Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-06-30

opens the front door and sends out for
the breakfast material. These comprise
rice, fish, pork, bread, and vegetables.
The dodgers next put in an appearance,
crawling out of their hunks, still drowsy
with sleep or slccp-giving drugs. A pail
of water and coarse rag in the kitchen
soon restore the circulation of the body
and fit one and all for the morning
meal, This is made Of the articles de-
scribcd, but cooked in ways very differ
ent from those employed in civilized
circles. The rice is plain boiled, the fish
boiled or stcwcl and served with an ar
omatic sauce in which ginger, cloves,
and red pepper are prominent factors;
the pork and vegetables are chopped
into thin pieces and scwcd together,
The drinks employed are hot and cold
tea, and sometimes minute quantities OF
strong auack or rice brandy. After
breakfast many of the dodgers depart for
their daily work. Among these early
birds are cgar-makers, clerks, peddlers,
and shipping runners. Those who re-
main are usually seamcn, merchants, gam
blcrs and agents. These after their re-
past light cigar or cigarette, opium or
hashecsb, and take "solid comfort" for
an hour or more. Those who have liter
ary tastes lie down in their hunks and
read, for, strange to say, most orientals
assume rccumbcnt attitude when read
ing or studying; those who desire ex-
citement resort to dominoes and other
games of chance, while the majority
simply smoke and "swap stories" AT
noon second meal is served similar to
breakfast, but including besides soups
and stews, in which macaroni and YER
miceli are chief features. At o'clock
dinner is given. 1t is like its prcdeces-
sors in the articles served, on there is
more of them and all are more highly
spiced and seasoned. House-cleaning
and bcd-making occur usually between
breakfast and lunch, and are very prlm-
tive in character. The beds as described
are hunks or shelves covered with
white Canton mating and the pillows
wooden Gootrcsts. The man of all work
simply spongcs off bed and pillow alike
with sponge dipped in water contain =
ing little chloride of lime or eau dc
iavelle, and allows the heat of the room
to dry them Off. This novel way of
making beds has one advantage. 1t
dlsinfects room and inmate and destroys
whatever vernin there may be about.
In the evening the guests resort, one
after one, to narcotics, and at midnight
nearly all are sound asleep.
No sight is more impressive or fearful
than one of these living-rooms at 10 or
- p. IN. The dark floor and ceilings,
the gloomy and grimy furniture, the
single lamp, flickcring and smoking on
the table, the silence, and everywhere
the hunks, each containing man court,
ing slumbcr through some narcotic drug
make up a strange picture, You cn'er
the apartment and each inmate turns
towards you-thc Jayancsc fcrccly and
swiftly, the Hindu curiously and
slowly, and the Cochlncsc with the
lethargy of death. Every face belongs
to an unfamiliar or unknown race; every
article is scaled book. A word from
the proprietor and the eyes leave your
face and resume their former occupa-
tions.
Here and there at times are attempts
at ornament. The black statue of Rama,
worshippcd in Ccylon, the bronze image
of Buddha, the allcgorical portraits of
Health, Plenty and Strength of Confu-
cius, the crucilix of European faith, and
even the sharks and tigers teeth of the
Malay, are attached to the wall or dis
played on some fragmcntary mantcIpiecc.
The proprietor of one of these places
said. ut doscn't cost much to live.
can board man for 81. rs wcek--pcr-
haps even less. don't make much
money on my board, but do on to-
bacco, opium, and hashecsh. My folks
drink q very little; not SO much as
10 cents day. When they go off on Q
spree they order fashionable din
ner and cat all they can hold. Then they
smoke five shells of opium [about two
ounces1 and sleep for twcnty-four hours.
How many houses arc there like
mine? No one just like it or so good, but
about thirty in the same business" Five
other proprietors made the same remark
| Chicago, Nen York.