The times., 1898-09-18
MAGNIFICENT MILLINERY.

pronounced form. Such courtesies in
China do not blow in with every post,
and so cease to be an event as with US.
This one was delivered at my door by
formidable looking parsonage, who came
drawn in a rickshaw. 1t was in the form
of roll that when united proved to be
one yard and a half long and about is
inches In width. The Chinese charac-
ters were printed in black on vermillion
colored paper. AS nearly as the inter
probation can be made, it read as fol-
lows:
''The families of Dong-tien and Sien-
Chung make their bow and invite her
ladyship, the refined Miss Fisk, to an in
acknowledgement tea, one that they
do not presume to name a feast. 1t Will
be given to do her honor at their modest
abode on the evening of this same day two
weeks later. The families of Dong-tien
and Sien-Chung feel 1t to be highly pre-
sumptuouS to request her ladyshlp to
come under their humble roof, although
il Is one that the emperor has not de-
spised to adorn 1t is also source of
deep regret to them that the poverty of
their home prevents that more suitable
tea should be spread before her ladyshp,
but there will be thirty-six courses of the
best that the market affords and no ex-
pense will be spared in their preparation.
The answer of her ladyship is awaited
with much impatience. Kindly accept and
we shall have boundess JOY"
For one unacquainted with Chinese GER
emony to attempt to answer such an in
vitation would be reckless undertaking.
and if not done properly might result in
| the withdrawal of the precious document
By far the wisest plan is to call in pro-
! fessional in this art, who at small cost
will perform the service for one in true
! Oriental style
| A few days before the feast another
| commotion at my door called my atten-
| ton to the fact that the same individual
was stepping from the rickshaw and de-
! livering similar looking document to
! the above. This proved to be a second
/ invitation, or reminder of the feast and
read as follows:
THE families of Dong-tien and Sien,
| Chung make their bow and beg to re-
mind her ladyship, the refined Miss Fisk.
| that tea is being prepared for her at
| their humble abode. The celebration will
! be on the evening of the third day from
this at the hour already set The families
! of Dong-tien and Sien-Chung await with
impatience the arrival of her ladyship.
Kindly be prompt. that their pleasure
may not be delayed"
10 the second invitation an assurance
"e1o StlLb tilsil ItT IdQNSnlD awaited with
equal impatience the time appointed to
be present at the longed-for feast But
the Chinese are cautious and do not rely
| on the memory of frail humanity The
! risk OF their delicacies being spoiled by
! delay is not TO be taken Therefore.
| about an hour before the feast the same
| individual in the same formal manner
left verbal message at my door to the
| effect that the families of Dong-Tien and
e -
arrival of her ladyship. Notwithstanding
| the pressing state of their impatience I
was assured by all acquainted with their
customs that 1t would be decidedly bad
| form for me to appear on the scene
second sooner than the appointed time
My astonishment may peShaps be i'm
aglned when on arriving / found that
the feasting, as far as / was concerned
was to be done by proxy. The board of
a high Chinaman is too sacred to be pol
luted by strangers that are unfamiliar
with their ways of being polite. A Chi
naman whose degree of highness was evil
dent from the spendor OF his embroid-
cries scraped low before me and sgnaled
to her refined ladyship' that she was
TO SIT upon side platform, from where
she might have the felicity of observing
him occupy with dignity her seat at the
table
Her ladyship," having expended con-
siderable time and thought in endeavor-
ing to learn the proper wrinkles of Chi
nese politeness, was slightly piqued at
this unexpected arrangement, but as the
| feast progressed became more reconciled
to her position.
At such formal function the Chinese
talk very little. 1t is, however, the acme
! of good breeding to smack the lips loud
ly and make as much noise as possible
| when eating. This shows appreciation of
| the choice viands the hostess has provid-
ed. A grievous breach of etiquette would
be for one to refuse dish, in which case
the hostess would consider 1t the proper
| rebuff to lean forward, grip her chop
sticks tightly, and force the rejected
morsel into the mouth of the offender.
The first course of an elaborate feast is,
| when attainable, birds nest soup This
| is almost as great delicacy as humming
/ birds tongues. 1t is not, as is often sup
| posed, the nest of the bird that is eaten
| The soup is made from mucilageous Sc
| cretion that the bird makes on the outside
| of his nest to hold it together, and which
| is similar in appearance and taste to gela-
| tine. These birds are now becoming rare
| in China. and before a high feast boys
| are employed days to hunt their where
| abouts
The last course is the tea making
| most elaborate performance this. Poree-
lain of the finest glaze and decoration is
| brought and placed before the hostess.