Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-07-05

charm prescribed for his relief Thequack
doctor is a first cousin to the fortune teller;
indeed, the two professionals are frequently
combined in the same individual, and on
almost any street corner the fortune-teller
may be seen either writing charms for his
patients, preparing amulets for their use,
reading the sun" or after dusk, consult
ing the moon and stars to ascertain
whether their business or social undertake
ings are to be successful So liberal are
these gentry, that for few 'cash" they
will give the entire future history of the
customer, tell him what days to observe,
what perils to avoid, admonish him as to
the times when dangers will threaten him,
and advise him of the approach of good
fortune. They also derive thriving bus
mess in casting horoscopes of individuals
when particular undertakings are either
projected or in progress. When China
man proposes marriage, or has it proposed
for him by his parents, more usual course,
fortune-teller is always consulted. The
horoscopes of the bride and groom expect
ant are compared, for it is possible that
certain circumstances connected with their
fortune might render them unsuitable to
each other, and to find this out after the
ceremony, of course, would be very dread
full, so the precaution is taken to ascertain
these fact beforehand and thus insure a
happy married life.
All sorts of trades and occupations are
carried on either in the streets or in sheds.
open to the gaze of the passer-by. Here
may be seen a tailor making clothes, there
a cook preparing pastry; there grain
winnower turning the crank of his ma
chine; yonder halter, further on a man
making mats, here blacksmith, there a
horse doctor; across the way a cobbler
patching shoes, fitting on felt soles to cloth
uppers or wrangling with his customer
with no little vehemence about the tenth
of cent-for in China the tenth part of a
cent is considerable sum. Everywhere
tea-houses are TO be found, for TO the China
man the tea-house is what the clubhouse
is to the Englishman, what the barber
shop is to the Spaniard or the coffee-house
to the Turk. The tea-house is the place
for gossip; proclamations are posted on its
walls; news is gathered there; there ac-
quaintances meet and pass the compli-
ments Of the day while drinking the tea.
The Chinese tea is different thing alto
gether from the same beverage made in
any other quarter of the world To begin
with, the best tea in the world grows in
China, and never leaves the country, and
the Chinese seem to understand the art of
making tea. A small quantity of the leaf
is placed in the teapot, boiling water is
poured over it, and the beverage instantly
drained off into cups, for the first moment
of drawing" abstracts from the leaf the
most delicious portion of its taste and
fragrance, and the Chinese disdain to drink
the beverage after it has been allowed to
stand on the leaves.
Chinese rejoicing is remarkable for its
noisiness, and some of the celestial methods
Of expressing gladness have found their
way to the United States in the form of
fire crackers. These are used in China on
all occasions, but more especially at fun
erals. The Chinese have an idea that
demons are always on the lookout for a
human soul, but particularly do they
throng in the neighborhood where man
has died, so the friends rely on the priest
and astrologer to thwart them in their
dark designs. 1t is well known that the
devils are afraid of fire crackers, and bows
are sent ahead on the road to the cemetery
to touch off packs OF fire crackers in order
to clear the road; then, as the funeral pro-
cession approaches, other packs are lighted
by stealth and thrown ahead of the adj
vancing coffin. But lest these precautions
prove fruitless another of still greater i'm
portance is taken. All Chinese devils
must travel in straight line; not one,
without great personal inconvenience can
turn corner. Hence, when the funeral
procession starts it moves off in brisk
trot, goes to the nearest corner, and the
bearers act as though intending to pro-
coed straight ahead, then suddenly wheel
around into side street. The pursuing
devil shoots on, not being able to turn in
time, and then at the moment the turn is
made, a pack of fire crackers is let off at
him, and the chances are that he will be
deferred from further pursuit. The same
consideration which induces the use of
crackers at funerals causes them to be lib
orally employed at weddings and births,
and any important event in Chinese life is
therefore noisily celebrated.
Along the rivers of China fishing is
living occupation, giving employment to
many thousands of the natives. But in
following this business, the Cinnamon have
shrewdly employed several aquatic birds
to do their work, and fishing boats with a
row of cormorants along the gunwale are
a common sight in all Chinese waters.
Although everything in the Celestial
Empire is reduced to a system, it seems a
strange thing that there should be a
brotherhood of beggars, and that the So
llciting of aims should be reduced to a sys-
tenn. Each beggar has his beat, from
which he dare not depart, and a limited
number of beggars is allowed in every dis
trict. Each makes his round, stands be-
fore the door of some dwelling, where he
may at pleasure sing, shout, play on any
musical instrument, scream, or make any
noise that suits his fancy until he is given
something. But however small the aims.
when his demand has been complied with.
he must move on or subject himself to
severe punishment from those ANNOYED. or
severer penalties from the king of the beg
gars, in case complaint should be made to
this potentate. For there is a king of the
beggars, who lives like prince and gov
erns all the beggars in China with a rod
of iron.
Travel in China is attended with many
difficulties, from the character of the
roads and the imperfect construction of
the vehicles. In spite of the great size of
the empire, which is over two-thirds as
large as the United States, there is no
system OF roads connecting the various
provinces, and while the people of one
district may be starving from the failure
of crops, those in adjoining provinces may
be blessed with plenty, and yet, from lack
of communication be unable to relieve the
sufierings of their neighbors. The carts
are Of the most primitive construction
and are drawn sometimes by strangely
assorted teams. A donkey and a COW may
sometimes be observed harnessed together
while two dogs and woman
form team the like of which is
scarcely to be found anywhere else in the
world
A..