Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-30
HOTEL LIFE IN CHINA.
COMPANIONS WHO SMOKE AND
EAT PEANUTS.
Sleeping on a Rude Bench Covered with
Reed Mats and Provided with Wooden
PiI1ow-Bill of Fare for Supper-A
Wakeful Night.


Reed Mats and Provided with Wooden
PiI1ow-Bill of Fare for Supper-A
wakeful Night.
An official in big tortoise shell spectacles
examines my passport, reading it slowly
and deliberately aloud in peculiar sing
| song tones TO the crowd, who listen with
all absorbing attention. He then orders
the people to direct me to certain hittim,
or inn. This inn blossoms forth upon my,
as yet, unaccustomed vision as a pecu-
LARRY vile and dingy little hovel, smoke
blackened and untidy as village smithy
Half dozen rude benches covered with
reed mats and provided with uncomfort-
able wooden pillows, represent what sleep
ing accommodations the place affords.
Several other dodgers occupy the room
in common with myself; some are smok-
ing tobacco and others are iDdustriously
Uniting the pipe" The combined fumes
of opium and tobacco are well nigh I'M
bearable, but there is no alternative. The
next bench to mine is occupied by peri
patetic vendor Of drugs and medicines.
Most OF his time is consumed in smoking
opium in dreamy oblivion to all else, save
the sensuous delights embodied in that
operation itself. Occasionally, however,
when preparing for another smoke, he adj
dresses me at length in about one word OF
pigeon English to dozen OF simon pure
Cantonese. In a spirit of friendliness he
tenders me the freedom of his pipe and a
little box of opium, which is, of course,
declined with thanks"
MORTAR AND PEsTLE
into tho r,y
rulous companions sit around and talk
end smoke and eat peanuts. Mosquitoes
likewise contribute to the general induce
ment to keep awake; and after the others
have finally lain down my ancient next
neighbor produces small mortar and
pestle and busies himself in pounding
drugs. For this operation he assumes a
pair of large, round spectacles that in
the dinnly lighted apartment and its noe
turnsl associations are highly suggestive
of owls and owlish wisdom. The old
quack works away at his mortar regard
less of the approach of daybreak, now and
then pausing To adjust the wick in his lit
tie saucer Of grease, or to indulge in the
luxury of a peanut.
The proprietor of the hittim seems
overjoyed at my hberality as / present
him a ten cent string OF tsin for the
nights lodgings. Small IA IL sounds,
this amount is probably three or four
times more than he obtains from his Chi
nese guests.
AT ANOTHER HOTEL.
The hittim of Lo-pow is somewhat su-
perior to that of yesterday; il is q two
storied building, and the proprietor hus-
ties me up stairs in short order, and locks
me in. This is to prevent any possible
hostility from the crowd that Immediately
swarms the place, for while in his house
he is in measure held responsible for my
treatment. The bicycle is kept down
stairs, where it performs the Office Of a
vent for the rampant curiosity Of the
thousands who besiegc the proprietor for
a peep AZ myself.
A little cup and teapot Of hot tea Is
brought me at once, and my order taken
for supper; the characters on limited
written vocabulary proving Invaluable az
an aid toward making my gastronornic
preferences understood. dish Of boiled
fish, picked ginger, chicken entrees,
young onions, together with rice enough
10 feed pig. form the ingredients Of a
very good Chinese meal. Chop sticks are,
of course, provided; but as yet, my dex-
terity in the manipulation Of these articles
Is decidedly Of the negative order, and so
my pocket knife performs the dual Office
OF knife and fork; for the rice, one can
use, after manner, the little porcelain
dipper, provided for ladling an evil smell
ing liquid over that staple
Bread, there Is none in China; rice Ia
the bread Of both this country and japan.
During the night one gets reminder u
the bek-lees Of Constantinople in the per
formances Of q night policeman, who
passes By at intervals loudly beating .
drum This, together with registering
mosquitoes, and a too liberal indulgence
In strong tea, banighes sleep tonight
almost as efTectusny a. the pounding Of
the old drug vendors pes-is did at Chun-
Rong-hoi.-Thomas Stevens IN Outing.
Haulertor says: at often happens that
mere activity is 4 waste Of time, that PEG
pie who have a morbid habit Of being busy
are often terrible tine wasters, while, on
the contrary, those who are judiciouslT
deliberate, and allow themselves intervals
Of leisure, sss the way before them in
those intervals, and save time by the &C
curscy Of their calculations -
Another writer, unknown. SAFE: GONE
men are in i1csssant action, early sat
late, and ali Though the day Tnsy have
no tine for family or friends IS To-
holidays, the Jess for them ia. better.
They have Inherited a nervous ie-uoera-
rnent, and are doing Just tire wrong thing 4
vita it-sllowfng !; 70 hurry thea % an /
end. They wex- themselves ,
out. Their brain " ever in a state Of 4
mort Did activity almost ike that os "A in I
sane man 4 ht.le careful planning, AMI 4
: proper laying our Of work, ard especially
doing everything u the proper time,
would avoid all such hurry aud wo-ry,
make EFors much easier, secure an alJun-