The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-01-05

n ~ ONE, as in all civilized coun-
tries, forms the very heart
FL and center of the life of China.
~ ~ Population being so much
greater there than in any 9TH
er country, it follows that the average
home must occupy very limited quar-
ters. But the natives of China have
learned to make real abiding place
In the smallest possible space, so that
single room with mud floor and
sometimes low attic overhead, where
the children sleep, forms the extent
of great numbers of homes among the
respectable people OF that country.
In any small village or hamlet in
central China you will find the one
or two streets lined on either side
with long rows of one-storied build
ings, with roofs of thatch or tiles.
There may be a half dozen houses
under one long roof, but partitions ex-
tending the whole width of the build
ing separate them from one another.
China is full Of villages, as the farm
ers group their dwellings close togeth-
er for safety. A square hole halfway
up the front wall. covered with light
paper or else transparent oyster shells,
answers of a window. This. with the
front door, which usually stands open,
in pleasant weather, admits the light
and air into the abode. The house
itself is very poorly constructed, as
it is made OF a single layer of adobe
bricks piled up on their thin edges
and plastered over on the outside.
There are very few really substan'
tial buildings In the whole OF China
except an occasional temple. But such
are the homes where are born and
reared large families of children and
where parents and grandparents live
from one generation to another. Per.
haps the ancestors of the grandfather
have lived In this very spot for hun
dreds of years! The house may have
been torn down and rebuilt many
times, but the sacredness of home has
never been removed from 1t. 1t Is
very likely, too. that some Of these
small, one or two roomed abodes have
been the birthplaces of some of the
renowned men of China. 1t Is just
here that class distinction, for which
China is noted, makes a break and
does not recognize caste; for 1t Is In
tellect and learning that counts for
most in China.
There may be low leanto at the
back of this dwelling. and in 1t you
will see piles Of sticks, dried leaves
and bundles of cotton stalks. This
is the fuel stored up for the winter
months and is sufficient to furnish fire
for all the cooking in that large fam
lily. Fuel Is scarce in China. and
every possible material that cannot
be used for anything else is utilized
for it. You will learn on this visit
that of all people on the face o. the
earth the Chirese take the prize for
real practical economy. The stove
is made of a few fire bricks SO ar
ranged with hole in the top that a
large copper PIN can be placed direct
ly over the fuel. and very close to it
so that not any of the heat is lost.
and the stew, or rice, Is almost in
stantly simmer.hg, and before you are
aware the meal is ready for the table.
At the table es>ch ones place is not
marked by knives, forks. plates,
spoons, and so forth, but there Is only
a pair of chop-s.icks and small por-
celain spoon foI each member of the
family. A large 1ish of steaming stew,
in which there are plenty of pieces OF
pork and different kinds Of vegetables.
in place In the middle of each OF the
square tables, Tor there are usually
several of these, according to the
number of tho household. Perhaps
some dried fish is also there, and be-
fore the meal is finished each person
g supplied with a heaping bowl OF
SCANNING rice. This is held close to
the mouth and is literally pushed into
it with the chopsticks. All eat with
the regularity of clockwork except
now and then - hand is reached out
to take spoonful of the stew or a
nibble at the dried fish to make the
rice go down better.
In a corner of the room the visitor
will see a pile of pigsbp-covered boxes
or trunks, which perhap, reach near
| ly to the ceiling. In these boxes are
most carefully folded and packed
away all the best clothing as we'll as
the treasures and hsirlooms OF the
family.
1t is In these boxes that all the we'd
ding outfit of the bride is kept All
the jewels, and whatever Of worth or
beauty the family possesses are found
here; these things are only brought
out on special occasions, for instance.
at weddings OF at the New Years
time or on other holidays.
1t Is remarkable how much these
people can stow away In the smallest
space and yet not give the appearance
Of things being crowded. This knack
Of filling up space always seemed to
me as a special gift-an inheritance
from long line Of ancestral training;
else It could never have been SO per-
fectly developed as Is seen In China.
In addition TO the numbers In the
| family we are talking OF, there may
Be sAan dogs. cats. and perhaps Q fam