Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1888-09-19
CHINESE ODDITIES.
THE EXCITEMENT CAUSED HY THE
ADVENT OF A FOREIGNER.

Eyed Bystanders-Hot ami Eating
Households and Furniture.
called them good humored but a
stranger would not think so, If he saw
them for the first time. On the contrary,
the state of things seems to be bordering
ON riot. The amount of energy that
lies latent in Chinaman, waiting to be
developed and manifested by a discussion
of cash. is simply incalculable As wo
coolly regard this throng of half dressed,
yellow colored people, we see chance ac-
quaintances who have run against one
another for half an hour, screaming their
Ioudest, with distorted countenances aud
violent gesticulatiors, apparently threat
ening immediate death to those who differ
from them. Il seems incredible that tho
subject is of no moro Importance than
whether sack of potatoes or basket of
fish shall be half farthing more or less.
Imagine our coming suddenly into such
crowd i'll a short serge jacket and big
sun hat, under which is pale face and
board. If the place is one where foreign
ers are occasionally seen, they win look
up, say ''Hwan-kui" foreign ghost) and
after q few moments resume their en-
ployment as though we were not there.
II, however, foreigners are almost I'M
known In those parts, we know perfectly
well that we shall have no peace except
such as we can secure by means of little
maneuyering. Sometimes the landlord
appears pleased to receive us, but now
and then he seems to think we take up
too much room, with the crowd who stand
round to look at us. 1t is very entertain
Ing to observe how excited such crowd
often becomes by the advent of for
cigner. and how rapidly the news spreads
to neighboring houses that foreign
ghost" has arrived Mine host stands
and threatens terrible things, which no
has not the smallest intention of carrying
into execution. For half an hour No will
shout and gesticulate, entreating the un.
tutored herd to remember the propricties
and not crowd in so much upon the for
eign gentleman.
FOREIGNER AT HIS MEAL.
The point of greatest interest is always
reached when the Traveller begins his meal
He has carried with him all he wants with
the exception of rice, potatoes, hot water
and one or two other things. The laying
out of plates, knives and forks Is a great
mystery. Much questioning goes on as
to tho way of using them. They beg to
know the reason why we prefer to employ
man to carry all our apparatus for din
ner, instead of using their bowls and
chop sticks. The spoon and fork. appar-
emily made of solid silver greatly aston
ishes them, and the traveller is ready
enough to own that they are not silver at
all. When we lift our food to our mouth,
many hands move in a similar way, as
they say quietly to one another "LoolSl
He is doing like this" Standing so
closely around our small table that we
feel inconvenienced, we entreat them to
give us breathing room while we dine. and
afterward we will talk to them. Many
voices break forth with pleasure at our
speaking to them. Tho foreigner
speaks our words" says one; 'Yes, let
him eat." says another; Stand back, you
man without propriety," says a third,
whose zeal for good manners is evidently
due only to his desire to secure front
place.
At such time one is almost always
questioned in the same way. The most
trivial and ridiculous questions are asked
The inquiries they make of foreigner are
such as they commonly make among
themselves. How far Is it to your an
cestral home? Are your venerable parents
iying2 How many sons have your Was
your linen made in China or In England?
How do you get it so white? How are
marriages arranged among the foreign
children? What is your incomeg'
little mild banter Is much appreciated
by the crowd, but brings out moro rapid
fusillade of questions. In the country
places about Annoy have been asked very
frequently, Where IS the country where
the people have one leg?-one arm?-one
eye?-and where there are only women?
Have you seen these lands?" What the
origin of these notions is it is hard to say
Perhaps some Chinese Baron Munchausen
or Dean Swift wrote q burlesque book of
travels, which has in the course of time
been accepted as authentic by people
who have for so many centuries stayed at
home.
INNS on THE GREAT ROADS.
In China every traveller carries his bed
ding with him; in the daytime it helps to
pack the cart, or is laid, by way of sad
die, upon the ass. The traveller may
count himself fortunate IL he can find in
some Mutual Prosperity or Heavenly
Union hostel q tolerable roc-n in which TO
rest. On the great roads, and the recog-
nized stages, the inns are pretty sure TO
be decent, but elsewhere they arc often
wretchcd.
In those Of the better sort there is gen
orally an eating house or tea shop on one
side of the large door leading into the
yard. The shop faces the street, and is
connected with the cook house and pri-
vate rooms Of the landlord At this end,
too, are the rooms occupied by tho carriers
and others. Passing through the great
door, the visitor finds himself In large
unpaved yard with buildings all round It.
On one side are, perhaps, six or eight
guest rooms, little boxes about twelve
for windows, doors which do not fit, and
through the openings Of which wind and
dust find their way
A very rickety old chair and an equally
decrepit table are the only furniture, the
bed being simply brick or mud plat
form filing nearly half the little room
and raised about two feet from the floor.
Underneath It is q fue, into which, In
cold weather. dry grass or other fuel Is
pn1Eed and Iired; the heat md smDkBpe
zER - : xinzan line Just under the sur