The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-23

feelings and impressions and has sensibil-
tues as acute as a chnd's. That she is
content TO live narrowly, restricted TO the
society OF one man and perhaps a couple
OF females. does not prove lack of imagi-
nation, put merely that she is ignorant of
She was born in China, probably in Can
Ton or near that city. Until about II
years Old she enjoyed almost as much
i nea Gl liberty as an American child; but
III emma II Is not deemed proper for girls
beyond that age to have boy playmates.
linen she learned to sew and embroider,
20 20 40 Ight cooking and sing simple ballads.
ohe was taught that while with them her
uTst duty was obedience to her father and
mother; and after marriage to her hus-
odIlu ana MS parents. She never had
sweetheart, but with girl friends would
pass the hours in describing the beauties
ana virtues OF future husbands.
III, IN spite of these restraints her years
snpped away happily until the time came
t3r her TO become an American bride-for
!he ChlneSe woman who comes to Amer
i icd generally comes as a bride, having
peen sent for by some Chinaman who has
been some years in the states or in Can
ada and has prospered in business
,ohe mas never seen her future husband,
I i,.l.. mas never, perhaps, Ventured outside
her native village; yet upon being appris-
ca mat Tor good and valuable considera-
tlon-tor the eXpectant bridegroom, like
Isaac OF old when counting Rebecca,
SENDS presents of silver and presents OF
gold TO the parents or guardians of his
chosen-she must leave home and friends
ana native land, she cheerfully sets about
preparing Tor her journey She may shed
lew tears upon her mothers breast and
surreptitiously hug her little sisters but
on the whole, she is pleased
her companions and friends usually re-
gard her with envy. None but we'll
to-do Chinaman could afford to send for
a bride across the sea. The chief reason,
however, is that the girl who goes to
America does not become subject to her
husbands mother. as when a girl mar
rles n China. In that strange land she
Is Obliged to live with her husbands par
ents and obey them as a daughter; and
unless she is of yielding disposition. or
the mother-in-law of extraordinary good
nature, the result is often unhapDiness
II there is a disagreement it is the duty OF
the husband and son to take his mothers
part, and the wife is made to acknowledge
herself in the wrong. The Chinese wo-
man who comes to America is favored
also IN that she can dress in richer cos
TUNES. In China her ordinary attire
would consist of cotton, or a combination
OF SILK and cotton, plainly made. The
richly embroidered dresses which the
Ch1neSe women who come to America
are allowed to bring with them are in
CHINA worn only by women of rank and
position
The bride comes from a respectable mid
dle-clasS Chinese family. AriStOcratic or
wealthy people would not give a daughter
to man living in exile; and Wah Ling,
being big enough man to keep a wife in
America, feels himself too big to take a
girl from the laboring classes He wishes
his friends to think that he -marries we'll;
II he were to choose a girl of mean condi-
ton he might be ridiculed. The Chinaman
knows little Of natural selection; though
In his youth he had a sweetheart, when he
wants wife he sends for a stranger
The Chinese woman in America lives
generally in the upstairs apartments of
her husbands dwelling. He looks well
after her comfort and provides all her lit
tie mind can wish. Her apartments are
furnished in American style; but many
Chinese ornaments decorate the tables
and walls. and on the sides of the room
are hung long bamboo panels covered with
paper or silk on which are painted Chinese
good-luck Characters. In a curtained al
cove of an inner room can be discerned
an incense vase, an ancestral tablet, a
kneellng-stool, pair of candlestcks-my
lady-from-China's private chapel. She
her JeWelry and fine clothing. but never
invite you near her private chapel There
she burns incense to her favorite goddess,
anu prays that a son may be born TO her
that her husband may be kind, and that
she may live to die in China-the country
which heaven loves. 1v
ce1Ve visitors until she has been a wife
for at least two years. Even then, if she
has no child, she is supposed to hide her
self. After a child has been born to her
her wall of reserve is lowered a little, and
1t is proper for cousins and friends of her
husband to drop in occasionally and have
chat with "the family"
Now and then the women visit one an
other; and when they are met together
there Is such gathering of tongues one
would almost think they were American
women. They laugh at the most COM
monplace remark and scream at The
smallest trifie; they examine one anoth-
er's dresses and hair, talk about their
husbands, their babies, their food; suuab-
bic over little matters and make up again;
they dine on bowls of rice, minced chick
en-, bamboo shoots and a desert of can
The merrymaking over, they bid good
py by clasping, their own hands, shaking
them uD and down and interlacing their
nngers-lnstead of shaking hands with one
another
If It is necessary to pass a room Occur
pea Dy men, they do so very demurely
holding open fans before that side of the
1ace-not because they are so shy, but be-
cause 1t is the custom of their country.
Although she does not read nor go out
TO see the sights, the Chinese woman
her. hands in America. There are MANY
little thoughts in her mind, and she gives
expression to them in beautiful fancy,
work representations of insects, flowers
and birds most deXterously wrought from
silk and beads. This is not useless from
her point of view, for it can be used as
presents to distant relations, for the or
namentation of caps for her husband and
little son, and also on her own apparel
she. loves flowers, natural or artiheial;
and If not supplied with the former makes
herself great quantities of the latter ana
wears them on hair and breast.
she bestoWs considerable pains on tho
up fiat at the back of her head she adorns
II with flowers and large fantastic pins
Her tresSes are shining black and abund-
ant, and If dressed becomingly would be
attractive; but the manner in which she
plasters them back from her forehead
would spoil the prettest face.
While there are some truly pleasant 70
behold, with their little soft faces. oval
eyes, small round mouths and raven hair.
the ordinary Chinese woman does NOT
strike an observer as lovely She Isl
however, always odd and interesting.
Needless to say she Is vain. Vanity Is
almost as much part of woman's ma
ture as Of a mans; but the Chinese wo-
mans vanity is not that of an American
woman. The ordinary American dresses
for the eyes Of her friends and enemies
particularly the latter-and derives small
pleasure from her prettiest things unless
they are seen by others. A Chinese wo-
man paints and powders, dresses and be-
jewels herself for her own pleasure; puts
rings on her fingers and bracelets on her
arms-and carefully hides herself from
the gaze of strangers. il she has Golden
Lily feet Chinese small feeD she Is
proudly conscious of IT. but should she
become aware that a stranger Is trying
to obtain a glimpse of them they quickly
disappear under her skirt.
She is deeply interested I'm all matters
of dress: and, If an American woman
calls on her, will politely examine the Wis
TORS clothing, with many an expression