The San Francisco call., 1898-02-06

regarded as extremely impolite, which had the effect of causing them to dis perse, though sullenly.
 "A stranger to that land cannot es- timate the discomforts met with as we go from village to village on our round of work. We send word that we wish to hire a room in a certain V1l- lage and the chances are that 1t will be hardly habitable when we arrive. At one place I became the occupant of room that I discovered adjoined an- other used for housing water buffalo, while the room upon the other side con- tained a dying leper.
 "The majority of houses are built about court in which ducks, geese, pigs, water buffalo and children indis- criminately mingle. and the doors are often insufficient to keep out any crea- ture wishing to stray into ones apart ment. At one place l was much an- noyed by huge rooster who acted as though he had a prior claim to my room. l expostulated with the woman of the house, but she begged me to al- low him the privilege of roasting there, as it would make him quite unhappy to be removed. At this place I sat for half day beside my bed, under the shelter of raised umbrella, with the rain beating fiercely in at the entrance
 
 bedding while travelling; for although many have finely carved beds in lieu of mattress they use strip of mat ting. while a block of wood forms the pillow. They have comfortables made of cotton batting held together by net of cords, and when new the f1eecy cotton and bright cords form a pretty covering, but their condition after a sea son of usage in wrapping people who sleep in their daytime garments can be imagined.
 Cooking is done upon a brick plat form built against the kitchen wall. perhaps a foot and a half wide and some three feet high. Round holes are made at intervals in the masonry, and in these jars of coarse earthenware are set. These jars contain still a smaller round jar with perforations at the bot tom for ventilation, and a narrow slit in the side. These will hold a few handfuls of fine coal. and the cooking Is done in other eartben jars of various sizes with wooden covers. In coaxing the coal to burn a long handled fan is used upon the slit side. and this they call frat foe,' or flaming the fire.
 "They have no way of warming their houses, and in cold weather fire bask- cts are universally used, and one soon grows accustomed to the sight of men and women seeking to warm their chilled bodies by carrying small wicker baskets up their wide sleeves.
 "A common mode of salutation from female strangers met upon the street is the query: How many sons have you? When a single woman replies, None, l am not yet married the other persists, Why are you not; would you marry one of our men?'
 .'The stereotype reply, if interpreted. would be, I am not worthy that honor The Chinese matron, however, may un- derstand 1t to mean, Not for the world
 "The blonde stranger will often hear the remark, without regard to her presence: She's certainly 80. Look how time has faded her hair and eyes,
 Another superstition exists regard ing people with blue eyes-it is that they are gifted with the power of see ing into the depths of the earth, and can discover minerals or hidden treas ures.
 "These Chinese are extremely sus- picious, not only of our motives in com ing among them, but of our practice of the principles which we teach. They frequently start absurd rumorS regard ing us, and do not hesitate to express their theories to our faces.
 'It is their custom to deprive fever patients of both food and drink And a case came under our notice where a man was in this way literally starved to death, although great bowls of rice were placed about the court of the