, 1874-08-22
WAN LEE, THE PAGAN.
a Sketch by Hret IInrtc.

tnnocoatlv took to bo tho label from pack Of
Chinoao fira-crackors. But the same onvelopo
also contained q smaller strip Of rico rapor, with
tWo Chtnoae characters traced in india ink, TINT
l At once knew to bo nop Sing's whiting card.
The WHOLE as afterwards literally trn slatud, ran
~ follows:
"Io the strauger tho sasca Of rns l.os,se sro not
s!ossa tl,o rlre jar d IN tho loft, and tha
~, hweatmcats un tho right M you otltsr.
aFtsll!y !. IL IL ,ras ssF"e Of the son mi, tn.
Misdoin OF tho ancestor. ....
Tho Superior nun ia light -hcar,ed after tbs
,erop.EathcrnB: llo mikes 4 festival
Whsa the stfunger ia III ynur neou-pate.h observe
1lappniss, Peace, and Prosperity.
}Ior s,sa."
Admirable, cortalnly, as Wan tt,la morality and
provorbial wisdom, and although thiB last axiom
was vory characteristics Of my lriond Hop Sing,
who was tl.at most sonlbor Of all humorfste,
4 CHINESE PHILOSOPHER,
must confess that, even attor vary free trana-
latioi,, was ut loaa 10 mako any immediate ar.
plcntlon Of tho tncosago. Luckily discovered
= third enclosure III tho shape OF 1ittlo note in
English and Hop Sings own commercial .hald.
It ran ssllla:
Tho pleasure Of sour company Ia requested al No.
Sacramento stra Ct. Oh friday evening II O'Clock.
cup OF tca vi 9--shnrp lior srsa.
This explained all. It meant visit to Hop
Sings warehouse, the opening and exhibition OF
sou,s rare Ollinosc novelties nnd curios. chat
In tho buck oAlco, a cup Of toa Of perfection
unknown beyond thcao sacred precincts, clanrs
and visit to the Chinese theatto or eenhplo.
This was in fact Tho fnyorito programme Of Hop
Sing whom he exercised lB functtuns Of litfspi-
ta1ity as the chief factor OF Snperintondcnt OF
tho Ming Zoo Company.
At O'clock OH friday evening I entered
THE WAREHOUSE OF HOP a1HH.
There waB that doIlclousiy oommllglel nlys-
terlnua foreign odor that had 30 ofton noticed;
thero was tho old array Of nncouth lookng OBJ
tne long or 1ars ana
and tho Enathenatica|ly noat An1 exact, tile
aanlo op1loss suggestions Of fryolty and
flagiGty, the aamo want Of harmony in colosaa
that waro oacht In themselves, beautiful aud
md gigantic butterflies; kitos 30 inEcnlously ar
ranged az to utter at intervals. when facing tho
wind tho cry Of hawk; kites 30 largo as 10 bc
beyond any boys po"or Of rostraint-so lnrgo
that you understood why hlte-flylng In Chiua
waa OH amusement for adults; gods. Of china
aud bronze 30 gratutouRly ugly a. to bo beyond
auy h1man interest or sympathy from, ttleir yory
imposs,biaIty; jars of Bwootmoats covered NIL
over With moral sentiments from Confaci1s;
hats TINT Looked lil'o basketB, and baakess that
i hesitate to to- record lhe incredible
number Of aquare yards that you might
pass through tho ring OH yonr little lngor--
thoso mud 4 great many other indoscrfbablo OBJ
1ects WeFo Rll lanlllhs u Ne.+ petaisoA NY WAY
through tho dlmly,lislitcd warehouse until 7
reached tho back olllco or rnrlor, whcro found
Hop Sing waiting to rocaivo me.
before dosuiibo Lin want tho average
reader to discharge from Ills mind aiy
, 'dea Of ,uo Cinnamon ANA IT,, that .o,,Ir 10 may
Ho did not wear beantifnlly sea)lopcd drawers
fringed with little boliB-I never met d Chlna~
1nap who did he did not habitually carry his
foretuger extended bcfore him at right angles
Il III.
mysterious sentence 'Chng d ring a ring
chaw," nor dance under my proyocatton. Ho
was, on the whole, rather .--..
GRAVE DKCoHoua, HANDSOME GENTLEMAN.
His complexion, which estendea MI over his
was like Z worry nice pieco Ut glazod
brown paper-1nusn. His eyes were black
and BRIGHT aud lis oyods not at mn anglo
Of ID '.sgrces; hla nose straight and
gel dssaa sat nad s mopn oro s%% o aa
silk blouse and in tue strcets on cold days.
short JACKIE. Of astrakhan fur. 11o wore also d
pair OF drawers Of blue brocndo gathered tightly
over liis calvoa aud ankleB, olferinR general
sort Of suggestion TINT ho haa forgotten h1s
wore his manners, h!s frieads had forhoruo TO
mention tho fact to him. His manner was
urbane, although quite serious, 1io spoke
Freuuh md English aucntly. In brief, doubt
II YOU could have found The equal Of tbls Pagan
Trancieco.
,Tlero ware few others present Judge Of
tho Federal Court, a,i editor, high government
oflicial, and q prominent mB1 chant. Attor wo
had drunk orr ton, aud tasted few Bweetmeats
from mysterious iar, that looked Us If it might
contain d preserved mouge among its otner
nondescript treasures, Hop Sing usose and.
grayely bechoning us to follow him, began to
iescopel to the basement. When 10 got there,
We vero amazed ut finding It brilliantly lighted,
md that numbor Of c1a,fs we're arranged in q
haif-circle on the asphalt pavement. When he
bad oou1 teousIy seated uH lie said:
~ have invited you to wituesu performance
which can at least promise you no other for
eigupra but yourselves have ever gocn.
WANG, THE COURT 1uaazzn,
arrived hero yesterday morning. Ho has never
given performance outside Of tho palace be-
foro, I ksvo askod him to entertain my friends
thia evening. Ho ragulrcA no theatre, stage, ao-
ccsaories, Or any misunderstanding moro
than YOU seo here. Will you DO pleased to ex-
nmiue tho ground yourselves, gentlemen2"
or course we examincd tho promises. It WAS
tho ordinary basement or ce!Gr Of tho San Fran
ciaco storeAouso, comonted to keep out tho
damp, Wo poAed our sticks INTO the pavement
nntt rnnpcl on tho walls to sattsiy our polito
hns.. Lyt for no other purpoea. We were auita
content to be the victims Of my clovor decep-
ZION For myself, knew I was ready to be de-
iudad to nny oxtent aud If had beon offered nj