Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-19

and wonderful carvings, Just big enough
for an opium couch for two. There was
glass lamp with matches beside it, and the
pipes looked as though they had been ire
quertly used. MI. Ian Wing Hong asked
me if | would nit the pipe with HIM, ana
upon my refusing he said that must at
least take a cup of his tea.
Ten at S2I Pound.
OF course. I consented. especially as Ian
Wing Hong intimated that he had tea on
hand which was drink for the gods. He
mentioned the name of the tea. 1t is one
which is noted throughout South China. 1t
comes from district which produces but
few pounds a year. the whole crop being
bought by rich Chinese. 1t is 50 costly that
only the highest of the mandarlns and the
richest of the merchants can afford 1t. 1t Is
never exported, and even In China the price
of it is Sni q pound.
] wish | could give you taste of that
tea. y Whit of its aroma would refresh
you like glass Of champagne. 1t was
brought into the library in little round
teapot of silver and was served by the
millionaire himself in cups of the finest
porcelain. each cup not bigger than an egg
shell. The tea, as ii trickled forth from
the pot was of a straw color. l noticed
that the millionaire in pouring it went over
the cups twice. only half filling them at
the start, and then gong back to the frs;
cup and coming around again. AS the itl
came forth Ian Wing Hong shifted it with
a delighted expression. Its aroma touched
him just as that Of fine wine does the
professional gastronome. He drank 1t in
the approved Chinese fashion, and we fol-
lowed suit we sucked the liquor into our
mouths with considerable noise, gurgling,
as il were,aour delight.
In the Gardens.
We chatted a while and took a sec
ond cup of this liquid gold, and then Ian
Wing Hong strolled with us through his
gardens. These are full of conceits which
would be striking features in any million
aire estate along the Hudson or in George
Nanderbiit's big farm in North Carolina.
The gardens are Of large extent They are
filled with tropical flowers and trees, the
latter cut into all sorts of fantastic
shapes. We strolled through walks, shaded
with feathery baEboos, wound our way in
and out among the roots of enormous BAN
van trees and stopped long before some
pines, each several hundred years old and
not more than foot high We sat in grot-
toes OF rock work interest with mirrors,
loated about in Chinese summer houses
and admired the great stone tables which
had been built up under the trees. During
the walk Ian Wing Hong told Us how his
fortune had been made in trade by him
self and his father. He spoke of his
troubles, and asked me to tell Ii Hung
Chang that his district was greatly
troubled by pirates, and that he thought
soldiers should be sent TO capture the rob-
bers
Rich Merchants.
Ian Wing Hong's money vas made in
trade. This IS the case with many of the
Chinese milronaires. The Chinese are
among the best business men of the world.
They are far ADLER than any others of the
Asiatics. They can give the japanese odds
and beat them. In nearly every country of
the Pacific you find millionaire Chinese. The
most of the business of Singapore is done by
them. They have stores, plantations and