Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-07-23

comes to worship and ask some favor
OF the god, and each person leaves
more or less money with the keepers OF
the temple. In my native city 1estiVais
similar to this occur two or three tunes
| in the week in different parts OF the
town. OF course tho schools are kept
Eopen on such festal days, otherwise hit
tie study could be accompsaSssu.
Schoolboys go to- the shows IN the
evening and girls too. sometimes go
bv themselves to enjoy the sights
But there are holidays which may De
called national, since they are observed
all over the country. .a.,
First and most important are the New
Year holidays, which are celebrated with
as much eclat as unceasing hrlng OF
pyrotechnics, calls of ceremony ana
universal goodwill and Joy viii contrl-
butte. Debts are paid up at the end OF
the year, and for the first, week or two
Little or no business is transacted. Every
one gives himself up to Jollity. chill
dren on such days are surfeited with
sweetmeats, and holes are made IN their
holiday clothes by burning fire-crac
Largesses are bestowed upon both chill
dren and servants, while bcggars are
also remembered, so that this season Is
really the most joyous OF the year-tne
time when charity is most charitaple
and benevolence assumes more be-
nevolent aspect. 81,
Next in order of time comes the Feast
of Lanterns. The main feature of this
fete, as the name implies, is procession
with lanterns Of all shapes and kinds.
Soon after nightfall men and boys get IN
.b n ha m hoo DOle a
great paper bird, or quadruped, or hsh,
inside of which candles are lit Very fan
tastic shapes sometimes are seen, ana
NEUROLOGICAL books are ransacked to
procure strange creatures.
Imagine three or four hundred OF these
lanterns passing before you. all brilliant
with rich colors. Sandal-woOd is burnt
in censers carried in small movable
pavilions, while bands of music mingle
their racket with the applause OF the
spectators and the weu-worn Jokes OF
the men in the procession.
Last of all an immense dragon about
forty feet in length is borne along sup
ported on bamboo poles by dozen or
twenty men.
There is another procession similar to
this in the fourth month, only it takes
place in the daytime instead of at night.
and the large number and variety of
lanterns are wanting.
In the fifth month are held the
tfragon-boat races. These boats are
narrow and long, capable of holding
about one hundred men sitting one be-
hind the other. Each one carries q
paddle, and the boat is so made that it
can go just as well backwards as for
wards. The direction devolves upon
the men in the ends of the boat In
the center the idol from whose ward or
district the boat halls sits enthroned
with an immense umbrella of red silk
to keep the sun from tanning his COM
plexion A band of music accom-
panies each boat. BY its warlike
clangor it encourages the racers, while
it's drum beats the time for the stroke.
Banners are given after the race, as
spols of victory, to be placed in the
temple of the patron deity The scene
very animated and the cheers of the
spectators from the different districts
attest their interest.
In the eighth month comes the Festi-
val of the Moon. answering to the har-
vest festival in Western countries. What
are called '.moonscakes" are sold at
this season. If the year has been pro-
ductive there will be a great deal of re-
joicing Presents are interchanged at
this time as also at other festival sea-
sons. AS the moon becomes gradually
full there appears in it to the Chinese
eye man who is climbing tree. The
full moon is greeted with much cere-
mony, and the night on which the
luminary appears ut its brightest is
passed in feasting and rejoicing