Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-06-28
The Chinese.


traveller in China in relation to the
teeming multitudes around him, after
that of the mere novelty of forms
and customs, is the intense industry
OF every one he sees. The river
people do not wait for wind nor tide
but drive vessels as large as our
briggs and schooners by numerous
longside oars or immense sculling oars
behind or on either quarter of the
stern and the water is crowded with
men and women and children, toiling
IN their vessels Of various shapes,
buying and selling the commodities
OF the loom, the garden or the shop.
On the shore he looks over n barren
landscape every portion Of which
except barren hillsides is cultivated
to the highest degree and covered
with different kinds of grain, vegeta-
bles and fruit. The narrow streets
are packed with men intent upon all
the varied employments Of the in
habitants of great cities, and are lined
on either side with shops for the
manufacture and sale of the countless
articles which numerous and luxu-
rious population can require. Abodes
of wealth adorn the more retired
streets or the suburbs. The rich
project and push their larger schemes;
the poor struggle and toll for the
subsistence Of the passing day. There
is no Sabbath known, and few hoIi-
days are observed. No equal popu-
lation OF any other part Of the Old
World is more intently and inces-
sanity busy than that of the cities
and towns Of China. x
The next cardinal virtue of the
Chinese is economy The sustenance
of the masses Of humanity within
the limits of the empire requires the
utilization of every possible material
suitable for food, raiment, fuel or the
mechanical arts. There is scarcely
any imaginable form of matter for
which use is not found. And the
ingenuity with which cheap and
common materials, such as the bam-
boo, paper, slate or pottery, are APP
piled to purposes of necessity, com
fort or ornament is remarkable and
sometimes even amusing.
The employer may be sure that in
any department Of labor in which he
can trust the honesty, or be thor
roughly cognizant of the conduct Of
laborers, there viii be care exercised
as to the tools, utensils, raw material
and the odds and ends, the saving of
which may possibly constitute the
chief advantage of the business
When food is provided it will not
be wasted, though it may be dispos-
ed of otherwise. Clothing will be
kept, so long as the native pride is
maintained, scrupulously neat, as to
external appearance at least. \ y
A third general characteristic of
Chinese labor is the intelligence. In
the South of China the people are SO
generally taught to read that it is
rare to meet with man who does
not know the common printed char
acters in books. They think for
themselves, and generally perform
their work in q straightforward and
sensible manner. When necessary
to learn foreign methods of mechani-
cal or other work, they readily COM
prehend the explanations, ascertain
what is essential, and learn the nee
essary manipulations or forms. 1t
is however important to teach them
correctly at the beginning, since
their arts and methods are so very
different from our own, and they
have been 50 long accustomed to
follow their old prccedents, that when
they take up ours and once fix them
in their memory, it is difficult 70
induce them to change.
i = Combined with. intel
ligeuce is Willingness. 1t amounts
to cheerfulness and mirth among
each other and those with whom
they feel at ease. But to employers
generally they manifest most re-
freshing promptness and Willingness
to do just what they are asked to do.
The habit of Difference and politeness
is instilled with their mothers milk.
The first care of father is to teach
his son the language of proper respect
toward kindred and superiors. Amid
all the necessary .iarring and jam
ming of the crowded streets of a
Chinese city, or of the countless
boats in swift tide upon a Chinese
river, the amount of good nature,
forbearance and courtesy exhibited
is constant source Of pleasant sur
prise to those who have been accus-
toned TO the Oaths, the bad passions
and the blows seen and heard in SIM
liar circumstances in our sea-coast
cities or on our rivers in the East or
West. Many are the times in which
the missionary in China, acquainted
with the language, when he hears
the angry and bitter words which
the presence of foreigners provokes,
turns to the crowd and appeals to
them in some little pleasantly,
or with the inquiry whether they
consider such conduct to be polite !;
in a moment the sound Of their own
tongue, and manifestation of acquain-
lance with good manners" disarms
them, and they express regret for
what has been offensive. The ordi-
nary labor Of servants is done with
out the surlIness and muttering and
reluctance which are considered by
many of that class to be a preroga-
tive in virtue of their condescending
to an inferior position.-ReU. W.Speer.
ses-A gentleman who has a mania
for the collection of curiosities pro-
cured an Australian boomerang, q
weapon made expressly for throwing
around corner. He went out to
practice with it, but with Indifferent
success. The physicians have dress
ed the scalp wound, and think per-
haps he may recover the use of his
left eye. ss