The Dickinson press., 1889-07-13
A BANQUET In CHINA,
AN AMUSING DESCRIPTION OF A
cEREMoNloUs REPAsT.

CEReMONlOLS REPAST.
Sixty Different Dishes In One Course, and
Several Courscs-rainful Attempts Mt
Music-EuropeanS Didn't Know How to
Eat Deccntly-Thc Cooks Grateful.
Tho Chinese enj joy tho distinction of being
tho greatest gourinands and most voracious
eaters in tho world, and this amusing account
of their achievements Mt the table certainly
goes to prove it;
a fcw days before our departure from Can
ton we found at our lodgings Il visiting card,
left by Mow-Qua, Il wealthy tea merchant.
with an invitation to dine with him. Tho
invitation was written upon n very thin sheet
of red paper, much larger than those we use
for similar purpose About half past in
the afternoon, accordingly, We repaired to
the hospltable mansion of Mow-Qua, preceded
by train of servants bearing immense Ian.
terms, and by way of prccaution We had taken
care to stop our ears with cotton to avoid the
| terrible consequences of n sudden outburst of
| Chinese music
AS soon as the guests had taken their seats,
which were ranged in two long parallel lines,
tea was served i'll large cups with fiat saucers
placed over them and set upon walters of
gold or silver. The Chinese and the Japanese,
us we know, take their tea without milk or
sugar. y few leaves are put into the cup
and boiling water is poured upon them, after
which the infusion remains long enough to
steep and is then transferred to tho sauccrs
and swallowed while it is quite hot. The tea
leaves arc generally whole, so that the water
is colorcd sufficiently without containing any
| sediment.
| Tho musicians were stationed in all al join
ing room, and among their number were sev-
cral singers of celebrity They played and
| sang almost without iaternisSion during the
whole affair. was Informed that it was "A
Chinese opera, but certainly tho music was
far from agreeable The Chinese themselves,
however, appeared to pay very little a,tcn-
ti"n to it, although when there was an inter
val of silence they would make nn occasional
observation or jest upon the words of tho
songs
EATING DESSERT FIRST
Tho banquet now began. We were con.
Quoted into another apartment, where sew
cral square tables, with places for six per-
SONS, were so disposed as to form semi
circle On the side towards tho center, they
remained unoccupic,l, but were entirely con
ccaled by Il scarlet cloth, with rich enbroi,i-
cry i'll gold and silver thread, representing
tho different flowers of tho country The
host took his seat at the table in tho middle
of the group, and deputcd one of his country
men to do the honors Mt each of tho others.
In the front of every table was an array of
baskets filled with fruit and flowers and be-
hlnd this appetizing display appeared II null
titude of vases and tiny plates containing
sweetmcats small tarts, sausagcs, pyramids
OF candled oranges and plums and other deli
Spp1nc I,N Ct,r 6,
tronomc riches did honor to tho liberality Of
our host.
Tho Chinese never do anything in tho
European manner, and therefore we began
with tho dessert. Instead of plates three
small cups were set in front of cnch guest
Tho ono ut our left contained soy, an aro.
matte sauce with which tho natives season
their food. That i'll the middle is used in the
course of tho repast, and upon the third is
laid tho porcelain spoon with which soup is
eaten Two small Sticks rounded at the ends
and made of ivory for tho tables of persons
of wealth, were also provided for every
guest 1t is rather difficult for foreigners to
manage these tiny utensils, although the Chi
ncse handle them with great dcItcrity Ono
of our number, who understands their Ian
guage, onco heard tho whispered remark;
"Only look at these wise Europeansl They
do not even know how to eat dccentlyl" A
largo package of paper sheets, cut in n tri
angular form and tied together with red rib
bon, is laid near each plato, and these arc
used for wiping tho hands instead of nap
kins.
In tho beginning of tho action Mow-Qua
courtcously invited lis to partake of tho choic.
est dishes, and while VIC wero eating he fro
quently called our attention to the fine flavor
of certain fruit or therarity of u particular
bird. The first course was dispatched and
VIC were ready for fresh supplies
Table cloths nre never used in China but
> tho covering upon tho tables was now care.
fully removed and another one substituted,
upon which was placed great variety of
dishes. small cup was also put before each
person, for holding the samtschu strong
liquor obtained from tho fermentation of
rice, and which takes the place of vino at
Chinese entertainments Servants passed from
ono to another of tho guests, carrying large
silver urns containing tho samtschu i'll an ef
| fervescent state | did not find this much
Wanted beverage particularly refreshing,
although there are several kinds varying in
excellence, and ono that havo tasted com
pares very favorably with brandy of medium
quality.
THE COOKS RETURN THANKS.
The Chinese arc extremely polite to each
other on festive occasions. Whenever they
wish to drink they apologize for taking such
n liberty, at tho same timo wishing you good
health and prosperity Each ono takes his
\ cup in both hands aud swallows tho contents
at n single draught. When he has finished
he turns it up for the inspection of his neigh
Dor, to show him that not II single drop re.
mains in the cup We were compelled to
observe the same odd custom for fear Of bc.
ing open to tho charge of discourtesy
After the second course, which included
nearly sixty different Dishes tho soups werc
| brought in. These were served in small bowls
set in tho center of tho table, and everybody
helped himself from them with tho porcelain
| spoon have already mentioned. Tea and
| tobacco came in rs intermediate uxuries,
enabling us to collect our energies and no.
turn with renewed vigor to tho charge
Finally, when several other courses had
made their appearance, each surprising tho
one preceding in abundance, five new tables
were ranged in the empty space opposite lis.
These were laden with roast meats, particr
arly pork, and with different kinds of birds
Ten cooks, dressed i'll snowy uniforms, then
entered tho room, and began the work of
carving. Two were assigned to each table,
and performed their tnsk with remarkable
skill. Other servants handed to u.s. upon
small plates, tho slices of meat which they
received from tho carvcrs, and the work Of
eating went on vigorously
| AT the end Of the feast the cooks reap
| Iearcd and returned profound thanks to tho
company for tho honor they had conferred
upon them by partakins of their dishes.
Every one then rose from tho table. We had
been seated there for six hours, and during
this time hundreds Of dishes had passed be-
fcre us in succession.-Adaptel from tho
french for The Philadelphia Times
Leprosy is Increasing in Russia. During
ten years forty-nino patients were treated in
the st. Petersburg hospitals, half of whom
were natives of the city The Baltic prov
!cas suffer most from the disease
MAKING PINS.