Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-07

eating is the most familiar scene, and il
can be witnessed in the streets and yards
as well as in the eating houses, hotels and
private houses.
Only Cinnamon wdo have families take
their meals at home, the rest eat at hotels.
Usually they have two substantial meals
q day, in the morning, an hour after they
get up, and between 3 and 4 o'clock, p.
m. Well-to-do Cinnamon have three or
four meals day. The head Of the family
gets the best articles of food. Often only
the father eats meat, while the rest of the
family must be satisfied with rice. In
olden times the children, although they
might be married, were not allowed to sit,
eat or talk while their father ate they
served him as servants. Nowadays, even
in the Celestial Empire, snoh veneration
for age is gene; it is observed only as a
meaningless ceremony in the presence Of
guests.
Poor families generally get their meals
from street vendors. These carry pro-
visions along with small stove on a
wheelbarrow. Well-to-do families usual
| ly employ cooks. The guild of cooks is
very numerous here, and the cooks get
their degree and diplomas like men Of
science. A learned Chinese cook can pre-
pare pork and mutton in 80 different
styles. All cooks here pocket a certain
percentage on the provisions they buy for
their masters.
| The Celestials use no table cloth, nap
kinr. knives, forks, spoons. dishes, plates
or glassware. The European style Of
eating with knives and forks they criticiso
as being rather work than pleasure. They
do not use wife table-cloth. because it
reminds them of deep mourning. In
stead Of napkins they use packages OF
soft paper, which serve them for hand.
kerchiefs.
They throw away the sheets OF paper
after they have once been used, and
scorn Europeans for using the same
handkerchief several times. Since 1920,
when the Chinese thoroughly made the
acquaintance Of Europeans, the napkin has
came into use among them, particularly
iu Canton, but they have modified its use.
In n corner of the napkin they make O
ho le and hang it from button on ser.
wants Dress The servant with the nap.
kin goes from one guest to another, and
thus score of Celestials may use the
spme napkin. Each guest has a saucer,
pair Of sticks (knaytzi), n package OF
paper, and minute cup with salt sauce.
Neither sticks ner saucer are changed
during the dinner. Warm tea and
warm whiskey are served many times
during the dinner
When Cinnamon gives q formal din
der he invites his guests either personally
or by cards. Those who accept the invi.
tation inform the host and send him mon.
ey, provisions and presents Mt the cost
frnn, holf n 1nllor n IN hnnlraIo nj
dollars. The mney and presents are en-.
tered in special book, which is carefully
preserved for reference. On the appoint.
ed day the guests appear, and the host
with numberless ceremonies, receives
them and leads them to the tents which
are put up in the yard. These contain
1.-THE tables of the eight sages," they cal
great Confucius with his disciples used
such tables. The Chinese women never
dine with the men. For the amusement
perform play in which boys take the
bad taste to pay much attention to the
play.
/ must say that the Chinese dinners art
very tiresome. No topic of general inter
est is ever discussed at them. A gastron
omist who knows everything about var
ious articles of food commands the mes
attention. Everybody smokes during the
dinner When the Celestials feel about
satisfied they amuse each other will
homespun puns or childish pranks, such
as guessing whether one Of the "eight
sages" has an odd or even number ofiwat
ermelon seeds. The dinner is crowned By
a story or legend narrated by some more O
less known orator.