The Child Wore A Crown On Her Head, The Basis Of Which Was Black
Velvet.
At the top was an aigrette of diamonds of the purest water,
the centre one as large as a sixpenny-piece.
Solitaires flashing blue
flames blazed all over the cap, and the front was ornamented with a
dragon in fine filigree work in red Malay gold set with diamonds. I
fear to be thought guilty of exaggeration when I write that this child
wore seven necklaces, all of gorgeous beauty. The stones were all cut
in facets at the back; and highly polished, and their beauty was
enhanced by the good taste and skilful workmanship of the setting. The
first necklace was of diamonds set as roses and crescents, some of them
very large, and all of great brilliancy; the second of emeralds, a few
of which were as large as acorns, but spoilt by being pierced; the
third of pearls set whole; the fourth of hollow filigree beads in red,
burned gold; the fifth of sapphires and diamonds; the sixth a number of
finely worked chains of gold with a pendant of a gold filigree fish set
with diamonds; the seventh, what they all wear, a massive gold chain,
which looked heavy enough even by itself to weigh down the fragile
little wearer, from which depended a gold shield, on which the Chinese
characters forming the child's name were raised in rubies, with fishes
and flowers in diamonds round it, and at the back a god in rubies
similarly surrounded. Magnificent diamond earrings and heavy gold
bracelets completed the display.
And all this weight of splendor, valued at the very least at $40,000,
was carried by a frail human mite barely four feet high, with a
powdered face, gentle, pensive expression, and quiet grace of manner,
who came forward and most winsomely shook hands with us, as did all the
other grave gentle mites. They were also loaded with gold and diamonds.
Some sugar-plums fell on the floor, and as the eldest girl stooped to
pick them up, diamond solitaires fell out of her hair, which were
gathered up by her attendants as if they were used to such occurrences.
Whenever she moved her diamonds flashed, scintillated, and gave forth
their blue light. Then came the children of the richest Chinaman in
Malacca, but the little gentle creatures were motherless, and mourning
for a mother lasts three years, so they were dressed in plain blue and
white, and as ornaments wore only very beautiful sapphires and diamonds
set in silver.
Do not suppose that the Chinese New Year is a fixed, annual holiday
lasting a day, as in Scotland, and to a minor extent in England. In
Canton a month ago active preparations were being made for it, and in
Japan nine weeks ago. It is a "movable feast," and is regulated by the
date on which the new moon falls nearest to the day "when the sun
reaches the 15 degrees of Aquarius," and occurs this year on January
21st.
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