The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-09-17
A Holiday for the Dead.

From the New York World.
Every man in Chinatown wore a
round bracelet OF thin white glass on
his left wrist. 1t didn't matter wheth-
ar his clothes were cut in the Hong
Kong or New York style, the bracelet
was there. The object OF the decora-
ton was to remind each orthodox
Chinaman that this is the annual holi-
day for the dead. Just what the dead
need a holiday for is what the average
American citizen cannot imagine, but
every good Chinaman thinks that the
! departed need it badly. When q
celestial dies lot of cooked chicken,
cooked rice and rice brandy is spread
around his grave. This feeds him and
keeps up his spirits on his long jour
ney. III he is very humble laundry
man he may manage to get along on
this banquet without the help OF q
servant; but it has been observed that
as soon as Chinaman dies he needs
servants to trot along humbly after
him, and if his friends are worthy OF
the name they see that he gets them.
The day for hiring dead mems ser-
wants comes only once year-on the
holiday for the dead. 1t isn't q day OF
iollification, but q day on which the
living Cinnamon have fine time and
! manage to send new supplies OF food
and servants to their kindred beyond
the grave.
The most important detail OF a re,
cent celebration was the sacrifice to
Joss at No. 2O2 Park row on Chath-
| am square. joss has always had a
hand in all the good things that hap
pen along on iestivaldays.
/ Little gray-haired Yuet Sing, the
wrinkled and Jolly custodian OF the
Chatham square temple, made things
pleasant for Joss bright and early.
He carried up eight oblong pieces OF
rice paper, on which were painted In
water-colors pictures OF Chinese wom-
en- who looked as if they could han
die broom industriously. He piled
them neatly on the floor OF the little
alcovein front of Joss S picture and set
them on fire. They burned into lit
tie pile of soft, gray ashes that a breath
would scatter. Then Yuet Sing was
happy. The eight pictures became
eight spirit servant girls as soon as
they were reduced to ashes, and eight
servants are quite as many as even
Joss requires. After the eight cham
bermaids and cooks had been nicely
burned away on their journey Yuet
Sing and Joss's live Chinese cook
brought out platter on which was a
roast pig, done to a turn and tempt
ingly crisp, dish OF boiled rice and a
little Jug OF "sam shee" or rice brandy.
He fixed them in front OF Joss's pict-
ure, and when that deity had smiled
on them long enough he took them
away and set them out on two little
square tables OF carved black wood
that were made in China. Then he
brought out tiny. shell-like cups flea
and put them in their proper places
among the eatables. Then Yuet Sing
and dozen other Mongolian gentle
men drew up their heavy imported
chairs OF black Chinese wood, and ate
and drank and made merry.
If any one doubted whether Joss
enjoyed their disposition of his free
lunch, he had only to look at the
gods smiling face as it peeped out
from Its nook in the alcove. When
poor Joss was painted on a screen
of mating the artist saw fit to make
him with an approving smile on his
face. He h worn that smile evel
since. Twenty.one carriages carried
1O7 Cinnamon out to the GENE
terry OF the Evergreens. Two one
horse trucks ara one express
wagon followed the carriages loaded
with rice, roast chicken, a whole roast
pig, piles OF apples and other fruit
two gallons OF sam shee in seven jugs
J and countless company OF little
paper servants to be burned. The
Cinnamon distributed ali this ovel
forty eight graves. Then they set fir,
to sticks of sandalwood, which they
!, stuck along the ridges OF the graves il
little rows, and when they were vel
ahame and were sending out clouds O
aromatic smoke the Cinnamon piled
on the paper servant girls and sen,
them Off to their new employment il
heaven in bright spurts of flame.
While all this was going on the deac
Cinnamon were supposed to have
, come back to earth aud to be lunch
ing on the viands prepared to appeas'
their hunger. After giving them al
hours chance at the feast the liv,
Cinnamon bundled up all the eatable!
and drinkables the dead men left ant
} carted them back on the trucks ant
wagon. And any man could see tina
the horese had just as much of a loat
to carry going home asgoing out. Th
) ashes of the servants and sandalwoot
sticks were left behind.
, Fifteen Cinnamon hired three car
riages from undertaken James Naugh
ton on Mott street recently, drov
out to the Evergreens and wen
through a similar ceremony. Nobod,
seemed to be working in Mott stree
during the day. Tom Lee, with .
dozen friends, was practicing with a,
: air-gun in his cigar store, and a gen
= eral air OF jollification, nicely com