Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1889-08-21
INA CHINESE TAILOR SHOP.
Gov rns Monaghan Poole Supplies
H-s Customers.
Cro~ssry- W@rss rs<s 4Ha ksiek- @seks
Sod .. we4-Gre@s Dizersaas - Price
sst~ssa Co1ez2ez aaa A-4a4ri4a
Asrl<ss Beet I'D JEA-x O4s1s-
ooRxk-sz1 Lsss.

1oFxa-sz1 lsss.
There are many Chinsss taller shops
IL Nss fozk M9st street Is SLED ~it1
tnel Insy srs IA cellars. where
gis-@lLsc A9ngolAns 81 Narch or shres
Legged s-9ols. znc pass aord er cerec-
slys are nss1sd ~ pass stranger FROM
TIE street. Ilsy as - TIE rr4r ~ 1rsL
roor s1ops and some are Ia loDes stories,
raroasa long. elldlng balls -1a1 smell
q dried rs8. boiling bard nests AM
fry ilg - -4-Ls The clothes are keps
On diagy shelves and IA boxes alder
t4rL counters ant only form part % TIE
genera STOCK L4e u4lls ia = .zrd e2re
SHOP. b1- there q only one Poole IN
Ne~ YORK. and he las uo lmiI4t0rs. To
initiate our Celestial Poole requires
moro capital than The average Chlna-
man possesses. NJ Poole Is known 70
the business public a. Mel Lee va s.
Co, and IS familiarity called Mr. Mel By
those who have ths honor or bis per-
sonal acquaintance. His place Of bust
ness u Ia tae B0wery where he occupies
the nrst roor and the basement OF one
~ the largest buildings under the
shadow Of the elevated road
The tailor shop lOsks a. little like
the customary clothing store as Chs
nese laundry does Ike Murray Hin
drawing room IL Is = large room filed
clothing seems 70 &c about the only
thing that = no. offered for sale. At
the door, behind small counter, gen
orally SIT two men. one is short, stout,
shrewd-eytd and smiling tie wears
American clothes with his pig-tail care
fully coiled out Of sigh. under fashion
able Mackinaw straw hat. He IL the
head salesman. and capable one too,
II appearances count FOR anything. The
other IS slender aud melancholy. He
Affects the sombre in attire and wears q
black felt hat Of the prevailing under
taker style tie spends his time finger
ing a kindergarten counting machine
and marking up accounts with a piece
OF India ink or paint brush on the long
pages % = brown paper notebook. He
Is the boOkkeeper and is said 70 be
one Of the most expert hierOglyphic
makers In the Chinese quarter.
The under-salesman i aldermanic
in form and dresses very much as an
American does IN hot weather, with his
coat OF and the sleeves of his white
shirt rolled up 10 the elbows. His
knowledge OF English is confined by
strictly commercial limits, but his win
ming smile Is broad enough 70 cover any
linguistic deficiencies he may possess.
A casual caller might fancy at the
door that Mr.. Mel kept tea store. Be
fore be had gone twenty feet he would
credit him with keeping a crockery
store. Another half dozen PAGES would
change his opinion again, with another
change IN the appearance Of the store.
On the first row OF tables are kept
Chinese wares OF all styles and ~ all
prices, from common crockery sets
worth $50 each 70 superb red vase
valued az 5000. On the next row are
glassware and square boxes holding
teas and spiced herbs. Behind glass
cases. against the wall. are knickknacks
in ivory and gilt. worth weeks wages
for every square inch OF surface. Farther
back in the store are laundry goods and
the various utensils used by frugal Mon
golians FOR their housekeeping.
The Chinese Poole is Macy and a
Ridley combined. Against the rear wall,
which conceals from the barbarian
world the living apartments OF Mr..
Mel and pretty Mrs Mel. is kept the
clothing. II is all made in China and
imported in bulk. Here are clothes
enough 20 deck out the 8, 900 Cinnamon
OF New York in holiday attire and keep
them in their Sunday clothes for year.
Chinaman's every day outfit is
beautiful in its simplicity. II consists
Of pair OF loose trousers almost as short
as pantelettes and entirely wanting in
frills. an undershirt, a short coat that
Is called Chan "a Tien, or something
that sounds Ike that, and an overcoat
known 20 the initiated as Foo Sol sam.
The boots. called Tien San Hi, together
with the hat and hosiery completes the
wardrobe.
The gndershtrt does not differ mater
tally from that worn by native New
Workers and is usually made OF pongee
silk Chinese dudes. when not working
in their lsundries. wear finer grades Of
silk Tho long coat Is only worn on
festal occasions By the common classes
OF Chinese. The workingmen usually
content themselves with the short coat.
The long garment costs from 1900 70
els. depending upon the wealth and
rank OF the wearer. The lowest priced
article il made OF coarse silk and -
usually blue or black IN color.
The short coat sonnet mes costs 300.
but the variety usually seen on ths
streets can be- bought For from g 20 s..
lis made Of ak and IS often given a
waterproof gloss and does double ser
vice as coat and am brelia.
The sandal-shaped boots are made OF
cloth and have soles an inch thick
These s0les are fashioned q layers Of
cotton pressed together. and as imVer-
vious % moisture as sole leather. The
tors o. the shoes are en- b-oidered and
thev sell from O. 80 20 $50 = pair
As none q tha coats have sleeves he
selection q suit % Chinese clothes =
both simple aud satisfactory Tie Gus
toner simply "a the garment around
htsnecs aud taxes care 20 select one
that a rot too eng Tor him and the ask
IS done
Chinesa boots have ID right or 81.
snd tae Only care IN choosing a par q
n see sat thev are not TOO sigh OF 80
loose a. % rub 20 ard down a. -he leel
NJ Nets clerks follow a. admirable
system p 50 .ug thelr clothing ~ 80
who essle The7 have a number Of i-
49,. .f.s-s -~ --- a-a 4-ae-..