Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-10
THE CELESTIALS.
CHINESE LIFE IN NEW YORK.
RABBITS or The Rich and Poor-A specimen
Educated Chinaman.


Chinese, and Spaniards. each floor
maintaining its distinct nationality. Stale
beer dives thrive in cellars, gambling
holls on first floors, thieves on second floors.
aud respectable but poverly-stricken fami-
lies ON third floors. In the mid.t OF all
stands the old church Of the Transfgura-
ton. where the tccming population OF the
district worship, such of them as ever en-
ter q church. The good fathers battle with
the vice and crime Of the neighborho0d
seemingly with more persistency than sue
cess. and long ago the police washed their
hands oi all responsibility for the habits OF
the residents.
1t Is curious 10 study the vast difference
IN the life and surroundings OF rich and
poor Cinnamon living in Mott street. The
Italians arc all alike there-low and dirty
and the Spaniards are lower and difticr, II
possible; hut the Chinaman enjoys the rep
utatlon Of being more of mystery. and
presenting more dissimiar vices aud yir-
tues than his reighbors. Is he rich?
Then he dresses in costly raiment, sports
expensive iewelry, and abiGes in quar-
tiers fitted up with lavish luxury. Is he
poor. Then he grovels in filth and rags,
lives in a corner, and drags out q hopeless
existence, until at last he finds another cor
ner in the potter's field. Few are permit
ted to become acquainted with the home
life Of the Chinese in New York, for the
race is suspicious Of strangers; but two
homes " i'll suffice aS sample OF all the
others. Lee Ling lives at 10 Mott street.
He is a sOft-spoken, bright-eyed young
man, who wears his queue done up in the
Slcokest fashion, with raw silk cords to exc
il out. His hat is Of the best felt; he wears
81 Kid gloves. smokes twenty-five cent ci-
gars, and sports on one little finger big dia-
mond and on the other a large cat's-eve.
lie is a thorough Chnaman in dress. hut
his blouse is Of the soitcSt watered Canton
silk. and under it (as you may see at the
flowing sleeyes) he wears blue tunic, and
several others of the finest linen. In Win
Ter when he goes out he wears blouse,
lined throughout with seal-skin. He Is
great swell, and is rich. Unlike most Chl-
namon be talks freely TO any American
whom he fanclcs. and occasionally takes
visitors TO his rooms. They are in the
third story.
The second story Is dirty and foul.smell.
ing. but the landIng OF the third story is
covered with soft carpet, and lighted with
a square Chinese lantern. There are foui
rooms in all. The first room is a sort OF
reception-room, neatly. and even elegantly,
secretaries and settcoS, Chinese rugs and
mats. The walls, which are painted blue,
are hung with specimens OF Chinese art.
and on the secretaries ale piles OF Chi
nese manuscripts. The parlor is splcndidly
furnished. The floor is Of polished wood.
the rugs are Turkish. and the furniture Is
OF the best American manufacture. An
upright piano occupies Il place between
the windows. 4 few handsome paintings
hang upon the prettily-papersd walls, and
several bookcases have on tleir shelves
works in English and FreDcb, as well as
Chinese. BIT Lee Ling is deyout China.
man, and an claborattly- y-gilded altar upon
one side Of the paIlor is lighted with tapers.
which burn night and day, perfuming with
q not unpleasant OdOr the whole room.
Several prayers, printed on red slips. hang
over the shrine. Ii is an cdd mixture OF
heaihen barbarity and nineteenth-century
luxury. Lee Ling has two servants, one
sort Of body-gUard, and the other a cook,
WHO prepares marvellous Chinese dishes in
a kitchen fitted up with French range
and all the modern paraphernalia of the
most cXactine chef. Once In while Lee
Ling gives a dinner, and his guests have
famous timC.. He i cousin and partner
Of Tom Lee, the merchant. at 1 Mott
street. II is hard TO believe that Lee Ling
is a heather as you sip his delicious tea
out Of the tinest chinaware, and take
parting drink OF Sam-shu. which he pOurs
from the cut-glass decanter.
But Lee Ling is only one enlightened
ChiDaman among thousands OF barbarous
coolies. The home Of the thousands is the
abode Of misery and squalor. Dive down
into thi, celar-way and thread the filthy
passage tiat leads back TO the rear
building and ends in blacknesS. There
are doors all around, but none have
knobs on the outside. Knock at one and
blear.eyed Chinaman will respond. He
opens the door just wide enough TO ascertain
that YOU are white man, and closes 1t with
q sury lmprCcaton. Kick at the door
savagely, as If YOU had a right TO and mean
10 take TO denial. and he will throw the
door open with bang and demand tiercely,
"Wbat for:'' This is Lee Wong. lie Is
cousin to Lee Ling and Tom Lee. All the
Los are rclations-cousins as they put 1t:
Lee Is family name, the same as All and
sam. and one hundred others.
But Lee Ling would never speak 10 Lee
Wong, fol Lee Wong is a cOOlie. lie was
shipped here under contract. The place Is
not much bigger than a dOg-kennel, has
but a single unbroken pane in the window,
and is dirty as a pig.sty. cold as a barn,
and OdorOus rs sewer from opium.
There are some things that a Gilman n
rarely learns and one OF these j. the Use
OF ibe stove-pipc. The question OF draughts,
dampers, and flucs is as complex 10 MN
and as unintclligble as is the intricate
mechanism OF the Steam-englne or the
mysterious watch. When Cinnamon eStab-
Ushes a hearth.StOne and domlciles il' Lares
and PenatCS. the first article OF furniture ne
casts about for iS c0alOil can, one OF The
SQUARE thrCc-gallOn affairs. lie cuts II INTO
halves. leaving him two TN boxes about u
foot square by ten inches high. fills one OF
ihem two thirds full OF ashes, and places two
pieces Of hoop iron across the top. Then he
rims a niece OF wire across the top OF the
other. Having completed the job he re-
cards his handwork proudly, for
he has manufactured his range and
culinary utensils. Give him 4 French
range. and he would never think OF
lighting fire in IT, but would place hand
ful OF wood and coal on his little brazier,
and sci IL on the stove as il on table.
The smoke from the Goals rises TO the cell
ing and blackens the walls, but John emma
man rather likes that and regards thorough
| ly smoked walls somewhat Is a smoker
regards the colorng OF his pipe. Like an
Indian, John sits over his pinch OF nre
sbiyering and blowing the sickly spark into
| a blaze.
Johns ideas Of the cuisine are as com
poct and sjmrle as on the fire question.
| He goes in for .'boiled." The other hall
OF the oil-can is his kitchen tinware. Into
| il goes everything that luck sends 10 ms
| arder. The universal "stock orlounud,
tion for all dishes is rice-6rst, last, ana
all the time. With his rice he bois llttlc
bone. II be is so suprcmely fortunate as 70
have one, and handful OF dried nsl OF
| greens. He never uses SAT-. It
! an unknown and unthought-of quih'
! tity in Chinese cookery. Ana ne
never cooks vegetables done. II l.
a continual complaint when John becomes
a cook in IN American home that lie sehu,
the vegetables TO the table raw, ana cannon
beinduccd TO experiment with SAT-, hs
scullion the Chlnaman rises above al III ~,
| genuiiy, for he wipes his single dish WIN -
| horse.tail and gives the can n sclehtin.
| scrub with II. lie does not use water, lo'
that might rust the can. The labors OF tli, ~,
day over and no money being on hama WIN
| which 10 buck the celestial tiger, the poor
wretch rctires. II his stove and cookins
utensils were models OF simplicity, ms I,'s' ~.
would put simplicity to shame. All Cn.
namen, both rich and poor, are rs ihcA
orably opposed 20 iuXuriant down ~ M'
| the knotty old German monarchs. A Cil
nnman would fear smothering In ieathel
bed. His simple pallet is but nat sue,
three feet wide. upon which IL piace"
I'll