St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-05-20
FOOTBALL IN CHINA.
Fifty Lusfy Giants Take Part In tke
Came and 1t Often Lasts
for Dayss

Cinnamon are generally not credited
with being quick to accept innovations.
So that when it is said that northern
China boasts nf several fuosbaal teams,
good deal OF 'surPriscwilf be evinced.
Yet foot ball is no new game among
| the celestials, at least among those OF
them who inhabit northern China. and
has been in existence number of
years.
OF course. the game is not played ex-
actly according to intercollegiate rules.
and a basket. or somethingwh looks
like enc. replaces the modern football.
The Cinnamon. besides, have no goals.
ard the gr;tliron is replaced. by the
street OF the town in which the deadly
combat is waged, with so lusty ccles-
tials on a side.
There is not a man among them, how
ever, who is not six feet high, and
several of them are three inches taller.
while their average weight is about 200
pounds The men who form the team
are inhabitants of northern China and
are typical of the race OF giants pro-
duced in that part of the world.
Lined up against them the knights
Ct the gridiron of Yale or Princeton
would appear as team of pygmies, and
the Chose giants would give the col
legians battle royal if they could be
induced 10 appear on an American foot
ball field. \ club with acollcc.iveweight
of 2.Goa pounds could carry everything
before it.
The main idea in the Chinese game
Of football, as in the Americ,n, is to
carry the wickerwork basket into the
opponents end of the town. and this is
often done by stealth as well as by
brute force. There are no 2G-minute
halves. but the game is continued until
one side accomplishes its purpose, and
it often lasts for days.
The hundred combatants are scat
tered over the town. and each provided
with whistles. which they blow in order
to bring assistance. When a scrimmage
occurs the Cinnamon give vent TO their
feelings in the most peculiar noises. fire.
quentiy shrfeking with delight. Their
yells of triumph. which resound
through the air when the ball is discov-
cred, are likened by one who has heard
them to the "plaintive cry OF pig that
has been speared." The charging is
generally done with the head. -.
The only precaution taken by them
on the football field is for the preser-
walton of their pigtails, which are cared
for IS though they were worth a thou
sand times their valte. With this eN-
ception they throw caution To the winds
and devote themselves with all their
Strength;to the play. Any game where
brute strength is required they would
excel in. 7 &
Onsthest day when, a football match is
to take place the streets of the town are
cleared and the non-participants sit AT
fheif windows to watch the game if il
should come their way. \ consider.
abe quantity of opium is given to the
miining.-N. u. Herald. .
Tire Electric locomotives whistle.
Electric locomotives, and also motor
ears. are provided with whistle, just
as steam locomotives are. In appear
ance the whistle is similar to the or
,firary steam whistle. and it is op.
grated as to- the: actual blowing ofsit
In thu same ma1ner = hut: donipresssd
air is used instead of steam. \ part
of the engine equipment is pump OPP
Grated, as the engine is, by electrnity.
which stores air al. E. snts6te pres
SURG in reservoir pfald for .the pur-
poses sWkfnsthe whisi4 $Aksisopened
the compressed air rushes in just as
Eteam would do. In place of the bell
theret @Hr1only shstt ekssdaA en-
gine o. motor ear an electric Gong