The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-09-10
DGWAY, ELK COUNTY, PA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER TO- 1874
Wan Lee rs a Printers Devil. ,

wan f<OV 40 lIihtcE'b DbfIl. >>
Bret Harte describes the exploits of
Chinaman in newspaper office. He
writes
It was deemed advisable for the next
three weeks to keep Wan Lee closely
confined to the printing office and the
purely mechanical part of the business.
Here he developed surprising quick
ness and adaptability, winning even the
favor and good will of the printers and
foreman, who at first looked upon his
introduction into the secrets of their
trade as fraught with the gravest politi-
cal significance. He learned to set
type readily and neatly, his wonderful
skill in manipulation aiding him in the
mere mechanical act, and his ignorance
of the language confning him simply
to the mechanical effort-confrming
the printers axiom that the printer who
considers or follows the ideas of his
copy makes a poor compositor. He
would set up deliberately long diatribes
against himself, composed by his fell
low-printers, and hung on his hook as
copy, and even such short sentences as
Wan Lee is the DEVILS own imp"
EVAN Lee is Mongolian rascal, 4"
and bring the proof to me with happi-
ness beaming from every tooth, and
satisfaction shining in his huckleberry
eyes.
It was not long, however, before he
learned to retaliate on his mischiev1ous
prosecutors. I remember one instance
in which his reprisal came very near
involving me in serious misunder-
standing. Our foreman's name was
Webster, and Wan Lee presently
learned to know and recognize the in
dividual and combined letters of his
name. 1t was during political cam.
paign, and the eloquent and fiery
Colonel Starbottle, OF Siskyou, had de.
livered an effective speech, which was
reported especially for the Northern
Star. In very sublime peroration
Colonel Starbottle had said, "In tie
language of the god-like Webster, I
repeat and here followed the quota
ton, which L have forgotten. Now it
CHANGED that Wan Lee, looking over the
galley after it had been revised, saw
the name of his chief prosecutor, and
of course imagined the quotation his.
After the form was locked up Wan Lee
took advantage of Webster's absence
to remove the quotation and substitute
q thin piece of lead of the same size as
the type engraved with Chinese char
acters, making sentence which, had
reason to believe, was an utter and alb.
ject confession of the incapacity and
of the Webster family
generally, and exceedingly eulogistic
Of Wan Lee himself personally.
The next mornings paper contained
Colonel Starbottle's speech in full, in
which it appeared that the "god-like
Webster had on one occasion uttered
his thoughts in excellent but perfectly
enigmatical Chinese. The rage of
Colonel Starbottle knew no bounds. I
have vivid recollection of that ad-
man walking into my Office
and demanding a retraction of the state
nent.
"But, my dear SIR" I asked, care
you willing to deny, over your own sig
nature, that Webster ever uttered such |
! sentence Dare you deny that, with
Mr.. Websters well-known attainments,
| knowledge of Chinese might not have
been among the number? Are you
Wiling to submit translation suitable
% the capacity of our readers, and deny,
lpon your honor as a gentleman, that
he late Mr.. Webster ever uttered such
sentiment ? If you are, sir, l am
Wiling to publish your denial"
The Colonel was not, and left, highly
Webster, the foreman, took it more
DOLLY. Happily he was unaware that
or two days after Cinnamon from the
from the gulches, from the
looked in the front Office door
With faces beaming with sardonic de-
ight that three hundred extra copies
f the Star were ordered for the wash
ouses on the river. He only knew
hat during the day Wan Lee OCCASION
lily went off into convulsive spasms,
nd that he was obliged to kick him
nto consciousness again. A week after
ne occurrence l called Wan Lee into
~ Office.
"Wan," I said, gravely, 81 should
Ike you to give me, for my own per-
onal satisfaction, translation of that
hinese sentence which my gifted coun-
lyman, the late god-like Webster, ut
cred upon a public OCCASION" Wan
zee looked at me intently, and then
1e slightest possible twinkle crept into ;
is black eyes. Then he replied, with (
quail gravity:
"Mishtel Webstel, he say: 'China
oy makee me belly much foolee. China
oy makee me heap SICK" Which, I ,
ave reason to think, was true.