with equal relish.
They use the same meats at the
Chinese Legation as are in common
use in well to do American families,
and when the Secretary of Legation
was speaking to me lately about the
food the members of the Legation
preferred, he laughed heartily as he
said: You Americans, | suppose,
think we eat rats and mice, but we do
not"
This gentleman, Mr., Chew, as he is
called, speaks and writes English most
beautifully.
Meals are served at the Chinese
Legation as follows: Breakfast at nine,
lunch at twelve and dinner at half
past five, the same hour at which the
Chinese gentlemen eat when in China,
and sometimes they have supper be-
tween ten and eleven.
ON NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
the famous national delicaCy Of China,
birds nests" is served at the Chin
ese legation. There is a specimen
piece of a birds nest of this kind kept
by one of the Secretaries. Mr.. Chin
Chi Yung, which he shows when
asked about the national dish. 1t is
almost transparent, and is of the color
and consistency Of such ising glass as
is used TO make Jelly. 1t is jelatinous,
and Mr.. Chin says is like gelatipe
when cooked. They serve it in
chicken soup, and it IS a most expen-
sive dish, the birds nests costing $50
per pound in China. They are made
BY a species Of swallow from sharks
fins aud eggs Of fish, etc, found float
ing on the ocean. The piece shown
me at the Chinese legation is about
two inches long and an inch vide,
having been broken off from a nest.
1t is in its natural state, and is clean
looking, but some specks which the
Secretary Of the Legation pointed out
would, he said, be picked out before
the article was cooked.
There will probably be a dish Of
this served on the Chinese New Year
which is not always on the same day,
and will come week earlier this year
than last, that IL to say, on February
8. Last year it was on the 18th.
AT the recent entertainment the
supper was pronounced the best served
in Washington this year at party,
aud the wines were especially fine
Supper Was served in the ballroom,
while in the diningroom were punch,
Ap0llinaris water, cigars and opium
pipes. Some of the Chinese gentle.
men showed certain Of the Ameri.
cans
HOW TO SMOKE OPIUM,
and they tried it. But as there was
nothing else to do but TO eat and drink,
they tried the punch very often.
One who was there, Gays: First we
tried the punch as we found it and
then some other fellow would say,
Have you had any punch with Apol-
linaris water in III and then we tried
it that way. Then another would say
it was too sweet, so we would pour 10
more whisky; and then we would try
it again the way we had it at first, aud
say it was better that way, until a
fresh fellow came along who wanted
to 60 through the same programme"
The reason no ladies were asked to
this party was because the Minister'S
wife could not be present. If ever
she gives a party, or is allowed to 90
to one, there must be no men present
The Chinese Minister'S wife, though
she has now been in Washington for
more than year, has led lonely life,
having been permitted by the customs
Of her country to see no strangers,
even women, except Mrs. Bartlett.
who, as the wife Of the American
Secretary Of the legation, is regarded
in sense as a member OF the family.
She has been permitted to visit the
Chinese lady, and the latter has coca.
sionally gone to see Mrs. Bartlett,
always riding, and has accompanied
Il