The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-06
CUP THAT CHEERS.
TEA is A POPULAR BEVERAGE ALL
THE GREAT WORLD OVER.
Some odd ways of Serving It-Im-
pOrtant Place of the SamOvar in
Every Russian HOme-JapaneSe
HoSpitaIity
From the Chicago Tribune.

10 various countries is the Individual way
in which tea is served.
a traveller in the far north was the guest
of a Finnish lady. She made the most de
lc.ous lea, for which she had paid $3.50
pound. Beside the hostess stood huge
samovar inside it are hot Goals. round
the tin of which is the boiling water. while
above Il stands he teapot, kept hot by the
water below II is good tea for it comes
from China in blocks through Siberia, but
ii is much better when drunk with thin
slices of lemon than with milk.
As a rule, II is served 10 the men in tum-
bfers and to the women in cups; an ELI
quette with an unllonwn origin. The tea
is carefully strained, so that not hi OF
the leaf comes into the cup The tea is
pale straw-colored and weak, but with
lemon it forms u refreshing beverage. At
the end of the meal every one soes and
shakes hands with the host and hostess,
saying Tack meaning thanks.
After the tea the men smoke-rarely the
Women-for although so close to Russia,
Finnish women seldom initiate their neigh
bors in this habit
In the interior of The Russian houses the
principal room Is a hal. serving as vest-
bule salon and dining room.
Sometimes there are few pieces of fur
niture of empire style, brought from Mos
COW; in one corner is an old "clavecin,"
harpsichord, a relic of another age. "On
the white walls hang old portraits; be-
meath YET. OF SCOT and btumen grim
aces the naively terrible features OF the
hetmans. TO whom the estate formerly be
.onged Under the eyes of these old an
cestors the long table Is served for sup
per. with the samovar throned on one
end"
In fact this may be considered as a
translation Of our national word, the fire
side" with all the associations that the
word calls up.
The Northern man who hides his fire
side behind the uulnViting walls of a
stove, does not find his domestic center
around the chimney piece. His household
god IS the machine that is always bolng
and singing the source of light and heat.
which pours out necessarily during the
long winter days the comforting drink
Around the table where the samovor
sings is a large family, a word which i'm
Russia hos the Old Specification formerly
the universal sense First the ancestor,
who presides It one end of the table then
the children and grandchildren, then
whole clan of semi-servtors sort OF
adopted relation who are not servants.
Among these are maiden ladies of noble
birth often daughters OF those who have
been killed In the war fighting for the mas
ter OF the house These maidens pay for
their food and lodging by some slight SUI
perntendence in the affairs of the house
hold. one of them takes charge of the
samovar-nymph Of this brazen fountain
she puts her who.e soul in it, and all her
faculties of thought and love. Her life
mas never had any other occupation than
TO calculate the exact amount of sugar
and boiling water to be nut into che
glasses. from morning to night.
At the end of the meal each one kfssea
respectfully the hand of the ancestor
thanking her for their bread and salt Dur
ing the whole season the greater part of
the day is passed around this table. Neigh
bors strangers, al are invited to take
their seats at the table and wait for the
evening meal.
Etiquette of Japanese.
japanese tea, according to strlciest ell
quette' Is served In room especially pre-
pared for it, called cha-no-yu. found in an
the large houses of Japan. From the mo-
ment of entering the room by the low door
way, only two and half feet high. no one
Is allowed to rise from the kneeling or
squatting posture assumed If necessary
to change positions, a shutting motion is
made TO drag the body along The floor is
covered by four mats, leaving the place
IN the center for the sunken fireplace
The master of ceremonies wears over his
ordinary costume a short black Jacket
gauzy, like grenadine. In his belt is thrust
a piece of silk folded for holder. When
The kettle lid is TO be raised the adjusting
of this automatically folded holder is a
matter of great Importance
oh
five persons at a cha-no-yu. When they are
all In place, the distinguished guest being
nearest TO the toka-no-ma The master pro-
ceeds 10 brighten the fire. Pulling himself
over the smooth mats as If he had no legs
he shufties to an adjoining apartment and
returns with a basket containing single
eagles feather for buster pair of
pointed iron skewers with which 10 lift the
coal, a mat on which to rest the kettle
The charcoal is In whole sections. cut from
round sticks, some Of them painted while:
these kind'e quickly and soon the kettle -
boiling furious.y.
with Military Precision
Everything is done according to exact
RUE, with all the precision of time and mo-
ton that characterizes the soldiers man
ual of arms. When everything is ready he
proceeds to prepare the tea. The cups are
first heated with boiling water, then wiped
dered green tea is put into cup. then The
right quantity Of water added: then whip
ped 10 a froth with a mixer. a section of
bamboo one and a fourth inches in diam
eter, one end carefully split into fine
finger.
When in proper condition the tea is
pushed over the mat TO the guest who re-
ceives the cup with the right hand. rests il
upon the PAIN Of the left. and holding il
with the right, conveys II to the mouth,
drinks on6-third Of the contents, and com
pliments the host upon having such a SUI
peTior artist. Then he shakes the cup 70
get all the froth on the liquor, Just as a
beer drinlter does his mug, finishes the
contents in TWO more drafts. making a de-
cided sucking noise as he does so. wipes
the edge Of he cup with piece Of Japa-
nese paper makes a complimentary re-
mark about the antiquity of the cup and
returns II to the host.
Each guest is served in the same cere-
monious fashion. The host then asks TO
have the honor Of giving you another cup.
This Is usually declined, and the whole
paraphernalia is returned 10 the adjoining
apartment.