Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 April 1894 — THE CHINESE NEW YEAR. [ARTICLE]

THE CHINESE NEW YEAR.

Our Mongolian Friends Celebrate It in Right Royal Style. The Chinese new year is celebra ed in a manner somewhat similar to the American Fourth of July. The cele bration at New Year’s time is more patriotic than religious, though religious observance is such an essential part of the Chinese life that it perforce dominates on this occasion. The day of the beginning of the Mongolian year is variable, teing the day upon which the reigning Emperor ascended the throne. From Feb. 1 for four days every Chinaman who can afford it ceas » wor c entirely and gives himself up to enjiyment and exchanging the compliments of the season with his fellows. The joss house is gaily decorated, and the gods, both great and small, are placed on review and receive attention. The wealthier Chinamen keep open house, and tea and sweetmeats are always on tap. During the four

days of celebration every Chinaman wears his best clothes, has his head shaved clean and presents a bandbox api earanoe generally. The more wealthy wear silken robes and mandarin caps. These latter, as they encounter each other in the street, salute gravely by each clasping his hands together in front of his body and bowing his head almost to the ground thrice, reciting a form of New Year’s salutation at the same time. Ceremonies are conducted in the joss houses, and noise of feastiiig and hilarity continues late into the night, the clash and bang and squeak of the orchestra and the shrill piping *of the Chinese singer issuing from many an open door and window. It is then that the Chinese theater is in its glory. It is upon this occasion that the Chinaman gives expression to his exuberance of spirits in fireworks. No American can hope to rival him in the handling of fire-crackers. In this he is lavish and explodes a whole pack with as free a hand as the American celebrant on the Fourth of July explodes a single cracker. . From a pole in front of his store or wash-house he suspends a hundred packs at a time, and then ignites the string at the bottom. From that time there is an incessant rattle, intensified every few seconds by the heavy detonation of a bomb, resembling the musketry fire and cannonading of a battle. Suspended above the doors of business houses are little trays of gods, and at the entrance to the joss houses are the same figures on a larger scale. Here are giants in red, blue and yellow, with formidable weapons in their hands and terrifying animals crouch lug at >heir feet. The services inside the joss houses are carried out on an elaborate scale, and the festivit es never diminish until the four days ate ended. Sometimes they last for two weeks. | Gen. Oraat'e Fregtable Book. Gen. Gnant's book, which he wrote while dgiagf to leave, as he said, something ia the way of money to his widow and children, mb already paid them *509,000. A member of the G;ant family said recently that there was I etitt a steady and .even large demand tor the book. In a short time, he added, a cheaper edition will be published. something that can be sold for <1 or • little leas. If the .cheaper edition meets with the sale .that is expected Mr*. Grant's profits may be nearer 41,000, WO than ¥500,000 within the MXt tee years. As it is, the book la already the most profitable book, in