For this same Harvest Festival there is a fair the temple. Amusements are rare in the Chinese countryside so great prepara tions are made for the holiday. The open space in front of the temple becomes over-night a hamlet of mat sheds for ope) restaurants, blacksmiths' shanties and hair cutting parlours, since the villagers still cling to the queue and like to] have their heads newly dressed for the festival. Pedlars put up their eralls in the courtyards of—the "Great Awakening." They make)
brave show of coloured cotton cloths for the women and artificial flowers to deck their hair on such. occasions as at weddings. Other vendors useful household articles like straw brooms, feather dusters and wooden tubs.' Then there are toys for the children, ingenious trifles made of ambi clay and feathers, costing less th: a copper cent, and sweetmeats of, coloured sugar that glow in the wan shine like rubies and emeralds.
After the worship in the sanet+ vary where everyone burns cense to Buddha, the women indulge in an orgy of shopping while men: take the opportunity to the blacksmith and have thi farming implements repaired. Later all gather in front of the picturee sgue little open air theatre that belongs to the temple where theatrical troupe performs—for their amusement.
The players are only erade cou try mummers but the audience is not fastidious, and they enjoy the legendary and historical plays provided, however rudely acted. Umagination, held down as a rule by the pressure of material life, Tans riot to-day and supplies all dtilciencies of scenery.
When the byffoon comes on the bare stage with a whip in his hand every! Aunows he is riding a spirited horse. His.companion appears with " pad-ale No need to tell spectators that he is in a boat, crossing raging river. And why Gurther explain the taking of a city when a blue cloth screen painted like a fortress wall is brought out and a warrior points an arrow at it?
"The Play's the Thing"
'The priest, despite his superior cuiltare, enjoys the play quite as mie its his simple flock. "As he only' sees 'a theatre once a year big Gritical faculty is mercifully, dulled. We can not help asking him, the does not find eleven. months of country life with rare. visits from intellectual equals and no. amusements save this festival, anonotonous.: His -philosophie answer isa gentle rebuke to our, nestles desire for perpetual thrills, to our frantic need for "something doing": Sorgdtten: as: soon as it: is the wise man in the rising of the sun beyond the bille, in the dripping of the stream, and in the tong of those white pines that stand so straight in yonder courtyard like: candlesticks to hold the stars!
After the festival our living quarters are invaded by the curio ous. On this one day none may. be denied and if we dislike the custom we have but to return to tthe city, since on this great occa"
the temple belongs to the people. But because they are 50 polite, so truly courteous, we are content to let the women and children enter to marvel at our Iuxures, at our tortoise shell combs, so much better than their scratchy' wooden ones, at our leather shices which the rain cannot penetrate, at: cur soft rattan chairs in which'
is possible to Jean back and relax, at our cups with handles and our, sharp pronged forks, in a word, at the wonders of our civilization, in your country," ventures one old lady admiringly yet not envious ly, "you must have everything, everything that our poor homes Jack." We are tempted to reply. "Yes, our people have everything that you have not, everything but
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.