The Republican journal., 1874-09-03


might have become under more favorable
! conditions than the bondsman Of an over
worked. undcrpaid, literary man, l don't
know; only knew that the scant, irrcgu-
lar, impnIsive kindnesSca that | showed
him We're gratefully received He was
very loyal and patient-two qualities rare
IN the average American servant. IleWas
| like Malyolio. ..sad and civil with me;
only once, and then under great provoca-
| ton. do remember of his exhibiting any
lmpalloncc. II wasmy habit after leaving
| the Office n night. to fake him with me to
my rooms. as the bearer OF any supple
mental or happy afler-thought in the edi-
1olla way. that might occur to me before
the paper went TO press. One night had
been Scrlbblin@ away past the usual hour
OF dlsmSsing Wan Lee, and had become
quite oblivious Of his presence in chair
near my door when suddenly | became
aware Of voice saying, in plaintive &C
cents, something that sounded like 'sChv
Lee"
faced around >lcmM,
Nv hat did yon saw
Me say 'Chv Lee
'Well?'' aid, impaliontly
You >abc How do. John =
-les.
You Sabe So long. John r."
Yes
"Nell, 'Chy Lee alice same
understood him quite plainly Ii Ap-
peared that "Chv Lee was Il form of
''9ood-night," and that Wan Lee was
anxious to 60 home. But an instinct Of
mischief which fear possessed in com
mon with him, impcllcd me to act as if
obliyious Of the hint muttered some
thing about not understanding him, and
again bent over my work. In 4 few min
utcs | heard his wooden shoes pattcring
pathetlcally over the floor. looked up.
lic was standing near the door
You no sabe, 'Chy lee p
NO." said, stcrnlv.
''1ou sabe mnchee biz tpolee alice
same,
And with this audacty upon his lips. he
I fled. The next morning, however, he
was as meek and patient as before, and
did not recall his offence. As q probable
peace-otlerlng, he BACKED all my boots,
a duty never required Of him,-includ-
n@a pair of buff dcerskin slippers and an
immense pair Of horsemans Jack boots.
on which he indulGcd his remorSe tor two
hours,
have spoken OF his honesty As being
| quality o1 his intellect rather than his
| principle, but recall about this time two
exceptions to the rule | was anxious to
\ get some fresh eggs. as Il change to the
| heavy diet ot n mining town, and knowing
that Wan Lees cOuntrymcn We're Great
poultry raiscrs, applied 10 him. lie fur
| nishcd me with them regularly every
morning but refused TO take any pay, say
| inc that the men did not sell 1hcm--a re-
marEahle instance Of Sclt-abnroation, as
eggs We're then worth half dollar apiece
bne morning my nei@hbor. Forster, drop
| ped in upon me NJ breakfast, and took or-
raainn 10 hcWail his own ill-tortune. rs his
( hens had late y stopped LAYING, or wan
| lcred oil III the bush Wan Lee, who was
/ present during om tolloqny preserved
( Ms Characteristic sad tacituni1y. When
my nci0hbor had cone he turned 10 me
with 4 slight chucklc: .'Fl0stel's hens
| Wan Lees hen$-allce same" Ills other
/ offence was more serious and ambitious
| 1t was season c1 Great irregularities in
! the mails. and Wan Lee had heard me
| ilnpl0rn The delay in the delivery of my
| letters and newspapers On arriving at
my office one dav | was amazed 10 find
| my table covered with letters. evidently
F.! Just from the poSl-oiicr. hnt unfortunate
| ly, mol one addressed 10 me. turned to
| Wan Lee. Who was surveying them With
q calm satisfaction, and demanded nm eX-
/ pana1on. 10 my horror he pointed TO nm
empty mailbag in the corner. and said :
'Pos1man he say NO lcller, ,John-nO
! lcttee, john po~tman plcntcc lie Post
man no GOOD. Me ca1chce lettce last
night-allcc same" Luckily ii WAS still
I early: the mails had not been distributed !:
! had hurried interview with the post
master, and Wan Lees bold attempt ut
robbin@ the United States mail wa, finally
condoncd by the purchase of new mail
BAG, and the whole affair thus kepta secret.
II my liking for my little Pagan page
had not been sufficient, my duty 10 Hop
Sing was enough to cause me to take
| Wan Lee with me when returned to san
| Francisco, after my two years experience
with The Northern Star. do not think
he contemplated the change with pleasure.
attributed his feelings to a nervous dread
Of crowded public streets, s,--when he had
to 90 across town for me on an crrand. he
always made 4 long circuit OF the out
| sIlirts,-to this dislike for the discipline
Of the Chinese and English school 10
which proposed to send him, to his fond
ness ior the free, yagrant life OF the mines.
to sheer wilfulness' That it might have
been Il superstltions premonition did not
occur TO me until long after.
Nevertheless it really seemed as if the
opportunity | had long looked for and
confidently expected had come,-the OPP
portunity of placing Wan Lee under gentle
restraining influences, of subiectng him
to life and experience that would draw
ont of him what good my superficial care
and ill-regulated kindness could not reach
Wan Lee was placed at the school Of a
j Chinese missionary-an intelligent and
! kind-hearted clergyman, who had shown
great interest in the boy, and who, better
than all, had wonderful faith in him. A
home was found for him in the family OF
i widow. who had bright and interest
ing daughter about two years younger
than Wan Lee. 1t was this bright, CHEEKY
innocent and artless child that touched
and reached 4 depth in the boys nature
that hitherto had been unsupported; that
awakened 4 moral susceptibility which
had lain for wears insensiblc alike to the
teachings OF society or the ethics of the
theologian.
These few brief months, bright with 9
promise that we never saw fulfilled, must
have been happy ones to Wan Lee. He
worshipped his little friend with some
thing Of the same superstition. but with
out any of the caprices that he bestowed
upon his porcelain pagan god 1t was his
delight TO walk behind her to school,
carrying her books,-a service always
iraught with danger to him from the little
, hands of his Caucasian Christian brothers
lie made her the most marvellous toys; he
would cut out of carrots and turnips the
most astonishing roses and tulips; he
made lifelikc chickens out Of melon-sccds
he constructed fans and kites, and was
singularly proficient to the making o.
| dolls paper dresses. On the other han6
she played and sang to him, taught him :
, thousand little prettinesses and refine
: ments only known to girls, gave him {
+ yellow ribbon for his pig-tail, as best suit
, ing his complexion, read to him, showed
, him wherein he was original and valuable