Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-05-12
A CHINESE SHAVING FEAST
Characteristic Celebration in Honor
of First Born Pulled off In
Chinatown.

CHINATOWN.
An invitation to a shaving feast" Il
not to be despised. common enough
though they be in San Francisco.
And what is shaving feastf When
q Chinese baby OF either sex u month
old its hair is shaved TO make II grow
faster, and a dinner 10 given by the par
ents In their baby's honor. One OF these
feasts was held not long ago on the third
floor OF a popular restaurant In san
Francisco's Chinatown. II was given BY
Yong Kay. AN interpreter in the customs
house, in honor OF his first born. kathe-
rine Victoria Kay.
Gone, alasi is the rascinatins, dirty,
crowded, picturesque Chinatown OF old,
formerly a pure bit Of the orient In
stead are large impressive stores with
plate glass windows; shops partially filled
with American goods; the Chinese them
selves wearing no queues and mostly clad
In American clothes.
Yong Kay's feast disclosed some Of the
changes In the San Francisco Chinatowp.
The walls Of the large room were COW
cred with hideous American wall paper.
and had no Chinese decorations, friezes
or ornaments save one. This VAS a cheap
colored print thanked by hIeroglyphies on
either side and denoted Peace, plenty
and prosperity"
About 800 guests were assembled, the
American and the Chinese women and
children being placed at one side. the lat
ter behind screens. The Chinese men
were principally merchants, Interpreters,
students from the colleges and missions,
and were nearly all sans queues and
dressed in American clothes.
Yong Kay opened the feast with an In
vocation In Chinese. The many round
tables. draped with American table
cloths, were covered with tiny dishes,
many not larger than our ordinary butter
plates. On these were placed different
kinds Of nuts, ginger, cherries. sliced
orange and sweetmeats. At each plate
was placed a pair of chop sticks and a
small china ladle in its tiny saucer
Those were never changed and were used
to eat the fourteen courses. As con
cession to the Americans q large plate
and fork were given to each OF US. but
no knife or spoon.
served in small four-sided dishes. one
after the other. with no vegetable OF
bread accompaniment Of any kind. Small
bowls were passed for the more liquid
courses. when the Individual ladies wert
used, instead Of soup spoons. Soup Of
fishes fins, sliced turtle with greens
garlic always sliced cooked with pickles
and small onions. pieces OF fungus with
greens and bacon. roast duck with grated
cut in small strips, pigeon. CHECKER
noodles. chop suey. meat Of the sea fish
the abelone. and peppers.
As no knives were ever used, all thes
meats or fowls. were shredded in sinai
pieces and shaped In a mold. One eoul'
not help making the observation how use
less are many Of our large dishes, ant
how dainty and simple are the Chimes.
in their table equipment compared TO ours
Chinese napkins were often passed. anC
many glasses Of sparkling champagne
cider drunk.
Katherine Victoria, always sompolent
was passed by her demure mother ans
Yong Kay around to the different tables
Her health was drunk standing by tn,
occupants Of each table in turn. NAM
coins, folded in small squares Of rio.
paper. were slipped in a small bag. which
was tied around her neck. On this paper
three inches square at the top. wa
printed in Chinese. Thanks" and ,dovr
the right side the date OF the dinner and
for the child
GsIety and good feeling abounded
speeches were made both in Chinese and
In English. and. as Is AWAY the case
with the oriental. the greateS. courtesy
was shown to all. Yong Kay passed con-
tinually around to the different tables
talking Or drinking with his guests. The