Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-09
DO CHINESE YAwNf
The Pursuit of Knowledge on the
Subject I'm the Interest of Science.
From no Nav York Sum

The Pursuit of Knowledge on the
Subject in the Interest of Science.
From the New York Sum-
A man who Is an observer of the ways Of
the Chinese in New York says no Chinese
person ever gapes. Or, to use better word,
ever yawns. The reporter made inquiry CT
a Chinese laundryman who speaks pigeon
English. but could not get a satisfactory
answer to his question on the subject.
When asked whether the Chinese ever
yawn, the laundryman smiled. The re-
porter gave him a practical illustration Of
yawning. The laundryman smiled again,
and more broadly than on the first occa-
sion. The reporter then gave him another
Illustration. pretending to be very sleepy,
and yawning once more to The best of his
ability. The laundryman made a sign to
two Of his partners, who were ironing
shirts. and all three of them smiled, as
though they were pleased with the exhibit
ton. To repeated inquiries whether the
Chinese ever INDUCED IN anything of that
kind, no satisfactory reply could be OBJ
tanned, though one Of the laundrynen nod
ded his head once while he smiled
In order that the question might be set
tied, in the interest of science the reporter
next visited the Chinese temple in Pell
street and pursued his researches under the
image of the great dragon: but no one
there was able to speak English, and the
man who sells joss sticks could not be
Hldue eltneT Dy SlBHS or by words, to I'M
derstand what was wanted, though the re-
porter bought bundle of sticks, The smell
of the smoke from which Is said to drive
off the devils.
1t was to policeman who is often on
night duty in the Chinese quarter that the
reporter next applied for information The
policeman said that for years he had
noticed the Chinese at late hours Of the
night when they were sitting in front of
their abodes or standing near the lamp
posts or meandering through the streets,
but never, to the best of his knowledge,
had he seen any of them yawn, however
weary or sleepy he might be-
The search for information on the sub
ject was so discouraSing that it was ADAM
doned for the time. Yet, inasmuch as the
habit of yawning is so widespread and SO
ancient, and inasmuch as there are animals
that yawn when tired and sleepy the re-
pCrter's curiosity to find out whether the
Chinese yawn was as keen as ever
1t was one night Of last week, some time
after midnight. that the reporter unex-
pectcdly beheld a spectacle which brought
relief to his mind. He entered car of an
elevated train Of the 9th avenue line bound
uptown. There was sitting in corner seat
OF the car short, th:ck-set black man, who
appeared to be very sleepy, and on the
other side of the car We're three Chinese
sitting together, wearing expression of
melan choly. The elevated train was about
midway between the SD street Station and
the next UP station when the reporter OBJ
served that the black passenger, who had
been sitting bent forward. Strengthened up,
threw his head in a backward direction,
and yawned, yawned prodglously. The re.
porter kept both Of his eyes on the three
Chinese. The black pass enser had hardly
shut his mouth when the Chinese sitting
opposite to him inclined their heads back.
ward, opened their mouths, and yawned.
Their yawn was not of the size Of the
black passengers yawn; but, beyond any
question. 1t was a thing of the same nature
produced by the same cause, and indicative
of~the same physical condition, or, in other
words the condition of sleepne8s.
The question Was settled at last the Chi
hese possess the power of yawning.
There may be a doubt whether the Chi
nese Passengers would have yawned If the
black man in front OF them had not yawn-
ID; and 1t may be questioned whether the
chinese had ever yawned before or will
Yer yaWn again. But 1t must be said that
their yawn had a natural look, which
would so far to prove that they had pos
sessed the yawning naDit for a lifetime,
md that they We're merely led to indulge in
II on the elevated train by the example
which the black passenger had set for
them.