The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-15
HOW CHINAMAN KEEPS WARM.
Wearer of Many Coats, One Over the
Other, as Circumstances Require.
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Other, as Circumstances Require.
Baltimore Sun.
A singular thing about a Chinaman is
that, so fer as appearances go, he dresses
himself exactly alike both winter and sum-
mer He appears neither more bulky or
thinner as the seasons go by, and the
style, cut and texture of his raiment, I'M
less searching Investigations are made,
seem unchanged. However, as the winter
weather comes on, the snow begins to fall,
and the chill winds TO whistle through the
cracks in his laundry or other place of
business, he does make certain changes in
his wearing apparel which, while they do
not show up on the outside, have the re-
CURED effect of keeping him warm and COM
Portable
In the summer time the Chinaman wears
as few clothes as is permitted by custom.
The wide, flowing silk coat, with balloon
sleeves, equally wide jeans, and glimpse
Of white stockings in the shoe, are all he
thinks it necessary to wear. Other articles
are regarded as superfiuous
AT this time of the year such a China
man has concealed beneath this same silk
coat and jeans variety of things designed
to keep him warm. During cold weather
the un-AmericaniZed Chinaman wears at
least SIX or seven coats. When he rises
early on a cold winters morning, the first
thlng he reaches for, as a rule is silk
or worsted coat which he dons tight-fit-
ting to the skin. Then he hastily gets into
WorSted blouse, made in the shape of the
usual outside garment of the Chinese, and
then has two or three silk coats to put
on, which are followed by a closely-knit
uslin coat, another silk coat and the top
coat, or DlOuSS. I0lS last Is so made that
no suggestion is given of the others under
Meath 1t never bulges and no flap or edge
of the under coats show. His jeans put
on next, underneath which he wears a
closer-tittng pair of silk jeans. If partcu-
larry chilly he wears extra pairs of silk
jeans. The outside jeans are made out of
ter topcoat.
Very few Cinnamon wear anything like
collar about, their necks, as the various
coats mt so closely TO the neck that the
wind cannot get down their backs. Gloves
are another article that are not worn ex-
cept in rare cases, as the vouminous
sleeves form the best kind of muff for the
hands and keep them much warmer than
mittens or gloves There are some China
men who wear in the winter time regular
suits OF flannel underwear instead of the
SILK or Worsted shirt, which hangs consid-
erably below the waist. The Chinaman
does not wear suspenders. but keeps his
jeans up by means of a Chinese belt made
out of silk, heavily braided. A Chinaman
has one style of hat-a black soft felt hat
which meets all his requirements Wong
Wings says that it is considered too sassy"
Tor Chlnaman to wear white or brown
hat and says he knows only two in Balti-
black.
The colors Of the coats and various gar
ments Of the Chinaman are more usually
purple than anything else, because it is his
natural favorite Outside of his own per
son, however, he infinitely prefers red to
his iron boards and his entire room with
req All his tapestries are red, and the
sign with which he announces his name
ano business is red. Red is the religious
color Of the Chinese, and the presence Of
red in laundry always denotes that the
proprietor has not yet been ChriStianized
while the lack of this color is said to be
clear proof that he has accepted the re-
igion of this country and cast aside his
own.
White is worn as a sign or mourning
The Chinaman III this country has of re-
cent years taken to wearing his uueoue
cured about his head, instead OF hanging as
before. which is a mark Of respect to Amer
lean customs. Nearly all their clothes are
imported from China.