Lanterns And Umbrellas

Chinese lanterns are made of paper, silk, horn, crystal and many other inaterials. Those made of silk are usually richly embroidered with figures of animáis, birds or flowers; those of horn are prettily decorated with paintings. Some of the most ornamental and expensive lanterns are mounted on beautifully carved frames of wood and ivory. If a Chinese leavea his home after night without taking with him a lantern, such as ia assigned to the use of the class to which he belongs, he is liable to arrest by the pólice. As soon as it is dark every city seems ablaze with lanterns. They light up the homes of the rich and poor; they are attached to the angles of the pagoda; they are seen at every port and on every river. In fact, they make their appearance everywhere, and to cali China the 'land of lanterns" is by no means a misnomer. Umbrellas, too, are of much impor;ance in China, because there the tunarella is a mark of rank. Two large red silk umbrellas signal the approach of the governor general of a province. A red silk umbrlla with three ruffles on it is the kind assigned to the four highest ranks of mandarín. The nobility of lower rank are entitled to an umbrella of red silk, but may have only two ruffles. The two highest ranks of gentlemen commoners are entitled to a red state umbrella surmounted by a knob of tin; the third and fourth ranks have the knob of wood instead of tin, but it ia always painted red. An umbrella of blue cloth with two ruffles and surmounted by a red painted wooden knob