New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-24

It steals rice. the most precious food artjc,.
rats are frequently cruelty tortured
caught
Black dogs and black cats are the fayor..
the line of food. because when eaten +, IN
summer they will insure health and strenp,s
The Chinese do not drink much intozi...,-
liquor. The native drink Is a sort OF arrac, !.
which rice is the basis It Is only once div,,r.,
and is of low proof but when stronger s,f-,.-
are required this is redistiIled and in that So.
it is known as samshu. which means thrice e.,
There is no Sabbath. but to make up FOR ~
there are many general and local festival d.
Business is suspended only on the first dav :,
the year. and then everybO makes merrv an
celebrates the day with good eating and d-l,.
ing. The first three days OF the lunar wear a.
several days about the middle OF April ara =.
voted also to worship at the tombs The d..
OF relaxation and merrymaking are the a.,
soIstices and the festival Of the dragon boa,,
Besides these, every family has It's festival fa-,
when the temple belonging to the family ia vi,
tied and the ancestors remembered.
The drama is popular all over China. An,
when a religious celebration takes place bef,-.
the temple Of god a theatrical perf7rna,,.
street and in front Of this the people satba,
and listen for hours TO the declarations OF Tia
actors. whose themes are usually Of a his.o-i
cal character. There are not many uermansn,
theatres. Actors and acrOhats can be hiras
cheaply, and at every dinner where strange-v
are invited a theatrical Performance is part q.
the entertainment. In villages where theatrical
performances are Of rare occurrence the peo-
pie neglect everything else in order % attend
them. These performances are usually grea,
historical dramas and last two or three days
with recesses for eating and sleeping.
certain class which devotes itself exclusively
TO study forms the literary population, but The
class is small. and it makes little or no i'm
preston on the great majority, ia which IN.
tellectuaI enjOyments found in books and IA
conversations Of learned men are unknown Tia
women occupy low place in the Chinese world
and for these reasons the Chinese resort to tia
dice box, the opium pipe and to Iou places o.
amusement for their pleasure. This does no,
injure them in their standing with their beers
Those who wish TO enter the public service he.
long 10 the literary class and their fitness is d.
termined by a rigid examination. The caaa
cate for office appears before tie examiners AZ
the appointed time. and a series Of questions Is
handed 20 MIN 20 answer he is placed 2
tie hut which resembles an ordinary sentry box
There he finds writing materials. but nothing
else. Small quantities Of food are supplied bv
the examiners. and in three days he leaves t5e
hut and hands his work 10 tn Board for insDec.
ton and awaits the result. Sometimes a cand-
date passes at the first examination. but as a
general thing he is compelled TO try. try again"
The legal and medical professions offer no at
fractions except in the districts where there is
foreign population. The physician is a magician
more than anything else He gives medicines.
but these are considered to be useless unless
certain forms and ceremonies are followed when
they administered. His remedies are IN
known TO the outside world. and his practice has
nothing in common with his science. There are
Gated in foreign countries. and there is even a
medical college there but the physician for the
people is the dragon blood. snake eye. devil
tooth and moonstone humbUg who began his
practice before the Great Wall was built
There are no lawyers. There are licensed 10
taries, who pay the mandarin certain amour.
for the privilege of drawing up the complains
and statements of the people who may have
business in the court which the mandarin
presides. They extort heavy fees from those
the mandarin. 1t is said that much OF the pres
ent trouble had its origin in these courts.
By a concession the part of the Govern
ment the Catholic priests have a rank which
gives them the right to plead case before