Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1894-11-21
SHOPS OF CANTON.
Picturesque Scenes Among Chi
nese Tradesmen.
Sleek and Placid Men Patiently
Waiting For Customers.

NJ. T., has an entertaining paper, "Tn
the City Of Canton" wherein are
given many graphic sketches of Chi.
nese life. Mr.. ODriscoll says;
The shops were of all sizes. Some
were seven or eight feet square, witt
the back premises closed from sight
some were twenty or twenty-five wide,
reaching back thirty or forty feet.
/ F&haps an average sized shop in q
I fashionable neighborhood, was about
fourteen feet wide and twenty-five
feet leep. 1t was open, of course, to
the street, with no shop front, but gen.
orally there was counter along one
side and another at the back. There
was almost invariably an oblong open
ing through the roof, to admit light
and air, Enclosed to the sky in sum-
mer, but with provision for u glazed
light in winter. In the poorer class
of houses this skylight could be shut
by drawing cover over it.
TO certain extent the wares were
displayed, but not as in our windows.
Pottery and hardware had better
display than soft goods; food was ex-
hibited in open trays, or was hung up.
The goods, as general rule were
made in the shops where they were
sold, and workmen were to be seen
tashioning the articles in all the stages
of their manufacture. There were
some shops where no workmen could
be seen, and i'll their place staff of
clerks sat ready to wait upon custom
ers; these were not numerous, and
were as rule shops relying chiefly
upon tourists trade. The Cantonese
shop-keepers struck me as being gen
eraly fat, sleek and gentlemen. Com
monty the only article Of clothing
worn by either by them or by their
assistants WAS loose Chinese trousers,
fastened round the hips. In winter
hey don n soft, warm, padded blouse.
!
Placid, uneXcitable-l looking folk were
they, taking life coolly, ceaselessly ly
waving their fans while they waited
for custom, for which, however, they
lid not appear to tout.
Signs of all colors, sizes and shapes
hung out from the shops; from a
board ten or twelve inches wide, and
si4'or seven feet long, hanging verti-
caby, TO a little strip OF wood or pa
per Of about the same proportions in
inch The lettering of these signs
was gorgeouS-gold letters on Grim
son ground, yermillion on black
ground, blue on white, or some other
striking contrast. Bright-colored
lanterns hung all across the shop
fronts and around the walls, or sus-
pended in the centre. They were
bamboo constructions covered with
tough, oiled paper, and painted with
signs and hieroglyphic-quite unlike
the himsy forgeries sold in Europe
us Chinese lanterns. At night these
we're lighted, the Chinese being very
fond of illuminations. All sorts of
oils were used-fsh- oil, tallow, vege-
table-oils, kerosine, of which last over
l,OO0,0 900 gallons of the American va
riety are burned yearly in the city.
At the time of my visit the authorities
were introducing electric lighting for
their streets and for the better-class
shops ana houses.
When everything was well alight,
the sight was very fine. Even in the
DAYTIME the effects of color were novel,
pleasing, and warm Black and brown
lacqueredwork cabinets, metal-bound;
ebony tables inlaid with ivory, mar
BILE, and mother r-of-pearl; deep blue
and maroon colored pots, gray and
gold ware, yellow and green; gold
dragons embroidered on black satin
gowns, blue and silver wraps, and
cloaks of vermilion and purple richly
cut carvings in quaint fantastic shapes
"A blaze of color that was bewilder-
ing, a variety that was endless.
In the less fashionable quarters the
trades were generally somewhat CEN
tralized: five or six tish-shops stood
close together, and SO it was with ba-
kers, ironmongers, glass-blowers, silk
weavers, carpenters, cabinet makers,
coffin builders, blacksmiths, fruit
shops, restaurants. Where one of
trade was located, there were gener-
ally found several fellows.