Rev. Mr. Ostrom, of Oroville, who has served as a missionary in China and whose heart is still there, states the following “general facts”: “Their preparation for the New Year is commenced weeks before the close of the old. One of the first things is to plant the Narcissus——a water lily called by the Chinese ‘the water angel flower’——so that it may be in bloom on New Year’s Day. A beautiful legend connected with this flower is everywhere told and believed in China. In a certain district of the Fo Kien province lived a man who had two wives and a son by each wife. The man died, leaving a farm, which the elder brother seized, allowing to the younger brother only a small, marshy corner, through which ran a sluggish stream. These lilies were found growing in the stream——all that the marsh and stream produced. The gentler younger brother, loving the beautiful flower, cultivated it, and found that it would always bloom on the New Year. Its beauty and fragrance won the admiration of many and the demand for the bulbs increased till finally it came in from all parts of China, and the wealth of the owner of the little stream and marsh soon surpassed that of the avaricious elder brother. Then, through some pretence, the latter took possession of the little stream and marsh, expecting thus to grasp the revenue from the sale of the lilies. But, lo! when New Year came, they refused to bloom. Conscience-stricken by this apparent rebuke of the gods, the marsh and the stream were surrendered to their rightful owner, and then, strange to say, the lilies bloomed forth as before. “Such is the legend; now for plain facts. At the close of the year the house is cleaned, and dressed on its posts and walls with new red paper containing good words from the sages. On the last day of the old year, every family worships the ancestral tablet, and the idols, with offerings of slain birds and other animals, with vegetable delicacies added. Eight kinds of meat are offered to the ancestral tablets, and only fish, pork and chicken to the idols. Fruit, and a pudding cooked in boiling lard are also used as offerings. These furnish the feasts for the following day; for the spirits only inhale the perfume, leaving the substance for base mortals.