The Republican journal., 1874-09-03
Wan Lee, the Pagan.
El HRET HAhT.

Nri!oW paper covered WIN hlcro@lypncS
Wh'cii al l,rSt @E'hce inhoccnliy LOOK 1'
he lhe iahcl from pack ol Chinese llr'
oi',N.'1 qua 'ii' S'l''c c''l't "'N'
'oill'l''" ! Shl'Hti sup ~ lltf paper
with two Chinese characters traced il
india ink, that | al once knew t0 be llo,
Sing visiting card The whole, rs after
wards literally translated, ran a. follows
30 the stranger the gates of my house are mo-
closed: the ilce j;ir is on the left, and the
-, >WcrllnealS on me right ;> 70" enter.
IIosni, liz. u tl,e thc n;rt 'to ~ ,,,
wisdom Of tbc ancestor
The superior man is lighthrarted after the
cr"p-gatherng; he makes q festival
hen me str'n@cf Is IN your melon patel
a h In hinnaNt a' f 10" cPSJ n ,,'''e' j
Happiness. Peace ana Prosperity.
Iior SING"
Admirable, certainly, as was this moral
ity and proverbial wisdom. and although
this last axiom was erv characteristic o
my friend Hop sing, who was that most
sombrc OF all humorists, Chinese philos-
onhnr. | mi,st confess that. even after i
very free translation, was at a loss tC
make any immediate application OF the
message. Luckily | discovered n third
enclosure in the shape Of a little note in
English and Hon SINGS own commercial
hand II ran thus:
..v,h. n,oo.rro of ,o,,. ..o,,,,on,. ,.a,,,o.,o.
n No. = Sacramento strecf on trif,v >nnino
At $ O'Clock. \ cup Of tea al o-sharp.
llor SlN".
This explained all. 1t meant visit Il
Hop Sings warehouse. the opening and
exhibition Of some rare Chinese novelties
and cario3, chat in the back office, q cuI
Of tea Of a perfection unknown beyond
those sacred precincts, cigars, and a visit
to the Chinese theatre or temple This
was in fact the iavoritc programme OF Hon
Sing when he exercised his functions OF
hospitality rs the chief factor of cupcrin-
tendent Of the Ming Foo company.
At eight O'Clock on Friday evening
entered the warehouse OF Hop Sing
There was that dcliciously commin@lcd
mysterious foreign odor that had 50 often
noticed there was the old array of uncouth
looking objects. the Ion" procession Of Jar,
and crocl1cry, the same singular blending
Of the @rotcsque and the mathcmatically
neat and exact, the same endless Su@geS
tions OF triyolity and traoility. the same
want Of harmony in colors that were each
in themselves. beautiful and rare. Kite,
in the shape Of enormous dragons and @i
gantic butterflies; Kites 50 ngeniouslS
arranged as TO utter nj intervals. wher
facing the wind, the cry OF hawk; Kite,
:" large as to be beyond any boys power
ol feSiralnl--So large that yon understood
why k'ie-tiying IN China was an amuse
ment lor adults: "od| OF china and bronze
nS %raluIonSly ugly a7 /" be beyond any
human interest or sympathy from then
very lmpo9Slblltl; Jar> OF 'Weetmcat'
from '"nincH'; hats that looked like
hats; silks 50 Light that hesitate t'
record the incredible number OF square
wards mat You might pass through TIN
lln@ ON your llltlc lngef--lheSe and
great many other ndrscrihahle objects
were a lamlllar to me. pushed my way
through Inc dnnly-hGhted warehouse unit
! reached the back Office or parior. Where
found Hop sing waiting to receive me
Before describe him want the average
reader t" discharge from his mind any
idea OF thn3mm that he may have
gathered from the pantomime: lie die
not wear beautifully scallopcd drawer
lrn@ed with little Dells-l never met
thlnamah VINO did he did not habilua!l'
carry ms iorelih@cr extended before nm
al fl@ht angles with ms body, nor did
eVerhoar iim nltcr1hc mysterious sentence
''thln@ rlnG ring chaW, nor dance
| under any proYocalion. lie was on tn
whole rather grave, dccorous, handsom
gentleman. HIS complexion, which OK
tended All oyer his head except where hi
long plg-tall grew, was like a very ME
piece OF glazed brown papcr-musln. Iii
eyes were black and bright. and his eye
lids set at an angle of - deg his nos
straight and delicately formed. his mouti
small, and ms teeth white and clean. III
wore dark blue silk blouse; and in th
streets, on cold days, 4 short Jacket O
astrakhan fur. He wore also Il pair O
drawers OF blue brocadc gathered tight
over his calves and ankles, offering
general sort OF suggestion that he ha
| forgotten his trousers that morning, bu
that, 50 gcntlcmanly were his manners
his friends had forbornc to mention tn
| fact 10 him. His manner was urbane
| although quite serious He spoke ircnc
and English tiuently. In brief, doubt
you could have found the equal of 1hi
Pagan shop-kccper AMONG the Christie
traders Of San Francisco.
There We're q few others present:
Judge OF the federal court, an editor,
high government official, and a aprominer
merchant. After we had drank our tca
and tasted few sweetmcats from mys
terlous Jar, that looked as if it might cor
tam a preserved mouse among its otho
nondescript treasures, Hop Sing arose and
grayely beckonlng US to follow him, bega
to descend to the basement. When W
got there, we were amazed at finding
brilliantly lighted, and that number {
chairs We're arranged in halt-circlc O
the asphalt pavement. When he ha
courteously seated us he said
Il have invited you to witness 4 PEI
formancc which can AT least promise 70
no other foreigners but yourselves hay
ever seen. Wang, the court iuggler. Il