San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-04-15

One night last week Cinnamon minus
his pigtail sat in the restaurant of the joss
house and smoked cigarette. He inhaled
the smoke of the cigarette and then blew it
out in thin cloud, just as though to the
manner born. 1t was then nearly midnight,
and the restaurant presented a curious
scene. Three distinct races were represent
ed at the tables. At one sat two negro
women, with striped red shawls thrown
over their shoulders and enormous straw
hats mounted on their piles of black hair.
At another were two United States marines
in uniform.
The big room was dimly lighted by
number of oil lamps hung in brackets
around the room. Chinese walters, with
bare feet thrust into wooden sandals, the
ankles remaining exposed, shutfled back
and forth between dining room and kitchen.
Behind a counter at the rear of the dining
room stood the moon faced proprietor and
his assistant Neither seemed to take any
interest in the dinner or walters. The
floor was bare and the furniture cheap,
implanted wood. A sickening smell of
opium fioated down from a den somewhere
above.
When the reporter left the Chinese were
in the minority, and the poor and vicious
of the Bowery and its tributary streets
were represented by blacks and whites
enough to occupy most of the tables.
IN A QUEER PLACE.
Down in the shadow of the joss house n
thinly clad negro of about twenty years
was trying to raise a little warmth by n
vigorous exercise of his feet in a fitful Jig.
IL say, mister" he said as the writer ap
peared in the doorway; gimme nickel to
get somethin to eat, will your I'm dead
cold an all gone inside"
well. come up stairs and I'll buy some
thing to eat for you"
The negro bounded up the outside steps
and then stopped suddenly.
81 say, boss" he said hesitatingly, do
you mind if we go to de restaurant across
de street,"
SIS that better?"
well, yes" he said, ian dey trqw in de
cigarettes too"
The negro led the way to house on the
opposite side of Mott street, where red
lantern hung above the entrance. Hewent
up one flight of stairs and opened door.
A cloud of stale smoke rolled out into the
hall. Inside, the scene at the other res
taurant was repeated, only the room was
were also more tables and persons, and the
proprietor hustled around and saw that
everybody was attended to. Near the door
was counter, at which sat the cashier,
and at his elbow was wooden box full of
American cigarettes. AS they passed by
the negro grabbed cigarette, and turning
around to his companion said patroniz.
ingly:.
"Take one Dey don't cost nuthin."
1t was extremely hot in the room and
the air was sitting. All, including the
half score of white women, some of whom
were young and pretty, were smoking
cigarettes The smoke moved along
the Drowned ceiling in solid waves two
feet thick The smaller clouds ascending
from individual mouths to join the main
volume curled and twisted in fantastic
shapes. The motley crowd looked like so
many devils, and sober imagination
could readily accept the scene as that of a
small sized inferno. The waiter certainly
looked like a fiend, with his bare, brown
arms and ankles and most villainous
countenance. The negro led the way to
the table which commanded view of the
whole room and at the same time gave a
glimpse of the kitchen.
kin order wot likes" asked the negro.
The reporter told him to please himself.
Say, john" said the negro to the wait
er, who had come up and was staring va
cantly over the heads of both bring me
some Scrambled eggs an some macaroni an
tea"
what you want?" the waiter asked the
reporter abruptly.
NOb mo Gonna taa - no rpDlipd
"Tea is Free" said the negro, but the
waiter had gone.
Presently he returned with the orders
The macaroni was not quite SO large as
that made by the Italians. A piece of fat,
Drowned pork lay in the center. A dark,
forbidding looking liquid in small dish
was intended for sauce.
Oats blood" said the negro; 'nuthin
but blood: but it's good"
The eggs were swimming in grease. No
bread or butter was provided. At an adj
joining table sat some Cinnamon eating
from curious dish of meat and vegetables.
A rich brown sauce was poured over all,
and some of the vegetables looked like
mushrooms The Cinnamon ate with chop
sticks, but the negro received a steel knife
and fork. Tea was brought in Chinese pot,
such as is sold cheaply in all the big stores
now 1t was poured into tiny liCtle cups
without handles, half as large as very
small after dinner coffeecups. The tea
was pretty strong, but of good flavor. The
waiter rinsed out each cup with the tea be-
fore setting them down. There was no
milk or sugar. The negro was still hungry
when he had finished his macaroni and
eggs. He ordered some cake and rice
brandy The former was in the shape OF
large balls of dough. Red Chinese charac-
tiers were stamped on them. The negro
dug his finger into the cake and tore off
all the outside.
Oats no good" he explained; "dey eats
IL