Morning journal and courier., 1884-03-29
a metal ring upon this tray, claiming as his

a metal ring upon this tray, claiming as his
own any knife which it might encircle.
A good many people hold that the practice
of making calls ON New Years originated
with the Chinese, and has been copied from
them by Europe and America. It is the part
of charity to give the Chinese the benefit of
the doubt, and try to believe that they have
originated one thing worthy Ct copying
though I believe there are not few people
to day who believe that the evils which at
tend modern New Years calling are greater
than the benefits derived from the custom.
But however all that may be, it is certain
that the Chinese make visiting great feature
during this festival week. Each store and
private house has huge strip of red cloth
ACROSS its front over the door, mark of eel
ebrRtion which in no case that I have seen
approaches prettiness. Inside the decora-
tions are more tasteful, but the angular and
artificial aspect of things is still noticeable
In conspicuous place in most of the front
rooms is table loaded with sweetmeats
fruits and wines; some of which tempt the
appetite, but the majority of which look to
an Occidental quite uninviting. We peeped
into one place where a band of elaborately
dressed and painted women were calling,
who seemed to have discovered that 1884 is a
leap year, and we're doing the graceful thing
under the circumstances. It is only the
most advanced sentiment that will tolerate
such feminine presumption. I believe, how
ever, that the Chinese calling habit is more
promiscuous and informal than ours, for the
reason perhaps that it stretches over whole
week.
One of the features of the Chinese New
Years is the fact that it is very difficult to
make purchases while khe jollifcation is on.
This is one of the strong points of the peo
pie on this occasion they will not sell goods
out of store or contract to do work except
under the most serious pressure. We walked
up through the town to the pretty water
works reservoir, dropped in at the cemetery
in the hope of getting our nerves steadled ip
that way, and finally returned to the hotel
quite as distracted as when we left it. The
fsecrackers used by the Chinese are much
mors serious affairs than those with which
young America is wont to fool, and are fred
in packs or strings instead of singly. One
of the first duties of all well-regulated Chi
to go to neighboring temple and chin-chin
Jess little, judging from the number of
men whom We met going to or returning
from the Joss-houses. 1t would be pleasant
to be present during the Feast OF Lanterns,
which occurs at night and terminates this
holiday season, for the display at that time
is said to be extremely beautiful but that
enjoyment would be too high-priced when it
has to be paid for in such a preliminary ex-
perience of noise.
The night displays which we have had thus
far have not been remarkable for pyrotech
mic beauty-noise being the principal ingre-
dent. The Chinese are far behind the Japa
nese in this respect of cultivated taste
Whether it be in the ability to appreciate a
charming landscape, in dramatic art, or in
any branch of activity, in which the eesthetic
nature is called into play, the Japanese excel
the business -preferriDg Chinese. EMILE.