Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-01-21

18th that the employees of the Grant
seed.farm invited us to witness the at.
tendant festivities. After an eight
mile ride from Santa Clara through
the fresh, crisp air, We approached
the ranch, which is one of the largest
in the valley of that name, Before
us on both sides of the road lay a
thousand acres of fiat country with
the distant waters of San Francisco
bay cleaning on the right and far in
front single row of leatless poplars
for which the dark clustering oaks OF
Mountain View formed background.
Halfway down the road to the right
on entering a gate we drove past the
house of the foreman and through the
adobe fields, where the first tender
young sweet-pea vines were just show
ing. to cluster of redwood buildings,
with orange-cClored signs above the
doors, which announced themselves
at n glance as the Chinese quarters,
Il was All Him, the boss" of the
Chinese gang" of 90 men on the farm
hired by him, and from whom he re-
ceived private tribute-money, who
stepped forward to greet us in excel.
lent English. and insisted upon Shak-
ing hands all around. In appear
ance he was an unusually intelligent
Chinaman with sharp, black eyes and
a pleasant smile. dressed in plain,
dark suit of native clothes with his
queue concealed under felt hat. AS
each detachment of visitors arrived,
we were ushered into the main build
ing, and on the instant seemed to have
stepped from California into n room
in some PARKWAY town OF the Celestial
empire Before us stood most COR.
geous altar holding so many curious
objects of such a variety of shapes and
colors that our eyes were dazzled; but
All Him debarred lis from further eX-
animation at that moment by waving
forward from crowd of Chinese at
the end of the room a fresh-faced
young fellow answering to the name of
jim.
Jim was Mr.. Grants own hcnseboy,
WHO dllCl Il SullllilS NOW w INV
do?" to each of us, turned to table
on which stood a teapot in felt
lined box to keep it hot, surrounded by
tiny colored cups minus handles. Mrs.
Parker, little lady near me, whis.
pered, "We're all expected to drink
some tea. They'd be hurt If We didn't.
Dear me, no knowing how many
Chinese have drunk out of these cups
already But don't be afraid; before
you came in | got chance to at least
rinse them out" However, We did
not drink much tea. The cups were
hot. and, as j said, without handles;
the beverage was strong and bitter, for
our taste was not educated to apprr.
ciate such very fine tea, and cream
and sugar were not in sight. This
duty performed, we again turned our
attention to the altar. In niche in
the wall were suspended long strips OF
pink rice-paper covered with Chinese
characters. AS to the meaning Of these,
All Him explained that each was a
symbol which was worshiped by his
countrymen; but further than this he
was politely communicative. On a
table below burned incense "punks, "
small red candles. and one taper lamp,
which stood always lighted there; on
either side was ranged jars of Chinese
lilies and few very late chrysanthe.
NUNS.
Next came the piece de resistance,
at least from a Chinese standpoint,
consisting of three immense triumphs
in pastry of wonderful appearance.
Each was composed Of five cakes of
varying size piled one upon another,
the whole being covered with white
frcsting, and ornamented in curious
designs with tinsei, artificial flowers
and tiny colored candles. These
works of art which had already deco
rated the altar some three weeks,
were made and presented by several
ladies of Santa Clara in return for
gorgeous presents on the part Of their
Chinese friends. In front Of the
cakes stood a line Of figured bowls.
1 the exact nature of whose contents
! covered with quaint artificial flowers,
we could not learn, although Jim in
! formed us that they were Chinese del
icacies. Beyond the bowls were more
candles, incense-sticks, dishes of sweet.
meats and gaily colored flowers in
tall vases. Above the niche hung two
round lanterns, like fat red balloons,
while over the table was suspended a
large Chinese merry o-round." This
appeared TO be also a sort OF lantern
made of cclored paper, wood and tin
sci, containing lighted taper which
caused the strange, grotesque figures
on the outside to revolve, the whole
being the handiwork OF a Chinese
boy during his spare moments in the
winter Meanwhile, at the end Of the
hall groups of Cinnamon stood chat
tering or darling in and out from the
kitchen TO set the table for the feast.
On the walls along the ceiling we
noticed row of more strips OF rice.
paper with Chinese writing on them,