Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-12-26
Wan Lee as Printers Devil"


Ii 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 deyeloped a surprising
favor and good will of the printers and foreman,
Nho at hrst looked upon his introduction into
the secrets OF their trade as fraught With the
gravest political significance. He learned - set
type readily and neatly, his wonderful skill in
manipulation aiding him in the mere mechani-
cat act, and his ignorance OF the language con-
flung him simply 20 the mechanical effort
confirming the printers axiom that the printer
who considers or follows the ideas of his copy
makes poor cOmpOsitor. He would ser up de-
lberately long distrlbes against himself, com
posed by his fellow printers, aud hun on his
hook as copy, AMI even such short 01nces az
WAN Lee is the devils own imp" 'Wsn Lee
Is Monaghan rascal" and bring the proof to
me with happiness beaming from every tooth
and satisfaction shining in his huckieberry eyes.
1t was not long, however, before he learned %
retaliste on his miSchievOus prosecutors. | re-
member one instance in which his reprisaI
came very near involving me in a serious mis-
understanding. Our foremau'S name was Web
SteT, and Wan Lee presently learned TO know
and recognize the individual and combined let
tors o. his name. IL was during political cam
pA'gn, and the eloquent and fiery Col. StarbOt-
tie, Of SiSkyuu. mad delivered an effective
~fsrech, which vas reported especially for "The
No ,heTn Stsr." In very sublime perOra'ion
Col. StfrhOttla had said: "In the language o.
TIE god-hke Webster, pest,'-snd here fol-
lowed tie quotation, which have forgotten.
N'g, it CHANGED that " an Lee. boxing over the
gel after It had been revised, saw the name
at bis ch itf prose utOr and, OF course imagined
the quotation his. After the form was locked
W.. Wan lee took advantage of We5ster's alb
se1ce I" remove the quotation, and suhstituts "A
tn piece of lead Of the same size rs tue tvpe,
trgraved with Chinese characters, making
o ,Jsuce which, had reason to believe, was an
utter and abl7ct confession OF the inc8pACitg
ard orenSiveness of tue Webster family gem
orally, and exceedingly eulogistic OF Wan Lee
himself personally.
Tie next mornings paper contained Col
sta bot les speech in full, in which IL appeared
that the ''gOd-like'' Webster had on one occa-
SION uttered lis thoughts III excellent but per-
fectly enigmaticai Chinese. The rage OF Col.
StaThOtte knew no bounds. | have a vivid
recollection OF that admirable man walking
into my office and demanding retractiOn of the
statement.
"But, my dear sir" asked, care you willing
to deny, over your own signature, that Webster
ever uttered such q sentence? Dare you deny
that, with Dir. Webster'a well known attain
ments, knowledge of Chinese might not hs "a
been among the humber? Are you willing q
submit a translation suitable to the capacity of
our readers, and deny, 1pon your honor a. a
gentleman, that the late Mr.. Webster ever ut
tered such a sentiment? II yOu are, sir, 1 am
willing TO publish your denial"
The Col. was not, and left, highly indignant.
Webster, the foreman, took it more cO0lly.
Happily he was unaware that for two days
after, Cinnamon from the laundres, from the
clutches from the kitchens. looked in the front
Office door with faces be aiming with sard0nic de-
light; that three hundred extra copies OF the
''StaT" were ordered for the wash houses on tn
river. He only knew that during the day Wan
Lee occasionally went OFF into conclusive
spasms, and that he was obliged to kick hi m in
to consciousness again. A week after the occur
renee called Wan Lee into my office.
wan" said, gravely, 81 should like you TO
give me, FOR my own personal satisfaction, a
Translation of that Chinese sentence which nv
gifted countrymaD, the late god-Iiks Webster,
uttered upon public OCCASION" Wan Lee
looked at me intently, and then the slightest
possible twinkle crept into his black eyes. Then
he replied, with equal gravity:
"Mshtel, Webstel,--hes say: China boy m akee
me belly much fOOlee. China boy makee me
heap sick.'" Which have reayon to tn NIX WA 3
true" Van Lee, the Pagan" ScriJH. RS for Sep
tender.