The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-15


ored locks, tight-fittng clothing, and the
sick carried in the hand proclaim 1t to
be intended for foreign barbarian"
Most Chinese children are possessed OF
the proverbial sweet TOOTH" ana the de-
mand for sugar candy and sweetmeats
is most literally supplied. Some are Of
various bright co,ors and curious shapes.
and many contain morsels of ground nuts
or walnuts.
some Chinese Riddles.
Chinese boys are very fond of asking
riddles. ard some of the Juvenile prodigies
of ancient days are represented as having
been very clever in composing these enig-
mas. A few, somewhat similar in form
TO many popular English riddles, are the
following:
What is the fire that has no smoke
and the water th9t has no hsh?'
"a glow worms FIRE has no smoke. and
well water has no FISH"
Mention the name of an object with
two mouths, which travels by night and
not by day?"
"A lantern"
What are the eyes of Heaven. the bone
of water and the looking glass of the
skye
stars ice and the sea"
what is ii that has a gaping mouth
1nN1ul0R Y.
devouring al every step?"
"A pair of scissors cutting cloth"
If one were to ask a Chinaman how
many children he had in his family, he
would reply by telliliy you the number of
his sons. The girls among them are not
counted. He considers that "a boy is
worth ten times as much as IA girl"
Girls in China are married or taken into
the families OF the little boys TO whom
they nre betrothed at such an early age
that their parents see very little of them
after the years of childhood are past.
If a girl is blind or lame her chances
of life are small.
Curious Customs.
Many Chinese girls have bright. at
tractive faces, and all have black or very
dark eyes They wear the raven locks
dressed in very different ways, according
to the province in which they live. In
most parts the hair is drawn back and
twisted into one heavy strand. which
hangs down the back and is tied with
scarlet cord Frequently the front hair Is
cut in fringe. Sometimes two pleits are
made and punched up at either side of
the head. being decorated with gay flow
ers. AT other times, especially in the win
ter season, they wear a strange little
headdress, consisting OF sllken EN-
"a
fringe hanging down ever the forehead
and ears
When girl is about thirteen years OF
age her hair is put up IN womanly style.
1t is twisted around curious wire frames
of various shapes. Some are like butter
flies wings, others resemble q teapot ha IN
die. Again, girls wear enormous chignons,
and Manchu girls have their hair tied in
large bow upon the top of their heads.
Until their marriage, most girls wear the
hair in front dressed round keeping the
natural appearance of the forehead. After
the wedding IL is dressed square. This
appearance is obtained by pulling out the
hairs round the forehead, making II look
broad and high Even little girls frequent
ly wear heavy earrings. bracelets and
rings if they belong to a rich family.
After the age of eight or ten the daugh-
ters of the weather. classes are kept
within the walls of their own homes. It
is thought improper for them to be seen
out of doors
They have few amusements, and though
they have not to endure the hard, grind
ing poverty of the poorer classes, their
lives are much more eramped, and they
have little variety in, them. Some girls
are taught to play on musical instruments
and to sing songs or selections from the
classics in high, unnatural key, by no
means attractive to the ear
They spend much time in working en-
broidery. The paper patterns for these
wonderful birds. flowers and figures which
are used i'm the ornamentation of Chinese
clothing can be purchased at embroiderers'
shops, but the girls frequently originate
their own designs.
Many women have helped to make the
history of China, and stories are related
of the various virtues possessed by he
roines Of past ages.