Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1875 — At a Chinese Chop-house. [ARTICLE]

At a Chinese Chop-house.

A writer in Lippincott's says: The Chinese chop-houses or restaurants are open; you may get in if you like and eat if you dare. I did both, though I did not cat very ravenously, and I have not the remotest idea of what. We Were ushered pdlitely up-stairs, where in a large room were many little tables, about which the heathen were pretty thick. Waiters were running to and fro, not very unlike their civilized counterparts, and shouting the orders, the “ one fish-ball” or the “ rat and' pumpkin seeds” of Celestial diners-out. Chinese pictures on the walls, wicker furniture, lacquered ware, bronzes, dark carved woodwork —everything very Mongolian indeed. And near the balcony, among the jonquils, a bevy of brilliantlypainted girls making music. Such music! One slapped with broad, pliant bamboo sticks what looked like a large polished skull, and with a force and resonance that made us jump at every blow’; another sawed a one-stringed fiddle with a onestringed bow, producing strains capable of curdling the blood of a professional saw-filer; all squalled together in voices many keys above the most ear-piercing fife. These were a few of the methods by which they wooed the dulcet muse. Yet through it all there was a time, a swing and rhythm that suggested harmony, and made it evident that the concord of sweet sounds was the object aimed at. But our dinner has come up and been placed before us. Let us inspect it. Tea that is pretty plain and to be taken at the sealding-pcint, and with out cream and sugar: it is uncompromisingly sloppy and poor. Try- some of this unbaked biscuit with the red letter painted on top. It is a sort of pallid doughball or dumpling filled with dark and finely-cut meat; it certainly does: not look edible and its faint flavor suggests —well, nothing at all; it is entirely negative. Then here is a block of pure white marble two inches square, and on its polished top again the red painted chalacter; this is fairly artistic in its perfect resemblance to a block of stone with clear-cut edges and sharp corners. It is some preparation of rice flour about the consistency of stiff jelly or blanc-mange, and is of a pleasantly sweetish taste and fairly good, or at least very unobjectionable as food. We are getting reassured and bold; let us try a sample of this yellow affair,lt is round like a biscuit, but a brilliaWsaflron yellow in color, with, of course, the omnipresent red painted on its top. Shut your eyes and bite boldly. Dust and ashes! -What can this be? Do they use the sacred dust of their ancestors as food to feed the barbarian on? Bah! this moldy, medicinal taste, this mouthful of dry yellow ashes is positively nasty. No more, thank you! and please pass the sweetmeats; let us forget in the familiar taste of ginger this tidbit from the tombs. Finish, if you like, with the dried sweets and the pellucid and cloying syrups. I have had enough and shall be glad to get out.