The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-08
CHINESE ARE GOOD HOSTS
L. LUNGS BANQUET RIVALS MoY
KEGS IN sPLENDOR.
Strange EdtbIes Tickle the Palate of
Guests While Fireworks Explode
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Pedestrians on Massachusetts, avenue and
Delaware street last night about f7:30
o'clock, may have been startled by thunder
Gus reports and vicious cracks. apparently
from cannon or rife 1t was only Chin
Gum Sing, known among Americans as h.
Lung, and his Chinese friends closing the
Chinese New Years celebration. The
thousands OF exploding firecrackers
sounded like volIey firing of infantry
and the booming Of artillery The vari-
cOlored flames from the flower pots were
startling in brilliancy. L. Lung and the
other Chinese ran from one post TO the
other on Delaware street igniting the long
strings Of freerackers. Notwithstanding
the steady downpour of sleet fully three
thousand people stood watching the closing
celebration of the greatest day in the
Chinese calendar.
The festivities began at $50 O'Clock when
the first of the guests arrived for the ban
quet given by E. Lung for his American
friends. The guests entered the laundry
and were quickly shown TO a large room
above stairs by the little Chinese walters.
In preparation for the affair f. Lung had
spared no pains in decorating and pre-
paring the banquet parlors. In the pan
quet room two long tables were placed.
On eacn table were TWO large cdnQeldDTdS
cleaning with red wax candles.
CHINESE RADIANTLY HAPPY.
Shortly after the first arrivals the remain
der of the guests made their appearance.
The Chinese, radiantly happy, clad in new
clothes, their queues slicked down so that
they shone like patent leather shoes. be-
gan the entertainment of their Occidental
friends. Hardly had DR.. w. B. Fletcher
taken of his hat when Coroner Tutewiler
and his deputy, DE-. John +. Gels, put in
their appearance This gave further rise
10 rumors- Expressions of curiosity fol-
lowed the two men into the dining room.
All this curiosity disappeared when Coro-
ner Tutewiler and Deputy Gels took into
their confidence several reporters and told
them they wanted some company while
they undertook TO fathom the mysteries
OF the Chinese culinary art. At the table
on the north side OF the room Dr. Fletcher
sat at the head Near him were Attorneys
Harding, Hovey and Charles Wiltsie.
BIRD'S-NEST SOUP.
Little Chinese walters under the direction
OF one colored waiter appeared in the room
carrying platters of soup which Z. Lung
explained was bird s-nest'I soup. 1t proved
very palatable. This was followed by tur-
key prepared in American style. This had
hardly been disposed of when large plat
tiers OF chicken chop suey were brought to
the tables Or. Gels explained that he was
unable TO eat chop suey without chop
sticks +. Lung felt embarrassed that so
trivial thing had been overlooked and in
a short time nearly all the men around the
tables had fun with the little black sticks,
which they used for rattle bones.
The climax of the dinner was almost
reached when ''allebOna." a sea fish. was
served. Alfred r. Hovey at this juncture
insisted the health of f. Lung should be
drunk by the guests. Rice wine had been
served and the clink of the little glasses ex-
pressed the pleasure Of the guests.
When the dinner was over E. Lung gave
the word for the discharge of the fire
works TO drive away all evil spirits for
above stairs and on the street hundreds
of packages of frecrackers let go. I'M
mense skyrockets. Roman candles and flow
er pots. all imported from China for the
occasion. were exploded in quick success
sion, gaily co.oring the night. Ten long
strings. 10000 irecrackers in each. were
with 5000 firecrackers on it, This string
had al the end of it a large butterfly
shaped arrangement adorned with bright
Chinese paper. The figure was about three
feet broad.
DEVILS GOT IN THEIR WORK
Before the Chinese assistants had time
TO light the end of the string flying sparks
from the other fireworks fell into the mid
die of the box containing the firecrackers
Instantly there confusion. and the
Chinese holding the box ran down the
street, letting out the string of frecrack
erS like hose wagon laying hose at
fire. The top of the string had already beer
attached to a pole and the pyrotechniC
display was not entirely lost.
b Lung. was not yet through. He ad
vised the ladies of the party to enter one OF
the rear rooms. where brilliantly coloreC
ornaments made Of Chinese paper were
neatly wrapped for each guest. When the
women saw what they were receiving
they smiled their thanks. In addition Il
the ornaments the chop sticks bought fol
the banquet were given to the guests. Those
who partOok of +. Lungs hospitality anC
gladdened the beginning of his New Veal
were: DIR. w Il. Fletcher, Mr.. and Mrs
Charles ;. Witlsie, Mr.. and Mrs. Alfred r
Hovey, Miss Maude Hovey. Mr. and Mrs
j. l. kregelo. Miss Mabel Kregelo, Mis-:
Max Woollen. Mrs. c. Z. Kregelo, Mrs
Katheryn n Martin. James L. Bailey, Mr.
and Mrs Charles Darling. Mr.. and Mrs
w. y. Harding. Miss Maude Mcconnell
Harry ID. Tutewiler. DR.. John F. Gels. Ed
ward and Mrs Coots. Mrs. Cass Connaway
IRE