The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-07-22
The Children Of the Chinese

De sure, girl b4OleS are not very lisGcr
} desired, but they ars not ila,l. way Ritt
! as it was reported they were In foreml
years.
: The boy, with a big. big g." Is ths
pride and Joy of bis father and molhs.
for he ii is who VIII carry on the fam l.
and worship al the ancestral tablets.
And if no Boy is born TO hin every Che
naman viii. + possible, adopt one, 10,
ne cannot take The risk OF his sou
wandering homeless and forlarn afleE
death, as would be the case We're there
no son TO worship and pray for him.
Parents feel that they have only a
temporary claim upon their daughter, for
so soon as they are married-and mar
Tied they are sooner or later-they leave
their parents home entirely, only max
ing occasional ana prescribed visits 20
them; they become in truth and verify
one of their husbands family and dead
to their own. This was undoubtedly the
origin OF the brides white dress-wn.te
being the color Of mourning in China.
Small Chinese children are funny little
tots, particularly in cod weather, when
they are encased in thick wadded gar
ments, duplicates of those worn by their
parents. 1 have seen them so stuffed
up with clothing that they would fall
down about every third step. 1t was
only after several Intellectual efforts that
they waddled along calmly as If nothing
had occurred.
Their garments are made of coloyed
silk or cotton, according TO the wealth
and station of the family, and sometimes
are as handsome as the pride and for
tune CT the parents wiz allow; often,
however, one will find that the richer the
father the poorer will the child be cloth
ed. This is done for the purpose OF de-
: win he OH gvfr = r
supposed to inhabit the air. and who
would bring some misfortune upon them
Z did they know that the child belonged
TO wealthy people.
! Chinese boys have a multitude Of
names; one is given at birth, another,
called the milk name is bestowed up
on the youngster during childhood; whel
he is given a cap to wear he receives
another; a fourth 5 given him al the
time of his marriage and after death h
is known by still another. l am not sure
that there are not other occasions for
notwithstanding him; in any case, taking
them all together, the Chinaman has a
many names as European royalty, with
this difference that he uses them singly
and not all in a bunch.
\ common sight in any Chinese CITY,
and one which is amusing TO unaccUs-
toned eyes is the Chinese father walk
quently he carries a bird cage in one
hand, while he clasps tight the little fin
gers Of his son in the other. AT inter-
walls he places the cage on the ground
in front Of the boy and looks on with
the suspicion of a smile on his beard ess
face. while the little warbler pours foItn
a food Of melody for the benefit OF the
small boy, who stands as if spell-bound.
When the song is finished the little tel-
low lifts his beady black eyes TO his
fathers face in gratitude and the small
procession reforms and moves on
Chinese children, unlike The japanese,
do cry, but aside from that they seem
to show no other emotions. From the
multitude of junks and sampans which
nightly anchor under the windows Of the
Hong Kong Hotel, there frequently rises
a wall of discordant chi!drens voices
that effectually drives away any idea OF
sleep. 1t may be that constant firing OF
crackers might account for this, for as
a rule they are not much given to cry
ing.
Until children are able to walk they
are carried pick-a-pack. A strong, square |
Of cloth has stout straps attached at the /
four corners, and is Slung on the back |
Of the mother or nurse; the straps are /
brought over the shoulders and securely /
crossed and fastened in front. The child /
Of the upper class is slipped into IN
sack, where he cuddies down against The
broad back OF the bearer. When ne
sleeps he drop his little face fiat against
the nurse and some people think that
this is the cause Of his broad, fiat nos
trils The children Of the upper classes
seldom leave the arms of their nurses,
and learn to walk rather later than 9th
n children. Men always carry their Ill
lie ones IN their arms.
Children Of the Celestial Empire have
beautiful mechanical toys made by the
irtist-artisan with infinite pains and de-
light. Parents play with them ard seem
o take the same chi dish pleasure n
hem the little ones do. tiedore and
is he favorite outdoor game,
hough kite-hying is more Of pastme.
The Chinese kite is a fine piece Of me-
hanism and the dOing grandfather is
5 eager and interested in the kite ,
ames as the young lad.
Until their hair IS grown long enough,
breads of red silk are braided with Il
or the pigtail, that Manchurian badge Z
{ servitude in which the Chinese now
AXE so much pride. The front part OF /
he head is shaved in divers and sundry
lshions, some of them indicating the 7
rovince to which the wearer belongs, q
Tiers, the parents fantastic fancies
Girls are given but little education, but
oys are well grounded in six hundred ( c
r more ide0Eraphs which make 10 the
hnese alphabet, the phiiOs9ph Of Con- {
lcius and the sacred books. The Chi
csc have greater reverence for eduhl- T
on and wisdom as they understand It
ian the people Of any other country
heir system Of education Is not conCu- h
We TO originality of thought nor does r
cultivate the faculty for creative work g
ach child stUdi IS his lesson aloud and O
le din Of their discordaut voices can II
: heard yards away from the school 6
1use. As in America each boy has ths y
lpeCtation of becoming president so Il
zen little China boy cherishes the hope n
at the verInldo pencil Of the Emperor a
Ill mark his diploma and thus give him 81
e POWER to compete for rich govern "a
ent offices. One excellent thing about y
e training OF Chinese children Is that
ey are taught early the power Of n =.
ntration which stands them il good a
cad through life.
The Chinese father g very proud 4 2
$ little boys and often brings them ont %
show = his visitors. both naive ard q
reign. Girls arc taught To make and ln
lbToider ire tiny shoes they wear am 70
g longevity pillows W1ich are 20 be
part 4 their wedding t-ousseau. They s.
am also 20 paste together She mary
icknesses q cloth from which g. cut r.
q soles cf the large saoes they wa. C.
they belong 30 the Coolis class They
III upon thei- fathers ard brotserF 2.
1 early n HE learn 10 pour ous n b.
p Of samsau. which s. TIC daily drink ri
tie men % he family
--s - -
A QHeer son. ar
lFrom Brooklyn Lafe} u
l. HiIgan (reading a letter from
son who Is a solder IA the Thn-
.inesl -Thot oEe q oa-s SIS afsaF