The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-29

Gambling Is another national vice. A
Chinaman will not only gamble for money
but for everything else under the sun that
he possesses. the habit prevailing as widely
In this country among the Chinese residents
as among their brothers at home. Fan-tan
IS a favorlte ame and is well known here,
but they have also system OF playing with
curiously spotted and marked dice which
Is entirely different from ours. Game cocks
are a great medium OF gambling and the
raising of the fowls Is a profitable indus
try. Fighting crickets is another amuse-
ment on which they love to risk their
money. the insects being shut up together
in little wicker cages and allowed to fight
until or the other IS killed
The amusements OF tho Chinese would be
! considered vices In many cases, but they
also have Intellectual pleasures OF a high
order. The professional stage possesses
some artists of considerable ability. but
their patronage f. confined almost exclu-
sively TO the upper classes, the coolies pre-
ferring shows more on tho vaudeville order.
with dances more or less indecent included.
Dancing is not INDUCED IN by the Chinese
themselves. but Is the work of a special
I class.
The amusement par excellence is feast
| irg. the higher class OF Chinaman being a
good deal of an epicure, while the lower
! classes are very gross eaters. and are fond
| of gorging themselves. A high class Chi
nese dinner consists OF anywhere from ten
| to twenty-seven courses. and a. stated be-
fore commences with sweet meats. y dish
which Is in great favor with the better
classes ia the often mentioned birds nest
| soup made of the nest OF tho sea swallow.
| The nest is merely added to the soup to
| give il a favor, and IS believed to also Inn
part a stimulating effect to the eater. This
probably arose from the fact that the birds
use a sort of spittle to stick together the
sea weed which composes the nest. this spit
tie being mixed with blood, which the Chi
nese doubtless Imagine has invigoratinS
qualities Sea snails and fish are favorite
dishes with all classes. and tea Is used by
all classes Alcoholic beverages are extract
ed from rice and millet. but II IL rare 10
see Chinaman under the influence Of
liguor Their method Of brewing tea is 20
make a rather weak infusion of the leaves
with boiling water and drink It without
either cream or sugar.
Comparatively little beef is eaten. on ac-
count of tine value of cattle as beasts of
burden. and that purchased in the markets
is generally taken from animals which have
died a natural death. Fowls are abundantly
bred and consumed. and immense numbers
OF ducks and chickens artificially
Matched Pork is the most used of all flesh.
the pig being a standard product of China.
The poorer classes eat dogs. kittens ard
rats with great relish when they can pro-
cure them. but their mainstsy Is rice. which
is abundant and cheap.
A curious method of preserving the fowls
for market is by splitting them down the
back and drying them. In this manner they
can even be brought to this country with
out danger of spelling. and are sold even
in St Louis in the Chinese grocery stores
OF the Spruce street region. Eggs are also
sold for expectation by being preserved in
some waxy preparation. and the cheapness
of eggs in China may be learned from the
fact that the Chinese merchants of San
Francisco can import eggs from China
cheaper than they can purchase them in
this country.
Although the better classes do not In