Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-09
THE NOISE OF TIE F1RHcRAcKERs.

opPcorco ne tuc cNcl1uS Cd"c Oh dlu INC SUI
went down no diminution in the noise could be
observed, and as it grew dark rockets shot up
from every side. Climbing into o sampan,
whose owner had gorgeousy decorated it with
scarlet and gold, We started for the shore to
inspect more closely the celebration Of the New
Year. Standing up in our sampan and looking
out over the harbor we saw flaming masses Of
oiled paper floating over its smooth surface
and every junk and sampan that sailed by
added its quota to the blazing piles. The
moment we touched the dock 1t was evident
that 1t was the New Year holiday; not a
single coolie at work; only q few 'rickshaw
boys remained Of all the crowds that generally
haunt the piers, while from the town came the
sound Of the frecrackers-crack, crack, crack,
as pack after pack was lighted. Getting into
'rickshaws we started down Omen's road. The
street is crowded with streams of Cinnamon, all
In holiday attire, every color in the rainbow
being represented in the motley throng. More
than once it becomes impossible for us to pro-
coed further and we must, perforce, wait till
the human dam breaks. Looking around us we
see that every shop ia closed. In front of some
the owners are lighting packs of firecrackers;
others are altogether desolate, save for the in
ev1table oil silk lantern, on which the owners
name is displayed. But by dint Of frequent
shouts, entreaties and threats our 'rlckshaws
are again in motion and we pass on to an open
square where great crowd has collected.
CROWD TO SEE THE FIREWORKS.
As far as one can see up the four streets whose
intersection forms this open space extends
seq Of shayen heads glistening under the cleo
trio light, all gathered here to see the fire.
works. beam projects from the upper win
dow OF the house opposite and from its end
hangs a long, heavy cable formed Of packs Of
hrecrackers, on which bombs are threaded here
and there. At the top, close up to the beam,
is an immense bomb as large as a melon lumi-
mating the thick rope. A buzz of expectancy
passes among the crowd and a Chinaman in
blue silk gown and red satin leggings comes out
of the house carrying flaming torch. With
great deliberntion and ceremony he applies it
to the lower end of the pyrotechnic hawser.
Gradually the fire catches, the sputtering Of the
fuse Is heard for the vast crowd is hushed, and
then the steady crack crack tells that the string
of fireworks Is fairly lighted. Up it gradually
burns, sending out showers Of sparks till the
lowest bomb Is reached, which bursts in sheet
OF white name with a report like a field piece.
The roar sounds like the continual fire from a
sktrmish line composed Of an entire brigade
backed by field battery. and one almost waits
for the shrek Of the shells and the spat Of the
Now the flames are within foot Of the upper
bomb and now with sheet of flame and re-
port like an 8-inch gun it explodes, sending
showers of stars in every direction.
ALL ARRAYED IN THEIR BEST.
The crowd gradually melts away, and we
start of up the narrow lanes leading back from
the main streets On both sides the houses are
illumined by paper lanterns, and old men and
children vie to who shall make the most
noise. Along the veIandas and the overhan9-
ing roof Of the houses run young men and
children holding IN one hand packs of fire.
crackers and in the other their lighted tapers
Lighting pack one of them losses 1t over on
the closed green litter of passing Chinaman,
or perhaps a Parsee. His aim is good and it
lights just on top of the cover and clings there,
sg..: ping and kissing like living thing. Thin
pieces of torn apd powder-blackened paper lie
ankle deep in III cutters and the debris is ON
nipresent.
One little fellow about three years old is at
tired most gorgeously. On his clsanly shaven
bead, from which depends his long queue,
formed for the most part of red silk. is little
circular cap, with q bright red button on top of
it. 30 covered with gilt that it is hard to form
any estimate Of the substance of which it was
originally composed. His loose green blouse is
furnished with bright scarlet sleeves, and pink
trousers bound to his legs by white leggins
terminating in red shoes, finish his costume.
The little girls are in most cases still more
gO-geously dressed, but Of course their hair is
tucked up, in many cases covered with hood
Of red or green cloth curiously embroidered in
every known color. Every man in the street is
decked out in his best, and il the strictest econ
omy III oaghout the rest Of the year will per-
| 1
with wonderfully decorated shoes. The very
houses themselves partake Of the festal nature
Of the day. Long red strips OF rice paper
| covered with characters hang from every will
dow, and near the doorway OF the junks pic
| ture is hung in a gorgeously fashioned frame.
before which many Joss sticks are burning.
The perfume fills the air and renders one al
| most proof against tho other odors that are
| Characteristic Of Chinese town or q Chinese
quarter.
CHINAMEN AT FIRE.
As we sit in our 'rickshaws watching the
scene the rapid ringing Of the bell in the
o'clock tower" announces fire. One OF the
houses has taken fire from the frecrackers. 1t
| is in the Chinese quarter, not far from where
| we are, and hurrying there we find u dense
| CROWD already collected. Some sikhs on horse
back, armed with long ssbers and carbines, are
| dashing about, driving the mob Of Cinnamon
before them like 20 many sheep. few on foot
| thrust back the too curious In . most uncece-
mOnious manner, the butt ends of their carbines
being the agents employed. Native iremen are
drawing the two engines, the reel and the hook
and ladder which come rambling up, and they
also lay the hose. But when il comes to the
actual work Of subduing the fire they are of no
ladders and face the flames. The scene
Is q picturesque one and is rendered
| doubly SO by the flaming naphtha torches she'd
ding lurid glare, which the native dremen
carry. But the fremen seem to be getting the
mastery. We have concluded that we have seen
enough fireworks for the night. Threading our
way Backward through the crowd We rejoin our
! 'rickshaws and are soon riding toward the
wharf. The sound of the frecrackers 10 duller;
even the Chinese jewellers seem to be growing
weary. Far up on the hills fiery dragon OPP
pears to be slowly creeping along. 1t Il o
| sacred procession and the dense mass Of Ian
terms can DO seen for miles. Waking up the
sleepy sampan we shove OF from the pier and
| turn our backs on the Chinese New Year.
| HoRAcH MAcyAnLAND.
Horace ". .Childs, . young man living 81
Hdseway, Pa, committed suicide Wednesday
morning at Hop Bottom, . few miles from Bling