Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-12-17
CHINESE WHO EtAVc STYLE

costumes 1ney wear Now ana Couldn't
Have Worn Ten Years Ago.
New York has reached that degree
of oosmopolitanism at which the
most extraordinary of foreign garbs
attract little attention in it's streets.
Even the picturesque and once abus.
ed Chinaman oan go forth in all his
glory without much comment.
One of the most picturesque of
this race went up Broadway few
days ago In manner which, ten
years back. would have created
small riot of interest and curiosity.
He lounged back in the corner of q
brougham with fat cigar poised at
a graceful angle in his face. His
garments were of the most flowing
style and amazing pattern. The ma.
terial was elegant lowered silk and
the color dazzling blue. On his head
was some sort of gear that could
hardly be called either hat, Gap or
bonnet. This also was blue, and be.
tween balancing it properly on top
of his curled up cue and keeping
the fat cigar tilted at the proper an.
gle the attention of the gorgeous
Celestial was pretty we'll occupied.
On the opposite seat sat two Amer.
icanized Cinnamon, short haired, cor.
reotly clothed and duly ornamented
with large watch chains and scarf.
pins. They appeared to be listening
reverently to the remarks which
from time to time their companion
trilled out in ground and lofty ca.
denceS. AT that particular hour
Broadway was busy getting back to
business from its lunch and that
carriage load of Celestials didn't
even line up people on the ourbs to
see it go by. The only persons who
took moro interest in the brilliantly
dressed Chinaman than was express.
ed in a brief glance wero the women.
A number of them halted and com.
pared admiring notes as to the silk
of his apparel. Tho consensus of
opinion was that they all would like
some off the same piece, but that its
like couldn't be found in this coun.
try.
Very different was the dress of a
Chinaman who paraded on the Bow.
cry on last Sunday. He, too, had he
appeared ten or even five years ago
as he was on Sunday, would have
needed police protection. He was a
big fellow, over feet tall, a most
unusual thing for q Chinaman of
low caste, as most of the New York
Chinese are, and his stature was
made more imposing by silk hat
of q forgotten style. Furthermore,
he wore long outaway coat, n fan.
cy walstcoat, striped trousers, and
patent leather shoes, and his mien
was that of demigod as he saunter-
cd along the we'll filed thorough
fare. Imagination pauses powerless
before the thought of what would
have happened to that hat and its
wearer in the times when the Bow
cry was the subject of song and sto.
ry. In its reformed state of the
present day it treated that China.
man almost with Difference. One
might have supposed he owned the
place. His fellow countrymen as
they passed bowed low, receiving
patroniZing mods in return. One of
them, in handsome silk attire, stop
ped and fingered the big fellow S
coat and hat, apparently compliment
ing him upon the beautiful shine
on the diagonal of the one and the
fine furry appearance of the other,
for he looked much pleased Even
the policemen on the corners nodded
affably as he passed, and one of
them said to an inquirer: Him?
Wy, he's one of the biggest politi-
oians in Chinatown. New York
SIM