Tea-tasters

A circle of teacups is placed alonothe edgd óf large tables with round revolving tops. The tea-tastcr sits down before the display of crockery and astea one cup aftcr anothcr, niovino;hc table top arouiid. In the center of tlie table is a pair of scales with a silver half-dime in one of the balances ünc or two larga kettles are kopt contantlywith boiling water in tliem.- hen a samnle oí' tea ü tn lm toCf„i 9 much is weighed out aswill balance lio half-dimo. Th is is pll t in a teacu p and boíl nrv vra ter pourcd on. ïlio toataster Uien stirs np the lua-ro, i;it,, tïïena on his spoon, and inlialcs the aroma. At the saine time he generally takes a sip of the infusión, liolds it in his ïnuuth for a short time, and thcu spits it out. Enonnous brass cuspidores, holding two or three gallons, reeeive the tea thus tasted and the contents of the cupa that havo been exaininüd. Buyers and sellers sit aroimd the tables with the samples made into infusions in the cups buibre them. These are "tasted" all around the "body," "fineness," "toastiness," etc, are learnedly discussed, and the pooi-er specimens discarded. Thentliose tha-t are lelt are tasted aguiii and the number lurther reduced. So it goes on until the article vvhich unitos tho dosired quality and nrice is oh. tahied. -