The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-04-01
HOTEL LIFE In CHINA.
Companions Who Smoke and Eat
Peanuts.


An official in big tortoise shell spec
tacles examines my passport, reading 1t
slowly and deliberately aloud in pecu-
liar sing-song tones to the crowd, who
lislen with all absorbing attention. He
then orders the people to direct me to a
c, rtain hittim, or inn. This inn bios
SONS forth upon my, as yet, unaccus-
toned vision as peculiarly vile and
dingy little hovel, smoke blacEened and
untidy as village smithy. Half
dozen rude benches covered vita reed
mats and provided with uncomfortable
wooden pillows. represent what sleeping
accommodations the place affords.
Several Other dodgers occupy the
room in common with myself; some
are smoking tobacco and others are IN
dustriousy Uniting the pipe" The
combined fum.s of opium and tobacco
are we'll nigh unoearab'e. but there is
no alternative. Thenext bench to mine
is occupied by a perlpa etic ven 1or OF
drugs and medicines. Most of his time
is consumed in smoking opium III
dreamy oblivion to all else, save e
sensuuus delights embodied In that
operation itself. Occasionally, how
ever, when preparing for another
smoke, he addresses nae at length in
about one word Of pigeon English to a
dozen of simon pure Cantonese. In a
spirit of friendiiness, he tenders me the
freedom of his pipe and little COX OF
opium, which is, of course, declined
with thanks"
MoRTAR AND PE5TDE.
Long into the midnight hours my
garrulous companions sit around and
talk and smoke and eat peanuts. Mos
ouitoes likewise contribute to the gen.
sral inducement to keep awak and
after the others have finally laid down
my ancient next neiehbor produces Il
small mortar and pestle ana bus es him
self in pounding drugs. For tn oper-
alton, he assumes a pair OF large
round spectacles that, in the dlnl>
lighted apartment and its nocturnal as
socations, are highly suggestive of owls
and owlish wisdom. The old qusck
wofKs away at his mortar regardless OF
the approach of day break, now and
then pausing to adjust the wick IN his
little saucer of grease, or to indulge ID
the luxury of peanut.
The proprietor of the hittim seems
overjoy' at my liberallty as l present
him 10 cent string of tsin for / e
night lodgings. Small as it sounds
this amount is probably three or four
times more than he obtains from his
Chinese guests.
AT ANOTHER HOTEL.
The hittim of Lo-pow is somewhat
superior to that of yesterday; it is q
two-storied building, and the proprietor
hustles me up stairs II short order, and
locks me in. This is to prevent auy
pcs stale hostility from the crowd that
Immediately swarms the place, for
while in his house. he is, in measure
held responsible for my treat nent
The bicycle is kept down stairs, where
it performs the Office of vent for the
rampant curiosity of the thoIsan6s
who besiege the proprietor for peep q!
myself.
A little cup and teapot of hot tea is
brought me at once, and my order taken
for supper; the characters on limi, ed
written vocabulary proving invaluable
6S I'LL dlu IOhdJO Auohlue5 NY
nomic preferences understood. A dish
of boiled fish, picked ginger, chicken
entrees, young onions, together with
rice enough to feed pig, form the in
gradients of very good Chinese meal
Chop sticks are, of course, provided I;
but, as yet, my dexterity in the manIp-
ulation of these articles is decidedly oI
the negative order, and so my pocket
knife performs the dual Office of knife
and fork; Tor the rice. one can use, after
a manner, the little porcelain dipper
provided for ladllng an evil smelling
liquid over that staple.
Bread, there is none in China; rice is
the bread of both this country and
japan. During the night one gets re
minder of the bek-jees of CONSTANT
nople in the performances of night
policeman. who passes by at intervals
loudly beating drum. This. together
with registering mo, quitoes. and lib.
eral indulgence in strong lea. banishes
sleep tonight almost as etfectually as
the pounding of the old drug vendor,
pestie did at Chun-Kong-hoi.-Thomas
Stevens in Outing.