The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-03-02

peaccTul t0Ward Que auo'noi, uuo 'n0J
hate each other in reality. and their
poor hearts are constantly torn by
envy aud jealousy. All the other
elves except number one may be OF
humble origin, or worse, and when the
first one dies another is selected to
to take her place.
But to get back to feast. We sit
! down at the tables. eight at table
never more. The most distinguished
guests sit facing the South. That
/ law is as binding as the one pertaining
to ancestors. Ihe tables are bare,
and laid with silver chop sticks and
little spoons with bats on them. The
bat is an emblem of luck. Fruit and
conservcs are piled up on the tables
pageda-lise. A delicious conserve is
made Of rose leaves cut into diamond
shapes and built into pagodas, aud
then there are dishes Of sugared pea
nuts and dried watermelon seed on the
table. That is all. From thirty to
forty courses are usually served at a
t feast, and we Americans never eat
anything at home the day we are going
to one. 1t isn't because we enjoy
! what is in store for us so much, but
because we know what is before us
and chat it is very rude to refuse a
course ut u feast. Sea slugs arc serv-
ed on the half shell with Tsiang Ten
! first instead of oysters. The latter is
the basis of Worcester sauce and is
/; shipped in enormous quantities to
] England. Next we have shark fin
soup and bird nest stew. Then come
doves eggs brought on steaming hot
and sizzling in chafns dish. After
(; that croquettes made of shrimps and
bamboo shoots are served, and the
next course consists Of pork. beef,
( ham and bamboo shoots shielded and
stewed together. Bah! with a
/ shrug at the thought of this dish.
duck is usually served several
times at feast, cooked in different
ways. and now it is brought on pre-
pared with mushrooms. After duck
comes cold chicken, and then we have
to 1--we through ANOTHER course of
pork. and before we know it here
comes duck once more. Toward the
last lot of Chinese Dien Sing is
! brought on. This means swcetmeats
to US They have preserved ginger,
shredded cocoanut, preserved lotus
and turnips and oranges and so on.
! Cups Of hot wine are served during
the feast, and some time these high
class ladies get so drunk they have to
De carried from the room. They serve
three wines. One is made Of rice.
another Of rose leaves, and the third
of orange peelings. The rose-leaf
wine is like very fine French brandy,
aud small cup of it will lend most
delicious fragrance TO whole room.
After the sweetmeats arc served q
pudding made of nine ingredients, the
chief ones being rice and raisins, is
brought and served with almond tea :
Is that good?' asked the visitor
'.Good?' exclaimed Mrs. Reid
1t 5 horrid. 1t gives me indigestion
to think OF it. The last course is
bo@! Of rice and cup of tea. which
is set before each guest. As each
guests finishes her rice, and she
musn t leave grain. she lays her
chopsticks across the top Of the bow!
and says to the others, Eat slowly
The hostess Immediately takes them
down and says, Eat more. The ser
wants bring the courses in and that is
ali they DO. The hostess serves each
guest from one big dish in the centre
Of the table, using gold or silver
toothpick, the chopsticl with which
she has been eating. or hair pin
from. her hair, TO dish out the food
This ism t very appetizipg. but it 5
Chinese.
Aren't these fcasts very wearying
to ii hostess?:' asked the reporter.
"Oh, very, answered Mrs. Reid.
Tho guests usually arrive al in the
afternoon, and frequently we do not
sit down to the table before !. She
is on her three inch feet all that time.
and a great part of the hour during
the serving Of the feast. But she
never shows any wearincss, that is
considered sin. She must be always
smiling and gentle, aud we'll bred.
Foreigners leave a few small coins
wrapped in red paper on the table for
the servants. What would We think
Of tipping the servants at Que of our
dinner parties? High-class people
send their guests AWAY in thrir nri.