The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-04-26

One night lact week a Cinnamon minus
his pigtaii sat in the restaurant of the jos
house and smoked cigarette. He inhaled
the smoke of the cigarette and then blew Il
out in a thin cloud, just as though to The
manner born 1t was then nearly midnight
and the restaurant presented curiou:
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
! Atanother were two United States marines
in uniform.
The big room was dinly lighted by q
number OF oil lamps hung in brackets
around the room. Chinese walters, with
| bare feet thrust into wooden sandals, the
| ankles remaining exposed, shu1fied 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,
| unnainted wood. A sicEening smell Of
oDium floated down from den sonfewhere
above.
When the reporter left the Chinese were
in the minority, and the poor and vicious
| of the Bowery and its tributary streets
wore reDresented by blacks and whites
enough to occupy most OF the tables.
IN A QUEER PLACE.
Down in the shadow of the joss house a
4bjnlv claS negro Of about twenty years
! was trying to raise little warmth by a
vigorous exercise of his feet in fitful jig.
Il say, mister" he, said as the writer ap
peared in the doorwa5; gimme nickel to
get sonethin to eat, Will you? I'm dead
cold an all gone inside
''Well, come up stains 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 streets"
'Is that better?"
'Well, yes,' he said, "an dey trow in de
cigarettes too"
The negro led the way to a house on the
opposite side of Mott street, where red
lantern hung above the entrance. Hewent
up one flight of stairs and opened a 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
larger and the lights brighter. There
were also more tables and persons, and the
proprietor hustled around and saw that
everybody was attended to. Near the door
was a 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 a 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 a most villainous
countenance. The negro led the way to
the table which commanded a view of the
whole room and at the same time gave a
glimpse of the kitchen.
MANY THINGS TO EAT.
f'Kin order wot like?" 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.
'Oh, give me some tea" he replied.
4 IL
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 a 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 a 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
snd fork. Tea was brought in Chinese pot,
such as is sold cheaply in all the big stores
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
Ia hal lie nfd 1crh (aI
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
only de insides."
The ''insides" consisted of lot of pre-
serves. The reporter tried some of the
brandy, which the negro had enjoyed
greatly. 1t was so fiery it almost choked |
him, and the flavor was not particularly
pleasant. He noticed dish of vegetables |
that looked like Brussels sprouts going to
an adjoining table and asked Chinaman |
what they were.
Bamboo sprouts" said the Chinaman |
in very good English; they are very fine" |
This restaurant seems TO have a varied /
bill OF fare, p" suggested the reporter.
Yes" said the Chinaman. but it is /
nothing compared to the restaurants of |
San Francisco. That is where you find the /
fine Chinese restaurants -
The reporter walked over 70 the propri- /
etor, who talked freely and intelligentlv
i have kept Chinese restaurant he |
said, in San Francisco. San jose, Sacra- 1
mento and Charleston. San Francisco is 1
the best place | have been in. / had lots /
OF nice White ladies and gentlemen for Gus |
toners there"
The reporter remained in the restaurant |
until half past O'Clock. During the time /