The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-10-23

rangle or one or the long halls Of the
village temple. 1t is always a huge feed,
even at its smallest. lasting at least IL
hours. Those who have eaten all they
can retire from the festive board and
let newcomers fill their seats At a fes-
tival given by the viceroy of Quang-
tung the feast lasted six days and nights.
All depends upon the amount of money
the village elders expend. At a banquet
of this sort quantity rather than quality
appears to be the prevailing principle
Whole roasted pigs, from little pOrcine
babes up to 200 pound hogs, boiled pork,
pigs liver, tripe, kidneys, feet. jowls,
brain and ribs, fresh fish, smoked fish,
dried fish, devilfish, chicken, duck and
goose. boiled, roasted, steamed, stewed
and fricasseed. crabs, prawns, shrimps,
crawfish, mussels, scallOps, periwinkles,
sea cOnches, potatoes, sweet potatoes,
yams cabbage. picked cabbage, onion,
garlic, beans, peas, rice, millet, lentils,
oauIihower, leeks, shalot. chileis, gin
ger. fruits, preserves, candies, pastry,
cake, nuts, dried fruits. sauces, tea,
Chinese wines and liquors make up the
lengthy bill of fare of the occasion
/ must say that everything is well
cooked and served. The whole roasted
pigs would be a revelation to many Of
our cooks. The skin is SO crisp as to be
genuine cracking, and the flesh within
is so we'll done as to melt within the
lips. When brought from the oven, it
looks more like rich, red carving rath-
or than substantial and soon to be de-
molished roast. The boiled poultry, and
especially the steamed, are as white as
ivory. They may be a trif1e overlooked,
but that in land where gastric and
enteric troubles are the leading evil is
an advantage rather than otherwise.
Barring the whole roasts, everything
else is served in rather small quantities
on medium sized bowls and salvers.
This prevents waste, and also the con-
sumption of the more dainty dishes long
before the collation. is over.
The cooking is done in the temple
likewise and within full view of the
convives at the board and the people
about the premises.
The Drama.
Every something was going on
at every moment In one shady nook,
under a tree, a public reader was recit-
ing some spirited tale to the evident de-
light Of a score of auditors He held the
book in his hand, but seemed to know
each word by heart, as he seldom
glanced at its pages. He had a pleasant
manner and good voice. but he pitched
the latter in such a high key as to make
it rather dissonant to a European ear
There was one theater devoted to
comedy and farce and q second to trag-
edy and moral drama. These theaters are
not buildings, as at home, nor even in
closures. They are platforms about 20
feet square, erected four feet above the
level Of the ground. The trunks and
properties form wings on either side Of
the stage and afford a partial privacy to
the actors for dressing and undressing.
In front of both shows were chairs
stools and wooden benches, on which
sat the women, girls and little children
of the village. They were all exquisite
ly neat, clean and nicely dressed. The
young girls wore gowns of bright col
Ors or of white bOrdered with color
They. seemed all absorbed by the play
and never permitted their eyes to wan
der from the stage. Some Of them were
very pretty, having milk and rose COM
plexions, luxuriant black hair, large
brown eyes, good features and very
shapely figures. The silk trousers showed
off the graceful outlines of their lower
limbs. 1t would have been a delightful
picture but for the poor. disfigured feet,
which seemed all the more cruelty mon
strous by the contrast.
The Whole World Kin.
There were marionettes, smaller than
ours, with figures only D or 6 inches
high, moved by silk threads SO fine as
to be invisible at the distance of a foot
There were sshadowgraphs' like those
familiar to patrons of variety theaters.
There were tiger theaters, queer little
shows worked by a single performer as
in Punch and Judy, but using a tiger
as the hero and all sorts of other ami
mails as his successive victims. It did
not appeal much to the grown folks, but
was immensely popular with the little
ones, who crowded the space IN front
Of the box and expressed the hveliest
terror and delight at the ferocious ex-
PLOTS of the great carnivore There
were acrobats and jugglers, gladlators
and gamblers. The gladiatOrs were boys
and youths trained to the calling, who
fought with sword against sword, shield
and dagger against sword, shield and
sword against spear, shield and dagger
and double sword against single sword.
They were quite expert and alAxr md
tireless to a remarkable degree. Al the
end of an encounter of a half hOuz-'s du-
ration they We're almost as fresh as
when they began their arduous labor.
All these mountebanks and public en-
tertainers are welcome guests at d
country festival and find in them their
best harvests. They get each a modest
stipend from the general fund and new
er pass the hat without a reasonable
tribute from their spectators. They pass
the hat with great regularity
Polite and Cheerful.
Beggars are conspicuous by their abb
sence. The day before the festivities
the committee fee the chief or king Of
the beggars and the village constable.