The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1884-06-14
Sunday Night in Chinatown.

One of the lveliest places in New
York ON Sunday evening is the lower
part of Mott street, from Chatham up TO
Park. 1t is lively with life that is an
enigma to the stranger
IRON nightfull till nearly midnight
the sidewalks, the stoops, and the steps
leading to the Easements swarm with
Cinnamon. / seems as though all the
Chinese in the city were gathered there.
The buildings on each side of the street
are oceupi d almost exclusively by Chi
nese tenants, who are shy of inquisitive
sightseers, and keep their blinds and
shades pretty closely drawn. The
street is never bright with lights, but
its nearest approach to brightness is on
Sunday evenings. Then 1t has kind
of holiday appearance. There are two
or three buildings in the upper stories
of which festivities of some sort seem
to be going on. Strange noises come
from the windows--nOises like tho
clashing of cracked cymbals, the pip
ing of toy flies, and the clatter of un.
strung snare drums. tor all that can be
heard in the street. these ridiculous
noises are made solemnly and for
some grave purpose; no sound of the
rooms in which these things are going
on are brightly lighted. All the stores
are open, and rows of cinnamon, stand
ing around, line the walls The stranger
can look through the window Of base
ment and see Chinese barber shaving
one of his couutrymen. The victim
winces, but takes his punishment as
something which must be endured.
Almost without exception the China
men are Cantonese. Nine-tenths of
them wear the dress of their native
country. Square-crowned hats seem
to be considered the correct thing. In
some of the stores the merchants are SO
different from the other Cinnamon that
they seem like representa- ives of an
other race. They are the solid men of
Oh natown. The look as the man.
da ms on tea chests would look il
dressed in the less elaborate garb of
commercial life, Their clothing Is Of
fine texture, and it was evidently made
with great care. Long ago the Chinl SO
abolished buttonholes = the tailor's
friend, as the moth is the furrier's
friend. A curiously constructed frog
and catch serve as buttonhole and but
ton. Fashions do not change, cloth
fabrics are lasting, and the rich Chinese
merchants outer garment endures for
years upon years. These autocrats of
Chinatown are seldom seen outside
of their pla es of business. An agree
able comb nation of spicy orders per-
vades the atmosphere of their stores.
The Cinnamon who make q holiday
of Sunday night seem to be very much
a q a
doors are engaged in interested talk.
The men hurry out Of Easements and
sappear in the entrances from stoops.
Evidence of the Chinese admit alton for
labyrinthine arrangement is shown at
nearly every basement door which leads
not into any room, but into u narrow
passage that runs parallelwith the side
walk. Within the door the view Il cut
off by turn in the passage. Some OF
these places are gambling rooms
or opium resorts, or both combined.
There isn't another place in New York
whore half as many persons can he seen
about ON Sunday evening, where 1t is
not possible to find the side entrance to
ba room door aiar not far away. The
stranger naturally falls to coniecturing
what the attraction can be that thus
draws so many Cinnamon to Chinatown,
and occupies them till midnight.
There are always curiosity seekers
strolling up and down the sidewalks.
The Chinese do not appear to see them.
Hoodlums go through The street in small
mobs, and the Cinnamon bear the in
fiction. phllosophically. Now and
| then a couple of young women with
faooo of xuovlika na1IOr bvvY.,, m 1..,o - Al.
sidewalk, The stranger says to him
self they are opium fiends, going to hit
the pipe in some Joint. Ten to one they
are shop girls, going home from stroll
on the Brooklyn bridge.-N. Y. SIM.