The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-10-16
Chinese Babies.

Onc OIL the nfSt Things thM iiNpncn
TO n Chinese boy after he is born is to
be shaved 4 barber comes with q
razor, and oil the hair is shaved off the
poor little fellows tender scalp. After
that the baby has to 60 to tho barber
for his shave just as n grown man, with
beard, might go in this country: but
he never seems to enjoy it, and cries
pitifully every time the sharp razor
mows down tho hair. After awhile,
when the hair begins to grow thicker,
the head is not shaved all over, but is
left untouched in spots, just as the
parents think will look pretty.
Sometimes there will be more tufts.
each as big round as silver dollar
one just over the middle of the fore
head, and one over each ear. When
the hair grows long enough in these
tufts, it is braided and tied with bright
red cord, and then baby looks funny
enough to foreigner, for each little
braid stands stittiy up for about two
inches, and then lops over. The braids
look like horns on his head, and holes
are cut in his green aud red cap to let
the horns come through.
When he grows older, he is allowed
to wear queue like the men, and he is
just as proud then "a American boys
are with their first boots and trousers.
When the child is about month old
he is given his first name, or milk
name, as the Chinese call it. A feast
is prepared, the friends are called in,
and papa gives baby his name. This
name is used only until no is ready to
go to school, when new name is given
him, and another feast is offered to the
| friends.
The names given to tho boys are odd
to us, but seem all right to them.
Think of being an Ink-Grinder oil
Promising Study. But even this name
| is not kept, for when the boy grows up
and he is married, he takes y new
name, which he keeps for the rest oi
his life.
Ii babys papa is rich, baby is well
taken care Of, carried about tenderlv,
| and is amused TO his hearts content
but If his papa be poor, then he very
| likely will he tied to an older sister q
back with broad piece Of cloth, SO that
his legs dangle down by her sides and
his poor little head wobbles about over
the top Of the cloth as if his neck were
made Of Inaia-rubber.
The little nurse goes about her work
or runs at play, and never seems to give
thought 10 little brother and his bob
hing head; and he does not seem to
mind it. for when it looks as if his head
must be almost shaken off he is very
fast asleep.
II baby happens to live on boat, as
a great many hundred thousand people
in China do, his mamma ties big
gourd on his back SO that he cannot
drown il he falls overheard, or no ID
tied by a rope to some part Of the boat.
In summer baby wears as little cloth
ing as possible, but in winter it is just
the other wayne wears all the cloth
ing that can be put on him. Except in
the northern part OF China, near Pekin,
where it is bitterly cold in winter, the
Chinese people do not have fire in their
houses, even when it is cold enough to
freeze the water into ice.
Pair after pair of trousers is put or
baby's legs, and jacket after jacket OF
his body, until by the time he is clat
warmly enough he is quite rs broad Al
he is long, and his little arms stick on
straight from his sides, SO that he wad
dies about, provided no can move at all
looking like red and green pillow Will
a ball on top, and with smaller pillow
on each side, where the arms are. l
makes no difference, then. to him HOY
cold il is, and he sits in the open air OF
his little bamboo stool, with nose an,
cheeks very red, and his body as warn
as toast
All this has been about the boy la
bies, because in China girl babies ar
not thought as much of, and, conse
aaently. all the good times come to tn
boys. A poor girl baby must work al
most rs soon rs she can toddle, and rio
girl babies are really worse of. The
have their poor little feet pinched on
OF shape, SO that they walk very poorly
and cannot run at all Youths Con
Il -.