Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-12-03

the streets had rows of paper lanterns
hanging from top to bottom. Long
boards hung perpendicularly painted
in bright colors, on which are the
queer looking, and to the ignorant
white man, mysterious Chinese char
acters in gold leaf. Huge lanterns
were suspended about the doorways,
gaudily painted with fish, birds, but
terfies, Chinese characters, ETC., ali
of which gives a very Kaleidoscope
appearance to the scene. There was
apparently no end to the Illuminated
shops The whole city seemed to
TEEN with vast population,
and good deal of jollification was
going on within and without, accom-
panied by a bewildering jargon that
reminded me of the story of the
ssTower of Babel" and gave me the
impression that the latter would have
been shamed into silence in about five
minutes.
| was considerably interested and
amused over little affair that | in
cidentallv witnessed this morning !:
A trio of almond-eyed COnfucians
had upset a street vender's tray of
miscellaneous merchandise, and were
scrambling for the overturned con-
tents. The distressed and vocifer-
| ating :sstreet hawker" was making
| excited efforts to save his worldly
wealth from the unlawful hands of
the greedy young thieves. The scene
was rendered ludicrous in the ex-
treme by the additional assistance of
two canine strangers, who were MAX
! inc fierce and persistent efforts to
take sundry bites out of the combat
ants, greatly to their evident disgust
and Inconvenience. The sudden ap-
pearance of two Sikh policemen on
the scene ended the affair. Those
little queues were knotted together,
and three youthful offenders marched
away to gaol, where, without doubt,
they received six or more strokes OF
the rattan, well laid on where it would
do the most good. Oh, the youth of
Hong Kong
The omnivorous habits of the Chi
nese are well known over the civiliz-
ed world. They indulge in such del
icacies as cats, dogs, mice, snakes,
etc. The flesh of the two former an
imals is largely eaten, not unwlttlng-
", in sausage, but in bona tide style.
They eat rats salted and dried; and
in cases of badness, such meat IS
supposed to have the same properties
as Ayers Hair Restorer.
'sMi chi'' is favorite dish par ex-
cellence at big banquet. 1t is pre-
pared by placing two baby mice, ,alive,
olind, and unable to crawl, on plate
before each guest. In the centre is
large dish of Mi, (honey) and
into this, with pair of ivory chop
sticks, each of the guests dips his
unfortunate victim, envelOping it in
a sugary shroud before consigning it
to it's grave in his rapacious NAV,
never paying the slightest heed to the
dying protest of the infant while be-
ing slowly masticated by human mo-
lars.
To any who may doubt the exist
ence of ''Mi chi," | would say that
the above was told to me by an ac-
ouaintance familiar with Chinese Gus
toms from long residence among
them, ,also thoroughly conversant with
the Cantonese dialect which is used
in this part of China. From my own
knowledge of the Chinaman's habits
| do not hesitate to say it is strictly
true, and if you had been with me on
long voyage in a sailing vessel with
seventy Chinese passengers on board,
you would never again doubt the ON
niverous power of a Chinaman. The
preparation of such delectable dish
as ssMi chi'' can not fail to convince
you that the yellow race are not IN
inclined to fastidiOusness in regard
to what they eat. ''All is fish that
comes to their net" and there isn't
: much that escapes. If the horse
mule or OK dies by accident, of ole
age or disease,it doesn't matter what
+ all is sold and eaten. They eat sucf
; meat because it is cheap, and risk the
consequences rather than pay high
; er price. This may appear to be car
+ rying economy little too far. How
t ever, the injurious effect of such {
l habit is not nearly as great as on'
; would naturally suppose. | don
l think the Chinese can be accused O
5 possessing an epicurean taste, tt
1 say the least.
= The Chinese are the most econom
= ical race of people in the world. The,
! practice economy in every conceiva
: BILE way. Everything is made to d'
$ as much duty as possible; nothing i
r wasted. Their national dress is mad
to save time, material and cost. 4
: suit of clothes for Chinese coOlie
: Common laborer) consisting of trou
. sers, frock, bamboo, framed hat, an'
n straw sandals, although many dis
: pense with the three latter articles
0 costs about sixty cents.
: Many of the children of the poore
h class can be seen running about il
4 the traditional costume of the Gear
y den of Eden Such a costume = Is
# of course. economical, which is th
Q main thing to be considered. If Adam
and Eve were happy, comfortable an