Evening journal., 1899-09-27
CHINESE FRESH FROM CHINA.
Oriental Habits, Dress and Customs Strik-
ingly Shown on the Exposition
Fsplanade.

OllCuldi ndbAAcg hAtoo anu NueAohAo 0NAA-@-
ingly Shown on the Exposition
Esplanade.
However interesting the street way
of the Esplanade, or midway" at the
Philadelphia Export exposition may be,
thousands daily confess their convic-
ton that the scenes behind the walls
are of still greater interest Paying
an extra cash consideration to pass
in and investigate, they find in the
Chinese village much that will repay
their curiosity. This artificial village
is peopled by Chinese. who have come
to it directly from their Canton and
Fowcbow homes. and have had no op-
portunlty TO lose the distinctiveness
of their nationality and domestic hab-
its and occupations. They have con-
structed a Chinese quarter after the
real Chinese fashion, and they deport
themselves just as they did in China
a few weeks ago. The Chinese restau-
rant, with its "chop suey," tame
chez" boiled chicken and birds
nests" Sharks fms" and what not,
is the only thing about the village
which is reminiscent of Race street,
and there is not the suggestion of rats
stew about the place, yet one can pro-
cure here all the Chinese delicacies
that he would expect to find in Canton,
which are prepared by a Canton cook,
who never cooked a meal outside Of
China until he arrived at the eXposi-
tion grounds.
The dexterity with which a Chinese
can use a clumsy weapon to perform a
delicate operation has been strikingly
illustrated in the kitchen of the viii
lage. where some of the cooks, for
want of a less clumsy instrument, were
found using a meat cleaver with which
to pare potatoes. curling with this
strange makeshift a pairing almost as
thin as a piece of paper. This is but
one evidence of the cleverness with
which these deft people perform their
domestic operations.
The wonder of the Chinese at the
exhibits in the main building, which
seem to have a marvellous attraction
for them, is not greater than their
wonder at the performances in the
"old plantation" where a colony of
negro "mammys," their husbands and
lntlI UlGhdMAnmAtn ~ AnlOukn Aut
queer antics of the southern cakewalk,
dances, songs and curious gyrations OF
their old slavery days. 1t must be con-
fessed that an old plantation bell and
the imitation of some log and mud
cabins are the only inanimate sug-
gestions of southern slave life, but the
men and women and the pickaninnies
are the real thing. One of the mann
mys" has short kinky hair as white
as a burst cotton pod; lips half as
large as her forehead and a mouth
which actually extends from ear to
ear
Near the plantation. the official
photographer of the exposition will
take the visitors photograph in the
twinkling of an eye. In the nearby
show house one pays to see the birth
of the American flag. Two great res
taurants with amply supplied bars;
several low priced, but enticing lunch
cafes. score of lemonade and soda
water fountains, ice cream saloons and
candy shops are interspersed up and
down either sidewalk. ..
The bloody encounter between a
pluclSy female wild beast trainer
which afforded a half hours excite.
ment the other day, gives some idea
of what may be found in the Hagen
/ back arena. Although episodes like
I this are not a part of the regular per.
formance, there is enough excitement
/ in the Hagenback exhibitions to satisfy
the most ardent admirer of realistic
wild beast shows. The lolling anC
| languid beauties of the east who serve
/ L. s4.l.s
Turkish cigarettes in proportion to the
generosity OF the visitors at the Cairo
Coffee Parlors. are free TO the public
gaze. Their faces and their costumes
are both afame with color. They are
beautiful at a distance. Those who
come within the charm of their eye:
declare that they are also bewitchinl
upon closer inspection.
In the theater attached to the caf,
one must pay an admission fee. Her,
he finds all of the attractions whicl
pertain to a real Cairo theater. Tn,
dancing belongs to that curiously en-
ticing and languishing character pc
culiar to the Egyptian dancing girl
The other attractions need scarcely bl
referred to. since the dancing is al
most the chief attraction of the per
formance.
Quite a large house is required Il
hold the people who go to see tn
smallest woman in the world. and tn
home of the educated horse, a shor
distance away, has its fair share o
patronage. Whether the wonder
which patience and intelligence ha
enabled its trainer to teach the ami
nal. or the freak of nature as disnlav
ed in the tiny Cuban midget, is tn
greatest cause for astonishment, seem
a question.
A moving picture performance and
glass factory in full operation are othe
Esplanade features which attract tn
multitude.