Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-02-10
cUR|0s|T|Es Of CHINESE LIFE
One Gets Used to Seeing Women
Wear Trousers.
Men Clad In Sl<irts-P0lite TO Throw
Bones on FloOr-very Important
10 save "Facc" and Never
Admit Theft.

Even though came to China knowing
that they did things backward, writes
Homer Croy in Ilesie's. there are some
customs here that | Just can't get used
TO- One is seeing women wearing trous-
ers. There are more women wearing
trousers in China than there are people
in the United Statesmen, women and
children. I suppose that there is no
reason why things shouldn't be thus,
bat 1T always seem to me that the pants
are on the wrong side OF the house
The women look like clothcs-p pins.
Their bodies are the same size all the
way down and their feet are SO tiny
that they go hobbing along for all the
world like iointed clothes-pins. The
women shave their foreheads, with the
timber line almost at the top Of their
heads. SO that the little patch of face
below looks as il il were trembling un-
der threat Of an impending snowslide.
TheiH hair is pulled and keyed back as
though for musical purposes. Al the
back of the head n Chinese woman
wears a cushion OF false hair. SO dress
ed as to show her rank, so that a per-
son skilled in the language Of the hair
can read her history, can tell her pres
enL plans and her future ambitions. A
person I'm on hair can tell at glance
whether or not she is married, II so
how many children she has, and il a
widow. if she is willing to open COR
respondencc with desirable party Of
ABOUT forty-five, object matrlnony.
Men in China wears skirts. Their
skirts are in garment that reaches
from their shoulders to their shins and
looks like a nightRovn worn by Cape
cod deacon. 1t has tasty slit up each
side, so that on muddy crossings the
twinkle of masculine ankles may he seen.
When they want to catch car they
have to gather up their skirts in the
good old-fashioned feminine way. Under
their skirts they wear a pair OF drawers,
fastened at the ankles with a handaGe,
with the ends tucked in. When China =
man has an important letter or note to
carry he unites the leg Of his drawers,
stuffs it in and puts the bandase back.
The bandaGe works loose. SO that when
he reaches his destination the note is
usually gone
The only pockets a Chinaman has are
in his skirt waist. which he wears under
his skirt. so that when he wants to get
a dime he has to unbutton one side and
slip in a hand. Even though China :
man wears skirts he has not yet learned
about the first national bank"
A Chinaman prides himself on his
politcness more than on anything else.
own hand. When he goes to leave YOU
he folds his hands across his breast and
; makes three bows. Some places in China
iS
invited to a friends house, to throw the
chicken bones on the floor. AS YOU are
having dinner and chatting about the
rice crop it is proper FORM when YOU
get through drumstick, to toss it on
the floor and to go on with the con-
versation, The host takes this as a COM
pliment. for it shows that YOU know
that he has servants to clean the
things off the floor. II you put the
, bones on the plate it reflects on the
number of servants that be can afford
TO keep.
II YOU leave A dollar on your dressing
, table, your room boy Wouldn't steal it
for anything: he would lose face if ne
did but when your back is turned lie
will exchange it FOR a counterfeit. Ia
can do this and still keep his face. II
YOU miss something about your room
and know positively that your hoy stole
1t and accuse him. he will deny it as
j long as he has breath. Under a slow
fire and salt he would still deny that
he had taken it; to admit that he had
stolen your knife would he to lose face
But after accusing him if YOU will let
it go for day or two, the knife will
mysteriously return, or YOU will find II
under a handkerchief on your dresser.
You know that he has returned it and
he knows that YOU know. but his face
has been saved and as result he is
light hearted and happy.