Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-07-12
A CHINESE DINNER.



threading our way through narrow
streets dimly liz with Chinese Ian
terms. says a writer in the Pail Mall
Gazette descibing Chinese dinner.
We stopped in a narrow lane on the
outskirts Of the town, entered shah
by-looking doorway and mounted
ladder-like staircase. This led into a
suite of rooms, where | found myself
wishing for Argus eyes to take in the
hundred new aspects. They were not
large or gorgeous, like Sidonia's apart
ments in Holywell street, but quaint
and curiOusly furnished. A long Ia
bic Of black lacquer, and square-cut
chairs with marble blocks down eth
er side, at the end smoking divan
with embroidered silk hangings. This
was the ante-room. Two doorways
led from it into the dining room, and
in the space between them was sort
Of kaleidoscope pattern of colored
glass, below which were rich hang
ings, with grotesque dragons in gold
thread sprawling over crimson silk
ground. Over the doorway was open
arabesque work of ebony, and beyond
the dining-room was veranda with
orange trees and creepers. While
we were being introduced, tea was
served in Chinese fashion-an invert-
ed saucer is dropped into the clp to
keep down the tea leaves (teapots are
unknown in China, and you sip, or, if
you are novice like myself, you spill,
the fluid that finds its way between
the two. Then we went to dinner, a
party of twelve. Onmy right was an old
merchant, sagacious and humorous, to
Judge by his looks and what / could
make out of his broken English. On
my left was a young half-caste, edu-
Gated in the government school here
fluent. sallow and conceited, Chairs.
knives and forks had been provided
for the English guests, but we soon
discarded the chairs for the comforta-
bic lounges on which our hosts were
seated, and also took to chopsticks,
with the occasional assistance of
spoon. Those chopsticks were per-
feet godsend, and never should have
survived without their help But
must explain. The dinner which con-
sisted of some thirty courses, was all
served in teacups. Cup followed cup,
each filled with some kind of mince,
some in broth and some dry, but all
satisfying as raspberry vinegar. Now
the chopsticks allowed us to taste
each one in succession, and though we
were not skilled enough to consume
all we might have liked of the few
good, we could toy with the many mas
ty ones and leave them without giving
oifense. The birds nest soup with
which we began was negative-a sort
OF stringy arrowroot but the sharks
fin and fishes NAV stewed with ham
were as rank as conger eel Quail,
partridge and lobster are good all the
world over. and the bamboo shoots
and wood fungus with which they were
served were no bad substitute for as
paragus and mushrooms. But the
stewed seaweed and sinews of the
deer? Had it not been for the excellent
dry champagne, must have succumb-
ed the last course was exquisite,
andSrrought back memories of the
Arabian Night" honey cakes, earth
nuts and stewed lotus seeds in syrup.
Dinner over, we lit cigars, and strains
of music were heard from the next
room. Two young girls, one of them
dressed as a boy, sang alternately, ac-
companying themselves on a sort of
either, played. however, not with the
thumb, but mallet or rather a min
ute halherd. My young Chinaman
apologized for what he called our ma
uonal caterwauling. but. though the
notes were thin and shrill, yet instru-
ment and voice went 80 well together,
and the air was so natiyely plaintive.
that listened with pleasure. There
was an opium pipe in the divan. and