The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-02-10


fourished
As the mute naples. in MEMS sight, so well.
Million C. Richards, in Apptetom's Journal
CHINESE SPECULATION.
ut is a tempting offer, MIR. Sin-l n-tsi
very tempting" said l, hesitating and
PUZZLED.
Then why you not say, Yes-one great
big Ies-and let US shake hands upon the
bargain: ," returned the Chinese merchan,
promptly, but with an odd expression, as
fancicd, in those long, sly, sloe-black
eyes of his.
Now, the proposal in question was a
tempting one, addressed to a poor fellow
like myself, who had suddenly slid down
some rounds of Fortunes ladder. I,
Frank Hepburn, bred to the sea, had late
ly been chief officer of a noble clipper
ship, the Swiitsure, and with the certainty
of becoming her captain in two voyages
more. Our owners, fine old fashioned
specimens of the British merchant, had
become insolvent through the failure OF
some bank, and their vessels had been sold
for another trade. There was I, reduced
to kick my heels ON the quays ofShanghai,
waiting for an engagement, while my
little venture, as part owner of the Swift
sure, was lost in the general ruin. What
made matters worse was that was in love
and be,rothed to pretty Lillian Travis, the
niece of a worthy member of the British
mercantile community established in that
strange city that the magician Commerce
has conjured up at the mouth of the great
river, and that now our marriage seemed
to be almost hopelessly deferred. l was
thirty-two years of age aud had nothing
left to me save nay robust health and pro.
fessional knowledge. Quite unexpected.
ly Sin-lin-tsi, with whom my acquaintance
was of the slightest, had accosted me in
his blandest manner, and had proposed
that | should assume the command of q
large and new steamer, thu CaSsandra,
which belonged to himself and partner.
and was bound on a coasting voyage to
Canton and Singapore, with valuable
cargo and sundry passengers. The salary
named was liberal one, and the position,
as was assured, permanent.
1t may seem unreasonable on my part
that hung back, instead of closing ca
gerly with so advantageous a proposition
but then l had heard odd stories coupled
with the names of my would be employers.
Ah-chung and Sin-lin. Isl had, unless fame
belied them, made their money through
queer channels, and were deemed to be
inscriptions even beyond the average of
their countrymen. Ah-chung was an
enormously corpulent and silent old
Chinaman, two OF whose sons were man.
darins; but the junior partner, who was
fluent in the English tongue, was we'll
known In Shanghai as h pushing man of
business, while both we're reputed to be
rich. l suppose that Sin las we Familiarity
styled him in his absence) read my
thoughts, for he lightly laid his claw like
finger nails on my sleeve anu said: "Aha!
Why, you say, Mr.. Hepburn, why Chi
nesc give steamer to your Just this-you
got stout heart, and cool head plenty much
Not do this Initiating the action of
drinking); land so save ship, if storm
come Or bad thieves come. Chinese trust
you"
l began to think it not improbable that
such reputation as had acquired for sea-
manship and steadiness might after all
have been the real reason for the prefer
ence shown me.
A fine steamer was the Cassandra, glist-
ening in all the freshness of her new paint
and trim rigging, as having acceded to
her owners offer, Sin-1in- tsi took me out
into the haroor to inspect the craft of
which l was to be commander. Two
lighters or RATS lay alongside of her,
whence the pig-tailed stevcdores were
bustling, like so many laden ants, over her
gangway. A fine ship, neat and taut, as
though turned out of bandbox, and by
no means the sort of vessel likely to be-
long to Ah-chung and partner.
Your chief officer" remarked Sin
carelessly, when had admired the mir
rors and gliding of the best cabin, twill
be first-chop seaman. You know Bates ~
Not the American! Not Brasidas
Bates?" asked ], with a start. Sin nod
ded, but looked and felt grave. That
MIR. Bates, of Baltimore, known as "Chi-
naman Bates" in Shangh parlance, on
account of his taste for Chinese customs
and associates, was first-rate. seaman, l
could not deny. But he bore a dubious
character, and had Sin and his fat partner
made him their Captain, with secret sail
ing orders to plumber and scuttle every
detcnseless junk he sighted, should have
been less surprised than at their selection
of myself.
'Duckett," Sin made haste to saw, els
second officer. He your old shipmate -
This was true, and a good sailor was
Bill Duckett, when the brandy bottle was
kept out of his reach, but l rather won
dered that the cautious Chinese should
have viewed his besetting weakness so in
diligently. And our head engineer!'' I
inquired; land the third mate? for three
are needed for so big a steamer"
Sin lin-tsi very handsomely left the an
pointment of these two functionaries to
myself, and we parted on excellent terms.
Throughout the remainder of that day
and the greater part Of the next the cues.
ton would keep recurring to my mind. as
though some haunting demon had whis-
pered it in my ear: Why did Ah-chung
and Company seek me out to sail their
steamer. Even dear Lilian,s innocent
joy or her uncle's hearty cougratul atoms
could not blind me to the fact that there
must lie something to account for the ex-
traordinary appreciation of my nautical
merits shown by Sin and his partner. The
sort OF shippers whom Chinese shipown-
ers like to engage are-well! perhaps are
best defined as men of elastic conscience.
ready to drop the honest trader at short
notice, and to be smngglers Or worse when
crooked courses promise high profit.
1t SO happened that my doubts were to
be solved, and with vengeance. for "A 7
was making my way homewards by
short cut from the house of Mr.. Travis.
l heard my own name mentioned and
mechanically came to q halt, close to q
ruinous godoaon, or native warehouse. void
OF goods new, and through the rotten and
preached bamboo walls Of which caught
a glimpse Of two persons in earnest con-
versation. One wore the flowing robe
and satin boots, which sufficiently denot.
ca his nationality; the other was in Euro
Pean garb.
We must cut his throat, said the
latter, thoughtfully; "for Frank Hep
burns clear grit, though never liked
the dog" -, EssI as@T7s,E
Must You, indeed, Mr.. Batess,
thought l, for l had recognized my
precious first officer in the gentleman ia
blscR shore-going clothes; "but with