The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-14

opium adds zest to the game, followed by
 cup of tea. They see nothing unwom-
 anly in this-not so much as slipping
 punch at a church fair. There was for
 merly a theatre in Chinatown, but it
 closed several years ago.
 There are few amusements in China
 town even from @ Celestial standpoint.
 and social life is dull even among the
 women, who are accustomed to secluson.
 Two or three gather, and while there is
 much etiquette it is not a "social' gather
 ing. They exchange bits of gossip about
 what. only women can imagine There
 are no courtships and but few marriages
 in the Celestial quarter, but they can dis
 euss their husbands, their daughters and
 possible "eligibles' They can also ask
 as to their husbands health, but it is a
 breach of courtesy for man to ask his
 friend as to his wifes health. As fashions
 do not change in century or more, there is nothing to be said on that subject. The
 cut of their dresses, or rather trousers
 is the same as it was when California
 was discovered but the inventive female mind, whether Celestial or otherwise.
 finds novelty in varying the styles of decoration. These are seen near the bot tom of the trousers, and on the arms of her dress. As there are no dressmaking establishments in Chinatown, the women make their own pants They also do bits of fancy work and silk embroidery make paper sacks and curios to be sold in the stores. Rarely do they go shopping, and then it is for business-not merely to see and price the articles. The housewife also does the cooking unless her husband is wealthy when the daughter of a poor Alderman or gardener is adopted or boNght, as the maid of all work" There are only a few instances of this kind in Chinatown. She also does the marketing, carrying the articles in kerchef or cloth instead of a basket These are but a few of the duties of Chinese housewife, and her amusements are fewer She is even denied the exquisite feminine pleas ure of selecting a husband for her budding daughter, as she is not permitted to see the young men, or their fathers Their only solace Is in discussing the matter between themselves, when it is referred to their husbands. But their choice has no effect The father puts his price upon his daughter, and the groom pays it. The happy couple" meet for the first time at the altar. The swain no doubt has seen his almend-eyed beauty in her
 ron-barred window cage, and perhaps on Apablasa street with her argus-eyed mother; and they may have exchanged loving glances at long range, but that was all. Their marriages are in accord ance with their own ceremonials. no li- cense being neceSsary. The bride is dressed in red, the emblem of happiness and prosperity. A Tauist priest performs the ceremony. Then she becomes virtual ly the slave of her husband. She is not considered wife until after the birth of child. Male children are greatly pre- ferred. And the oldest child becomes the head of the household when the father dies.
 The woman is always an obedient slave She must first obey her parents then her husband, and upon his death. she Is subject to the orders of her oldest son. When her husband dies she must wear 49 days. white being the em- blem of grief. The husband does not put on mourning for his dead wife. He may marry again: but his widow cannot. and remain respectable. There are no divorce or other social scandals in Chi natown. A husband can write his wife a 'bill of divorcement' at any time he desires, but he usually has the fore thought to first find buyer. Of the seven grounds one is for being too talk ative. There are no grounds upon which a wife can secure divorce. The divorced 1 wife is sold at less than first cost, usual l ly to some poor Chinese laborer, who ! afford a high-priced luxury. It is considered as unlucl1y to marry widow, ! and only poor men who cannot pay a l high price will do so. Among the better l! class the man is socially ostracsed who l marries a widow, even if she be beautiful | and wealthy. but it Is neither unlucky | nor social ostracism to marry divorced l wife. Only, she must be willing, and | this is the only time that the consent | If q woman is asked The buyer Is given l | bill of sale, stating the cause of the | llvoroement Some of the wealthy mer- | chants of Chinatown buy T second, or l
 
 ii the New Year festival
 The greatest social scandals in the .his- tory of our Celestial quarter were occa- i stoned by white women who had mar ried Chlnamen. They were ''cut dead, and so completely ostraclsed that they found life miserable. and left unceremo nously in a few weeks. The Chinese i wives had influenced their husbands to ! noycot the men who had married the | white women, Fortunately these incl | Tents only occurred al Intervals else !