The Chinese have few holidays. Our weekly rest is unknown to them, Sunday res the fate of Saturday. The natives of the Flowery Land might almost adopt Thowas Hood's words, work, work, work my labour never flags." In Kngland I often heart much about the absolute necessity of a Sabbath. In sermons and speeches we were told that no nation uor class prospered without ite due observance, alarm cases of physical prostration and m decay were named as against profanations of the sere What a pity it is to exaggerate Surel real value of Sunday way be vindicated without advancing statements which a brief residence abroad disproves. A busier, healthier hive of human bees than those in China it would be difficult to find, and yet they do not observe the fourth Commandment. Atthenew year, however, they tuke tolerably long furlough. The cessation from toil extends from three days to a whole week, I suppose that the idea is something like this;—we don't often play, but when we do, we will have our fill of it.
Shanghai is always a lively place, Ite roads and streets often remind one of London. The tide of life ebbs and flows through every thoroughfare. But on new Figures arrayed in blue, the national colour, year's day the natives come vut in full force, move about anywhere. Mandarins and persons of position and wealth are gorgeously apparelled. They disport themselves in satins, silks, and furs splendid enough arouse the envy of feminine onlookers whether Asiatic, American, or European,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.