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 devoted husbands at the end of the year, when debts must be discharged which they are unable to pay, an excuse for committing suicide.

The married lady rises early, and first sees that tea is pre- pared for her husband, as well as some hot water for his morning bath The same attention is also exacted by the mother-in-law; for she is always present, like the guardian angel of her son. As a rule, however, the mother-in-law is not held to be an angel by the wife, who, during the lifetime of her husband's mother, has to be a very drudge in the house. It may be unkind to relate it, but the truth must be told: the ladies in the morning fly about with shoes down at heel — that is, the Tartars do, who have not small feet — dressed en deshabille^ and shouting out their orders to the domestic slaves. In short, a general uproar prevails in many Chinese households until everything for the elaborate toilet has been procured.

Each lady has generally one or two maids, besides a small slave-girl who waits on these maids and trims and lights her mistress's pipe. The dressing of a lady's hair occupies her atten- dants from one to two hours ; then a white paste is prepared and daubed over her face and neck, and this, when dry, is smoothed and polished once. Afterwards a blush of rose-powder is appHed to the cheeks and eyelids, the surplus rouge remaining on the lady's palm, as a rose-pink on the hand is greatly esteemed. Next they dye the nails red with the blossom of a certain flower, and finally they dress for the day. Many of them have chig- nons and false hair; but no hair-dyes are used, for raven hair is common and golden tresses are not in repute. Numbers of ladies pass a portion of their time in embroidering shoes, purses, handkerchiefs and such like gear; while before marriage, nearly all their days are occupied in preparations for the dreary event