HO
A Chinese play for length out-nibelungencs the longest Nibelungenlied
Wagner ever set to -music. It begins one month and ends sometime during
the next month or the month aftc, continuing with but brief intervals day and
night. Scarcely an hour can one pass the portals of the theater without hav
ing his ears violently assailed by the shriek of the one-stringed tiddle, the wail
of the shu lih, or clarinet, the rattle ot the tomtom and the brassy clang of
cymbals. The plays are generally long egends of past eras, and the anthor,
if, indeed, the play itself be not the work of a lifetime, doubtless intended
that it should be the work of a lifetime to produce it. So lar as white visi
tors arc concerned, the play might as well last two months as two hours, for
no one would care to remain even two hours in the atmosphere of the play
house, redolent of all the combined odors Chinese civilization lias been accu
mulating for centnries.
A visit to the green, blue, yellow and red room back of the stage, which
is permitted to secial visitors, the room being reached by crossing the stage,
a proceeding that does not seem to interfere in the least with the performance,
gives one a deep insiglu into the mysteries of the Chinese drama. Here are
assembled all the wardrobes and appliances, the paper swords, tinsel devils
and guadily-hedecked gxls and here, also, are to be found such portions
of the company as are not disporting themselves upon the stage, cither
arraying themselves in new finery or lazily indulging in a smoke while await
ing their cues, In the particolored room, as in American green rooms, the
actors are neither so impressive nor aweinspiring as upon the stage. Even
the females, who are almost invariably males masquerading in feminine attire,
' lose some of the enchantment lent by distance and paint. They arc, however,
idl agreeable and hospitably inclined, and ventilate their knowledge of the En
glish language for the entertainment of visitors, which seldom goes beyond the
ability to say, " How do?" "Too muchee hot," " Vou likee smoke?" the last
remark being nrcmnpanied with the proffer of a cigarette, Take it altogether
a visit to a Chinese theater, especially during the new year festivities, is far
from an unpleasant exienence, the pungent and all-pervading odor being its
only disagreeable feature, unless, indeed, one's nerves be so constituted as to
be set on edge by the incessant din of the orchestra.
POETS OK THE PACIFIC COAST.
The following award has been made by the judges of Thk West
Shore poetical contest for the month of February :
First I'KIZK No 14, " In the ('.rand Canyon," by Eva Enter)- Dye,
Oregon City, Oregon.
SwiiNIi I'KIZK No. 17, " My Heart is Hut a Harp," by Genie Clark
I'omeroy, Hoquiam, Washington.
TllIRK I'KIZK No. if), "Alone by the Sen," by Kmelir Tracy Y.
I'arkhursl, San Francisco, California.
The judges most highly compliment the writers of all the poems appear
ing on pagr 141 and 14J. They (ound great difficulty in arriving at a decis
ion, owing to the lad that so much merit was possessed by all the others.
There were still other Miems well worthy publication, but the limit of space
that can 1 devoted to them precludes it, and the editor is compiled to return
them with his regrets. It is a matter of pride (hat the Pacific coast possesses
o many writers of meritorious verse. The editor feels highly gratified at the
marked success of this contest, and execls it to increase in interest until the
final contest at the end of the year, when the grand pme will be awarded for
the best poem of the year. It has lieen decided to remove the prohibition
against prize winners competing again, and the monthly contests will be open
to every writer on (he Pacific coast, irresective of any former award of prizes.
To win a prize in a contest (kit has developed such merit as this is surely
most gratifying and worth the effort of every writer on the" coast.
HE TOOK A CIGAR.
It was election day, A tall, shin young man who looked as if he must
have sient twenty-four or live yean on this very desirable earth, suxkI lean
ing against a ost. His face was youthful, but he wore an enormous mus
tache, He did not look particularly brilliant, You would have taken him for
a persuadable youth anywhere, anil so he was taken by the friendly politician
with (lie smooth face and manner bland, who approached and engaged him
in conversation. He learned in a casual way tliat the young man had con
siderable influence with the whole " logging camp," so he stood and talked
for a straight hour, going over the good qualities of his pet candidates again
and again. Finally he paused, ami mopping oft' his brow and assuming a
confidential smile, he said ; " Now, let's go ami gel a cigar 1 then I'll take
THE WEST SHORE.
1 1.1. ...,;i.i, iiwk,. in
you up to vote." The youth grinned until every ,m .-. .
Lid he me vote ? Whv, I ain't twenty yet, an' there ain't a fellow in th'
whole camp 's old 's I be. I'll take a cigar though." Verily the way of the
politician is hard. m t m
Pl'ZZLEWITS PRIZES.
In the " Puzzlewits " department, three prizes are awarded monthly for
original panics accepted and published. The first prize for February is
awarded to No. 18, a Hollow Square, by V. A. N. Guard, of Sehome,
Washington, published February 21st. The second to No. 14, a Double
Diamond, by W. K, Arlington, Oregon, published February 14th. The
third to No. 21, a Wheel, by C. I). M., East Portland, Oregon, published in
this issue.
With this issue the February contest closes, but solvers have until the
tenth of March to send in their lists of answers to February puzzles in order
to compete for the prizes offered. The puzzles published in this department
are of a superior kind and tax the ingenuity of solvers severely. Of the Jan
uary list but two complete sets of answers were received, and appearances in
dicate that some hard ones have been found in the February installments.
One of these is the cryptogram, very few persons understanding.
Thk Cripple Talk about your philanthropists! Look at how they
ruined poor Jim Bixby.
THE BLIND M an Him with both legs bent ? What did they do to him ?
The Cripple Took him to a hospital and straightened both his legs.
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FRATI KNITY lll.OCK. COLFAX, WASHINGTON.
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