Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-06-12
Chinese D0Ings.

Mrs. J. l.. Hill of Summerdean, b:
received a letter from her daughter il
Shanghai, China, which is an interest
ing description of some of the differen
aspects of Chinese life. Miss Hill j
living in Yok ohama, Japan, where sh,
went about a year ago, and on a re
(cent visit to China wrote as follows:
Shanghi, April 2S.-We all brought
summer clothes over here expecting il
to be warm. On the contrary L nc ed
my furs and the nice warm wraps |
left in Yokohama.
Thomas is with us and two servants.
Ihe latter are necessity when travel
ing in far Eastern countries.
L erjoy the change of scene very
much and find Shanghai street life
most fascinating. The Chinese make
such reckless and picturesque drivers.
The bubbing well road is thropeed
every afternoon with carriages drawn
, by China ponies in full run, the flow
ing robes and pig tails of the ''mafoos'
or drivers adding dasn to the stream
ing pageant. The drive ways are
thronged as densely as those of Cen
trail Park on a Sunday afternoon, and
why there are not more accidents I
cannot imagine.
b. and l ride horseback through the
push. 1t seems safer and We can see
things at our own rate of speed.
There are evidences of much wealth
amongst the foreign residents and they
all seem to have given themselves up
to The idea of having good time. We
went to the theatre Friday night. The |
play was the Second Mrs. Tanqueray.
Every one in full evening dress and
some very beautiful toilettes. 1t is
arranged like an English theatre. The
Pit Zone Orchestral tickets sell for less
money than the dress circle and stalls
On the first gallery. AS the consea uence
Of buying first-class tickets we saw
very little of the performance as the
eft of the stage was entirely invisible
20 us. L think the American arrange
nent much better. The shops are
much better here than in Yokohama
md hope to take back with me some
esirable foreign" things for A and
myself. We have gotten tired of
hings Japanese already, and pine for
'arisian fnery.
The art goods of China do not COM
are with those of Japan and while
he silver is purer and cheaper in make
p it is not nearly so artistic. One s
eneral idea of China is that it is an
immense cemetery. The fields are
Gifted all over with mounds of vary
lg heights according to the rank of
ne deceased and if too poor to have
found or mausoleum the coffiu is set
ut in the field with few mats over
for covering until the relatives shall
ave obtained means for distinguished
urial or until the corpse is forgotten,
hich is more apt to happen, 1 should !
link from the age of some of the cot.
rs.
The races begin next week and 1 ex.
,ct then Shanghai will be quite gay.
l don't know whether we shall have .
chance to go up the river on house N
BAT this time or not but l should like
have that experience.
Our trip over ON the Kicoutschon
as uneventful, the ship being perfect Ce
steady and there was no sea sickness. In
was cold though as are all sea- trips, u
I'd l was disappointed that going so si1
UGH further south latitudinally didn' It M
ing corresponding change of tenn
nature. Will not 60 to Hong Kong =.
is time. Will write on next ship. a. a.