Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 December 1883 — A SIGHT IN A CHINA TOWN. [ARTICLE]

A SIGHT IN A CHINA TOWN.

A Few Facte Relative to Their Habits and r General Mode of Living, Etc. The Chinese % Los Angeles are quite numerous and almost monopolize a certain portion of the city; they are quiet and orderly as a class, attentively minding their own business, but, nevertheless.alw.iyß a target for she ever present hoodlum. j Through the kindness of one of the city officials—a courteous lawyer and, gentleman—we were escorted on a most interesting tour through “Chinatown,” as it is called. Starting out at 8 o’clock one pleasant evening, wo called first at some of their stores; business being about over for the day, we found them in clusters, old and young, eagerly gathered about the counter, at their greatest of amusements —gambling. Not a Word was uttered by any, so absorbed were they in tlieir game, and, after casting a hasty and wondering glance at us, they ignored ns entirely. Passing on and visiting many stores, we came to a restaurant about 10 p. m. First entering a small office, we passed in at a door to find ourselves in the dining-room; here, seated at tables, are several Celestials, quietly but hard at work on a dish of thick kind of soup, which they caused to disappear rapidly by throwing into their mouths with chopsticks. A fat cook: busy atr the stove is seen in the rear, humming a dismal air. The man who does the waiting being considered quite a musician, is called upon for music and favors us with a series of howls and groans which he calls a song; and then, on his one-stringed instrument, he makes ns feel genera|ly ill. As the' music progresses and the musician seems to warm up to his work, he howls like a dog and rolls his eves widly. A movement is heard above and, oh looking for the cause, we find a dozen pair of sharp eyes looking down at us from above; thus, while supposing ourselves in the company of two or three Chinamen, we realize that a score- or more of them are about us, and we find that the apartment is, as it were, cut in two, thus giving two floors to an ordinary sized room, a ladder being used to ascend to the sleeping apartment above. Thins one fair-sized room can be used for a restaurant below, and lodge twenty persons or more on the shelves above; but they seem happy and contented. As they are packed together in such a state, we wonder how they can emerge looking so cleanly each day; hut they are particular about their appearance generally, and carefully bathe every morning.

The night ia wearing on,and midnight brings ns to a dark, dreary spot, where, hand in hand, we are wonderingly Jed through passage after passage, first up, then down, until our leader knocks at a door, being answered by a Chinaman who, after a glance, recognizes one in authority, and quietly ushers us in. We find ourselves in a dimly lighted temple, a weird, strange looking place, with an altar. We ire couducted to an apartment in the rear behind the altar, and there we find a singular scene. Reclining on couches smoking opium are the priests, who at first look amazed at tho intrusion, but soon relapse into their stolid, fixed expression. One of the priests by request kej)t telling us his feelings as the smoking gradually affected him, and if he told' the truth, as he probably did, he soon became too happy to talk, and the expression on his face certainly denoted intense and almost supreme happiness. We accepted an invitation to take some tea, wliich was very hot and without sugar. The custom of offering hot tea to all visitors is a universal one among the Chinese, the omission of the courtesy boing considered extremely ill-man n ered. —New York Post.