Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-09-03
iEO. ii. BLAKE, Publisher.

The legal fare for fifteen minutes, Is
10 cents, and for an hour, 20 cents,
nr 81 for a day of ten hours. One
gets into a ricshaw and off the horse
goes on a run that he will not slacken
for two or three hours The ricshaw
can only be used on the low lands,
chairs being used for the mountain
side. Coolie labor can be had for 10
cents per day. The government al
lowance is 80 cents. The coolies,
who board themselves out Of this, can
live on from three to ten cents "A day,
according to their taste or amount Of
cash. Ten pieces of their money,
called "cash," is equal to one cent Of
our money.
Victoria Peak, which rises above
the city, has an altitude of 1900 IT,.
An English firm house built a tram
way to the top of this peak, which is
running this year for the first time.
Those who can afford a residence on
top of the peak during the hot season
are indeed to be envied. The Chi
nese still do all their labor with crude
implements, and in the most primi-
tive fashion. Every American school
lad knows that without me dwelling
on the subject.
Sitting by cozy fire at home on a
winters eve, with an illustrated work
on Canton is, perhaps, the best way
to visit that city, at least, it is the
more comfortable. You escape the
suffocating feeling that comes over
the visitor in the six-to-nine feet wide,
crowded streets that are labyrinthine
beyond description the many disa-
greeable stenches that you meet with
at every turn, and you do not see the
dirt and filth. Besides, the reality
might disappoint your expectations.
Instead of sitting by your cozy fire in
your favorite chair, just imagine your
self in Canton seeing the sights-the
day is hot, and the coolies are naked,
except for short pants tied around the
loins. 1t isn't agreeable to come in
contact with their perspiring bodies
far from il. You are in one Of
those close, narrow streets, and there
is some kind of excitement going on,
as you judge from appearances, all
though you cannot understand a
word that is spoken. Suddenly you
are pinned against the wall without
the least ceremony, or regard for
your nationality, and for once in your
life you long to be a Chinaman. The
crowd part to either side of the street,
and there you stand unable to move
for over two mortal hours, waiting
for a funeral TO pass with all It's pomp
and terrific din, which the Chinese
have the rank profanity TO call music.
The scene is new, and no doubt,won-
derful, and you may think yourself
very fortunate in being able to wit
ness the strange sight, and perhaps
you are however, circumstances alter
things materially, and were you the
greatest enthusiast in the world, I'll
wager that you would lose all inter
est in that funeral in less than fifteen
minutes, and would be glad TO eX-
change places with the corpse in the
procession, and you swear or pray, or
both, according to your early train
ing and temperament. The above is
picture of what happened to me one
day when / was idiotic enough 10 be-
lieve a guide to be an unnecessary
expense. Reality is often anything
but satisfactory.
inst across the river, opposite Can
ton, in the city of Honam, is one of
the most famous ''pass houses in
China. 1t covers seven acres. As ]
said before, there is very little con-
corning Canton that one can not read
about in books by able writer's, and
anything could say would only be a
repetition on diminutive scale, and
quite ridiculous in comparison.
China and | are not on the best Of |
terms we look upon each other with |
| came here a guileless |
stranger from foreign shore China
received the stranger with open arms |
and he never suspected the treach- |
cry that lurked beneath that smile. |
had been in China less than three |
weeks and had shipped for Japan and |
northern ports, but before could get |
aboard my vessel. China closed her /
arms around me and laid me up with /
for couple Of months, and /
not content with this, she attempted |
to knock me out with a touch Of chol-
era, and now she is mean enough TO
call 50 degrees, frigid. We don't |
speak now. China has a little the /
best of it thus far, and so / dare not /
give "sass" talk back, or say very
much to her for fear I'll get licked.
we are in fair way 10 kiss,
make up and be pretended friends
again-not so dear to each other but
what we shall be liable to part with
out tears of regret, but, nevertheless,
on speaking terms.
Save your pennies, children, for
the benighted ones i'm China. In all
sincerity, say they do need them,
and will not refuse them IL you send
all you have. Whether they will ben
eft the heather i'm the way intended,
/ very much doubt. In time 20 come
NAV be able 10 write a different
opinion. / hope, sincerely, that it
may be so, but / do say, "Charity
at home first" Of all-China last.
Sincerely yours,