Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-02-11
THE YEAR Sa5e.
Chinese NeV-Year's and Its Observ-
nnces Among the Ceientials.

1
Yesterday week was New-Year's. Day 10
seven PER ons living in Wilmington-or
to seven heads of families. Tue seven
people in question are those who pre-.
side at III washtub and the ironing
board, anu are gradually becoming the
lordly monopolisis of the laundry bust
ness 10 the city. They are the ouly repre-
sentatives the city has of the Ancient
Flowery Kingdom. Yesterday they cele-
brnted the entrance of their father
land upon the 5452d year of its
existence ms an organized empire.
II was also celebration of the entrance
upon the twelfth year of the reign of the
present Emperor Kwang-Sen, who sue
ceeded to the throne in 1875 at the age of
four years, and is, therefore, but 10 years
of age. The greeting of the day among
our seven Chinese business men was
"Ounie.chi-foy which is equivalent to
our "Happy New Year," The occasion
was one of congratulation in our frag-
ment of II Chinese colony, though the
| observance was modest and taine ia com
parison with that of the lnrger cities.
The Chinese colony in Philadelphia
numbers 700 people, and they had been
preparing ever since last SUNDAY for a
DAODCl Vi lilt bftNslOns FOl-
lowing the pesLiferous grounding 80
closely, they had the misfortune when
they got up yesterday noruiug to see
their ideal day ushered in by sheets of
binding snow, blown by. fierce winds
against every window pane OF their little
roosis.
The Philadelphia Press describes the
observance in that city as follows:
gtfnhaw Ia,,sxhnI % H..
and kindled big fires and spread loads of
Chinese daintiesppon their big ironing
boards and then arrayed themselves in
their finest for the festivities of the day"
"Noon found them all busy preparing
their New Years visiting cards, for at 3
O'Clock yesterday every Chinese abode was
the rest went calling. The Chinese visit
ing card is blood red, and when unfolded
is rs large as sheet of note
paper. He takes the sheet and up in the
left hand corner in black ink traces his
name in Chinese; then, under it, 'Cunie-
chi-foy.' Then he folds it up to the size
of an ordinary card, with the name on
the outside. Some of the more intelli-
gent Celestials wrote nice Chinese poetry
on the inside of their cards, but they
would consider it treason to translate it
to an American. The outside of the card
looks very much like the ordinary Chi
nese wash check.
"When the Chinaman had written
stacks of these he put them in his roomy
trousers pockets and sailed forth to
make his calls. Whenever he entered
laundry he would present one to the gen.
tleman in charge, leave several for the
occupants who were out calling and then
would be escorted to the refreshment
table, when he would help himself iber-
ally to sweetmeats, smoke q cigar or
cigarette, say funny things in strange
tongue, shrek over them hilariously, and
finally bow himself out with grin as
broad as the doorway. Consequently
every Chinese laundry was din of ex-
citement yesterday, for often four or five
callers met around the festive board.
"Another special feature observed was
to make up all quarrels that had taken
place during the year, and all debts were
settled. Everything in the observance
was calculated to make the Celestial heart |
overflow with good feeling towards his
fellow-country-men. By z O'Clock all the
formal calling was over and the Celestials
finished day as they pleased. Mr..
Hop Sing entertained lot at his
gambling tables on North Ninth street,
near Race.
Zone old Chinaman deplored American
enterprise. He said 'Washee to-moller.
In China no workee flo MONTH