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Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 29, 8 February 1879, Page 3

V'tZ'i wiiXjD rOMTBB M&MT. Thp pjHinf little orrature when born, if- a girl, may be pat to doatk— drowned— just m wfi. dromv a r kitten or, a puppy, and the ItUW hoyi inquirgr •bouje his twin alters, ** wHi«h U p«ps> goin< to. keep f " it often atked by jp^pl* 'if. China. I don't believe that Hnftntiotdo it at aU camtaon at many writers on China make. pat t bat it o^iits to • lufßcMnt exteqi to justify us m speaking of it at • frequent national crime. At ill •vents, a man's f^andji cqngratulat-e him on the lji'rth of a sob^ and pem^oj© with l^m on tb» birth of a daoghtciu : ' Qumm cua^oicft. ' , ' T But supposing that the child eicapas this! "Killing-no-murder" process, and here F may say (hat m China it is not murder to kill a child, it will not probabjiy he. weaned until it is three or four years old. When othe mother, dajodles the little, darling, she smells' its face with her nose, instead of kissing it by way of showing it auction.. When the young lady becomes of • mwjriagaable iue, her. attendant bridesmaids (generally the uglieat old women, fa, be found) went black dresses instead of- wh^s. White is the mourning colour, and- the. oMpyi are decked not with the mournful shjrourlj Imfcwith the I and ga)-^t coloif©4

clothes procurable. Tho boy at school turns his back upon the master to repeat his lessons, and learns to write bj tracing in- , b took! copying... In playing shuttlecock they use their heels as bafctledoors, instead of wooden ones. Venerable old gentlemen of four-score may be seen playing at marbles and flying kites, while little atoms of humanity with an aspect of preternatural grayity stand looking on. The Chinese keep .their hats. on when' they want to b$ civil, [ ana shake their own hands instead of their friend's when they meet him m the sfieetC 7 We commence our dinner with soup and end with fruit and wine. The Chinese reTerse the courses ; they think nothing of filing a guest's plate with sweetmeats, jellies, pickled cucumbers, salt fish, and bad eggs, all at once; and can't understand why foreigners should object to it. The women, .tod-^-i'am sorry to mention such a" piece of rudeness— never dine with the men (because they are not allowed to)— another proof that the doctrine of equality .and women's rights is as yet unknown m China. In giving the name the family or surname comes first ; thus a man whose, family name is Chang would call himself Chang Fung Woo, not Foo Wung Changl ; ■'■•■•■'■■■ CITBIOUS'CONTEiEIHTiEa.' ' At the risk of being tedious; I will men* tion a few more of their curious contrarieties. A horse is mounted on the right, instead of the left side, while the knees are raised almost to. the chin m riding, instead of grasping the horses sides, so that " spills" are' pretty numerous amongst the Native Cavalry. '..Their: vessels are built flat-bot-tomed and square bowed, instead of with keels.and cutwater ; the masts slant forward, instead of aft, while they laiinoh a craft 'sideways instead of end on. The wheel of a barrow is placed m the middle, instead of at its endj and m the northern provinces they hoist a sail on the vehicles to send them along. Chinese boots have been talked about by all^traveliers from that country. We think that a quarter of an. inch is the correct thing, for an evening party ; the China* man rejoices m an inch and, a half sole, when he wants to make an impression ; and so I, dare say should we if ye only had stoneflagged or mud .floors, 'instead of carpet. They don't. black; their boots, but whiten them..