The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-10
THE CUP THAT CHEERS
Tea Is a Popular Beverage ALI
the Great World Over.
ODD WAYS OF SERVING 1T
Important Place OF the Samovar in
Every Russian Hone-The Pro-
verbal Japanese Hos
pitality.

Among the interesting things in a
visit to various countries is the indi-
vidual way in which tea is served.
A traveller in the far north was the
guest of a Finnish lady She made the
most delicious tea, for which she had
paid $3.50 pound. Beside the hostess
stood a huge samovar. Inside it are
hot Goals, round the tin of which is the
boiling water, while above it stands the
teapot, kept hot by the water below. 1t
is good tea, for it comes from China in
blocks through Siberia, but it is much
better when drunk with think slices of
lemon than with milk.
AS a rule, it is served to the men in
tumblers and to the women in cups;
an etiquette with an unknown origin.
The tea is carefully strained, so that
not bit of the leaf comes into the cup.
The tea is pale straw colored and weak,
but with lemon it forms a refreshing
beverage. AT the end of the meal every
one goes and shakes hands with the
host and hostess, saying "Tack'-mean-
ing thanks.
After the tea the men smoke-rarely
the women-for although so close to
Russia, Finnish women seldom initiate
their neighbors in this habit.
In the interior of the Russian houses
the principal room is a hall, serving a s
a vestibule, salon and dining room.
Sometimes there are a few pieces OF
furniture of empire style. brought from
Moscow; in one corner is an old "clave
Gin" a harpSichord, a relic of another
age. "On the white walls hang old
portraits; beneath a veil of SCOT and
bitumen grimaces the naively terrible
features of the hetmans, to whom the
estate formerly belonged. Under the
eyes of these old ancestors the long ia
Bile is served for supper, with the sam
| ovar throned on one end
In fact, this may be considered as
| translation of our national word, the
| f1reside,' with all the associations that
| the word calls up.
The northern man who hides his fire.
| side behind the uninviting walls of a
| stove, does not find his domestic center
| hold god is the machine that is always
| boiling and singing, the source of light
| and heat, which pours out necessarily
| during the long winter days the COM
| forting drink.
Around the table where the samovar
| sings is a large IdHnlly, a WDTO WHICH III
| Russia was the old signitication, form
erly the universal sense. First the an
| cestor, who presides at one end of the
| table, then the children and grandchil-
dren, then whole clan of semi-servit-
ors a 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 fight
| ing for the master of the house. These
maidens pay for their food and lodging
by some slight superintendence in the
affairs of the household. One of them
| takes charge of the samovar-nymph
of this brazen fountain, she puts her
whole soul in it, and all her faculties
of thought and love. Her life has never
had any other occupation than to cal
| culate the exact amount OF sugar ana
boiling water to be put into the glasses,
from morning to night.
| At the end of the meal each one
kisses respectfully the hand of the an
| cestor, thanking her for their bread
and salt. During the whole season the
greater part Of the day is passed around
this table. Neighbors, strangers, all
are invited to take their seats at the
table and wait for the evening meal
Japanese tea, according to strlctest
etiquette, is served in a room especially
prepared for it, called cha-no-yu, found
in all the large houses of Japan. From
the moment of entering the room by the
low doorway, only two and half feet
high no one is allowed to rise from the
kneeling or squatting position as
sumed. If necessary to change posi-
tons, 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
,,11rN Il Tn h
belt is thrust a piece of silk folded for
a holder. When the kettle lid is to be
raised the adjusting of this mathemati-
cally folded holder is a matter of great
| Importance.
There should not be more than four
or five persons al a cha-no-yu. When
they are all in place, the distinguished
guest being nearest to the toka ma
| the master proceeds to brighten the
fire. Pulling himself over the smooth
mats as If he had no legs, he shuffies
: to an adjoining apartment and returns
with a basket containing a single
eagles feather for a buster. a pair OF
pointed iron skewers with which to lif
the coal. a mat on which to rest the
kettle. The charcoal is in whole sec
tons, cut from round sticks, some o.
, them painted white; these kindle quick
ly and soon the kettle is boiling furi
ously.
: rule, with all the precision of time ant
motion that characterizes the soldier
manual of arms. When everything il
: ready he proceeds to prepare the tea
: The cups are first heated with boilin!
water. then wiped dry. The exac
amount of peculiar powdered green te'
, is put into cup then the right guam
tity of water added; then whipped to
! froth with mixer, a section of bamboo
one and a fourth inches in diameter
one end carefully split into a fin
, finger.
When in proper condition the tea i
pushed over the mat TO the guest, VIII
, receives the cup with the right hand
, rests it upon the palm of the left, and
holding it with the right, conveys j
to the mouth. drinks one-third of tn
contents, and compliments the hos
upon having such a superior artist
Then he shakes the cup to get all TIL
froth on the liquor, just as a beer
drinker does his mug, finishes tn
contents in two more drafts. making