, 1885-02-17
CHINESE LEGATION.
HOW THE MEMBERS ENJOY LIFE AT
THE CAPITAL
leigh Riding Throueh tho Streets d
Neutrality-suspicious. the ceie-tiai-
C1de Through s~oeicty-rhe
Japanese and Chinese.

Wnshlngton Cor. New YORK Worldl
Tho Chinese charge d~'afaires, Mr.. lsai
Kwok Ching, accompanied by ons Of the at
inches OF the legation. Mr. Lin Chung Tsun,
hired a large cutter yesterday, rolled them
selves IN in heavy silk and furs md started
out to take a sleigh ride. IL is very rare
that there IS enough snow in Washington for
any kind Of sleighing. This little snow that
falls zoon turns into slush, 50 that the capital
Invested In sielehs here Is a very modest one.
Tho cheap and shabby vehicles upon runners
rented by tho livery stable keepers are hired
at So an hour. For the last day or
two the slcighing in Washington hns
besn very good. The Cinnamon men,
toned above came out to take their frst
sleigh ride. 1t was a mild, pleasant day, but
the Cinnamon were bundled up like Arctic
explorcns On their heads they had fur
caps about the sizs of pillows. Thoy did not
go into the country. however. but contsntsd
themselves with riding up and down Penn
sylvania avenue, watching the crowds The
faro, Of these Celestials wero fairly radiant
with enjoyment. A very noticeable thing
about the higher class OF Chinese is the keen
zsst with which they enjoy every form OF
amusement They take their pleasure as
would so many children. There Is a hearth
moss about their enjoyment that Is in itself
amusing. They differ in a marked degree
in this regard from the lower class Of China
men. The latter seldom seek amusement,
while the legation people are always
out hunting for Entertainment They are
~passionktely fond OF circuses, and are
al why's to lie seen at the theatres, whether
they can understand the performance or not
Only one or two Of the members OF the
legation speak any English. but they go out
In society with a perfect recklessness 50 far
as time Is concerned. They are as persistent
callers rs any OF the Washington ladies'
Their richly brocaded silks come rustling
into the room OF every lady who has called
Mt the legation They are as scrupulous in
returning their calls as the most punctilious-
They are great admirers Of American
women They glide through Washington
society with a broad and soul-penstratinE
smile upon their peaceful-looking faces at
the sight OF every handsome lady's face.
Most OF them arc studying English so as to
DO able to express the compliments
or social lifo in a more satisfactory manner
than through Celestial ogling and wide
stretched grins- 1t Is possible that some Of
these Celestinls ma y find wives here. When
educated Chinese learn to speak English
they become very popular. Tho niece Of the
present American secretary OF this legation
married Yung Wing, one of the earlier
Chinese ambassadors to this country Mr..
hiut Is = tfuuual1 o. lhio cuuokes ana
speaks English as wen as any one. He Is a
very agreeable gentleman, and the marriage
has been q happy one. Mr.. Wing Is the only
Chinsse ambassador who has ever worn our
dres<, but in order TO do this he had to have
a special permit from the Chinese emperor.
The question OF dress Is a very serious ono
with tbs Chinese officials, and a man
has to be very high in favor 10 secure the
privilege granted to Mr.. Wing. Last year
there were two little nephews OF the Chinese
minister here. They ATTENDED a private
boys scbool They were permitted to wear
the dress OF American children while they
were at the school, but when they returned
10 the legation at night they were obliged
TO resume their native dress These little
fellow used to wear their queues down under
their waistcoats, with the end twisted into
their right-haud trousers' pockets. They
were great fnvorites Mt tho school. and were
the equal Of the best of the American lads
in their ability as students.
The Japanese appear to take more kindly
to the manners and customs Of white civil
zation. The members of tho Japanese lesa-
ton all discard their national dress. There
are hundreds Of the sons OF their best famil-
les in this country engaged in studies of all
kinds OF Improvement They can be found
in nearly all of our professional training
~~Hoo7 ~ WI AnAoFI@ ~ appears ~ ut tue
ambition OF the Japanese In this country to
assimilate themselves with our people.
The last Japanese minister, Mr.. Yos.
hida, was Il very highly educated gentle
man He lived exactly as would any gen
tlemsn OF leisure and money OF this country.
He was a very skillfnl amateur painter, and
used to spend a great deal of his time max
ing sketches around the outskirts OF WASH
ington. His wife adopted our dress and went
about as our ladies do. The present Japan
ESQ minister. who has just arrived, Mr..
Jushii kucki Riniohi. is also accompanied
by his wife. Both follow the example Of
his predecessors In dross and mode OF living.
Tho Japanese arc more popular than the
Chinese, because they pick up English 50
much more rapidly. The Cinnamon rarely
learn TO speak without a marked accent, but
with the Japanese IL Is different They APP
pear to have the Russian faculty for learn
ing languages. The Chinese seem to have
more money than the Japanese. They seek
more in the way OF diversion than study.
When the Chinese legation was first estab-
lished in this country. the imperial govern
mont deposited 100000 in gold. 1t Is said
that they generally manage to keep their
deposit up 20 this neighborhood. SO that the
financial standing Of the legation is equal to
that OF the most solid European governments