Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-08-27

AT home Iii Hung Chang is the typ
ical Chinaman, living in his Yamen,
surrounded by an army of hirelings
and az accumulation of filth. His
food, consisting chiefly of rice and fish,
according to the diet OF the Monaghan
race, is especially prepared for him.
Furniture he has none. He receives
foreigners in bare room, containing a
very ordinary table covered with a
dirty cloth, and couple of very COM
mon chairs. He exhibits his rank and
wealth only in the articles OF his dress
and in the number of his attendants.
His wife is, or his wives are. dead.
Prince Ii, was adopted by him. This
young man, who has been intrusted
with important missions, bids fair to
follow the footsteps OF his adopted
father.
LII Hung Chang is very wealthy
man, his fortune being estimated at
500 ,000, 900 taels q tael about So cents).
That the squeezing so dear to the
heart of Chinaman (eyen our own
aldermen could learn wrinkle or two
from our prospective guest has been
an important factor in the accumula-
ton of his fortune is beyond any doubt.
But Ii owns several cotton mills and
silk fflatures, and knows good thing
when he sees 1t. His investments turn
out very profitable as rule, but there
is not much chance that our promoters
will get a chance at his bank account.
Still, Ii is no miser, and when he I'M
dertakes to be liberal, he does 1t with
a freedom approaching prodigality.
LIS Diet
Ii Hung Chang's dinner is served TO
him on fifteen small plates, which are
tremendously arranged one above the
other. Ii consists of few slices OF
duck served with beans; fresh pork,
with a quantity of preserves and Gu
cumbers: prawns, served with CHER
kins, leeks and mushrooms; two little
chickens cooked In vinegar and sur
rounded with green peas, tie latter talk
ing the place of the reed grass birds
which Ii Hung Chang is accustomed to
eat in his own country; slice of fresh
mushrooms, and pigeons legs boiled
down 10 soup and spiced with tart
jellv The dessert usually consists OF
sponge cakes and rice cooked in sugar.
The meals are prepared by three
Chinese cooks, who are Ii Hung
10. ~ hn 10 Ia. nm
who partakes of them, The other forty
members of his staff, almost all Of
whom are young men, have quickly ae-
quired European tastes and have dis
played an enviable appetite at the Of
fetal dinners which they have attended
with their chief.
Meals are served to Ii Hung Chang
twice day-at noon and at o'clock In
the evening. He never eats between
meals though he frequently drinks a
little tea His daily fare, as given
above, does not vary much. except as
regards vegetables. He has am excel
lent appetite wonderful APP
petite for man of his age, Strange TO
say, he cares little for rice, which is the
favorite food of his countrymen. He is
very particular about his food and as
result the three cooks are kept busy
from O'clock in the morning until s
o'clock at night, When LII Hung
Chang gives an order he expects to be
obeyed and his cooks know well that
If they displease him their heads are
likely to drop off as soon as they re-
turn to China
The following articles are brought
for Ii Hung Changs table every day:
A fresh fish, five chickens, a duck a
kilogramme of fresh pork, some lard
and some mushrooms, peas and French
beans. To these may be added rice
and tea, imported from China. When
Ii was in France the French govern
ment paid the bills for these articles.
The old statesman seemed to be salts
fed, though he must have missed some
of his favorite dishes. He could not,
for example, obtain in Paris slyory
roast puppies. rats stewed and stuffed
with pistachio nuts and ginger or
many another dish dear to the true
Chinaman's palate
THIS Is REAL LIFE.