Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-03-22

Flowers, the Street of Ten Thousand
Happinesses Others are more simnIy
dubbed; Old Clothes street phvsic
street, New Green Pea street. Only
eight or nine feet in width. paved out
lacking sidewalks, and impossible for
wagons or carriages. these tiny aIleys
glow with color, TEEN with busy life
and to the eyes OF foreign devil Offer
innumerable novelties,
The fragillty and the insignifcance
OF most Cantonese buildings make II
dlftlcult to realize that the city dates
BACK two centuries before the Christian
era 1t has. TO be sure many times
been almost destroyed by fire, but the
surrounding wall and several of tas
pagodas are known to be very old
To all streets in the shop district A
lestal air is given by colored signboards
decorated with golden characters
which, on projecting iron bars. hang
lengthwlse. To their somewhat be-
wilderins blaze are added the blua ~
cotton clothes worn by hustling.
ousuing crowd the varied hues of silks
IN which mandarins are clad. and the
gay banners, flags. lanterns and UNI
bfeiias held aloft In the procession AL
ways escortlng the sedan chairs of their
eNeellencies, These streets. the most
characteristic and interesting in ths
city, are lined by two-story buildings.
supporting on their roofs a lattice work
OF bamboo poles, on which rest mats
capable OF being pushed back and forth
as the weather suggests. At night slid
ing shutters furnish protection. but
while daylight lasts the entire front of
these doorless, windowless shops u
thrown open. This Arrangement AIDA
gayety to the thoroughfares. and 4
shops destinations are often doubled by
It's having beyond the counter an open
division where the article sold Is man
fractured In full view men are carv-
ing wood, painting fans or lanterna
weaving on hand looms working IN
metals, embroidering, all OF which ID
done with maryelously little elbow
room, the Chinese being remarkable
for their ability to work and live Ia \
very small space,
One does not find all these industries
grouped together. Entire streets are de-
voted to the manufacture and sale ok
special article. There are silk streets.
embroidery streets, fan STREETS. carved
ivory streets, shoe streets, where can
be found all kinds of foot coverings.
ranging from a coolies cheap straw
sandal to the tiny embroidered shoes
with painted heels destined for golden
lilies, as the compressed feet are called
There are streets all glowing green
with jade. The prettlest of all are the
lantern streets. In addition to the
great variety OF lanterns used In every
day life by the Chinese vast numbers
are made for particular occasions and
festivals. 'hese are sometimes hung
not only beside the shop, but also from
the bamboo trellis work extending
across the street Besides all the fan
clfnlly painted lanterns of continental
shapes. there Is a gay confusion OF
flowers, fruits, birds, insects, dragons.
fishes, which combine 10 make very
fair imitation Of fairyland. So beauti-
fully made are these lanterns and so
absurdly cheap are they. that 1t re-
quires self-control to refrain from buy.
ing them by the hundreds.
One does not soon tire Of the sbops
but many other things In these streets
attract ones attention. There are the
wise men, or fortune-teIiers with their
assisting trained birds seated on the
corners, the itinerant restaurants con
tanning such a variety Of queer eata-
bles; the clever prestidlgtators ready
to squat down and for little cash to
perform wonders; the migratory dent
ISL, wearing IA necklace string OF
teeth; the barber whose home Is a seat
on his box, and who. after shaving a
customer, brushing out ana plating bis
pigtall proceeds In the name Of mas
sage, numerically TO punch aud pound
him, winding up the performance by
vigorously driving into bis Victims
ears long ivory instrument which an
innocent foreign deyl almost expects
to see emerge through tae opposite orr
ice. the money changers who sit be-
lind tables 10 which their strings OF
ash are chained and the members and
vendors of all kinds OF things, who
walk about with trays containing tools
)r goods, as the case may be, smng on
heir shoulders
Then there are the professions. sacs
Is funerals, all white scarfs and howls,
all ablaze with scarlet and
.rackle Of exploding frecrackers; JOSS
'idgin PROFESSIONS with their roast
ligs baskets Of artificial flowers un-
'arthiy so-calied music and the usual
iags, banners and umbrellas All these.
IS well as the long trains which accom-
ANY mandarins chairs belong TO
'Yeryday life; but a great many days
Turing the year have their own special
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