The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-04-18
A CLOSE SHAVE.

koOulo JcdIo dRO Was db
the Yokohama branch of one of our
great Indian banks. At the time of
which l am writing the natives of Japan
had not entirely lost that simplicity
which made them pay so dearly for the
civilization they now strut about in.
The character of the lower classes had
not yet been altered by innovation and
reform, and the commercial relations
between the sons of Niphon and the
traders of the West resembled very
much those which Mr.. Dietrich Knicker-
booker describes as existing between the
Dutch traders and the aboriginal Ameri-
cans under the happy reign of Van
Twiller. Difficulties arose occasionally ;
for John Bull, wherever he has planted
his foot, has shown himself generally to
be bit of a bully; and the Japanese,
high-spirited and warlike race, occasion
ally resented attempts at bullying by
drawing their swords in remote, unfre-
qnented places on solitary, defenseless
foreigners; the result of which was that
Her Britanic Majesty's charge Pafaires,
with very plausible grounds of excuse,
generally extorted pretty round sum
from the native government, and by
thus appealing to the TOUGHEST point of
the Japanese purses-procured
for a certain interval tranquility and
peace. However, the Japanese soon
saw that the Western barbarians really
meant nothing worse than barter and
trade, go they dropped their price and
their swords, and descended to the arena
on equal terms.
Trade was then good; there was less
rivalry amongst bankers and merchants
than at present; the greed for gain had
not yet turned the heads of the natives,
tea and silk paid well, and our hals-
yearly balance-sheets generally showed
well on the right side. We had plenty
of work to do, but we also had plenty of
leisure, and at most times one of our
staff could leave his duties for a few
days ramble up the country, or yacht
ing expedition down the bay. For the
information of those unacquainted with
the Office arrangements of the far East,
it may be stated that offices are divided
in two distinct sections-the European
and Asiatic. In the European depart
ment are the manager or principal, the
juniors, and the Portuguese clerks. All
the head and book work is done here !;
there is no paying coin over the coun-
ter, or, in fact, any contact with the
outer world beyond the mere inspection
of drafts and cheques handed in for pay
ment. In the Asiatic section are the
compador, Chinaman, generally speak
ing, the petty king of the whole estab-
ishment; the " shroffs, also Chnamen,
who are the actual receiving and paying
cashiers, and who have absolute charge
of the counter business, subject, OF
course, 10 subsequent checking by the
Europeans; and the Japanese coolies.
At our bank European always super
intended the weighing of all dollars re-
ceiyed during the day at the termination
of business hours, saw them packed,
and locked up in the treasury. Beyond
this there was little interference with
the hard money arrangements on the
part of the Europeans; and hence the
comprador schreffs were chosen. not
only for their intimate knowledge of all
the ins and outs of exchange, and of the
thousand andone dodges of the natives,
but for their good birth, education and
respectability.
The tea season was well advanced and we
werefairly busy; the weather was oppres-
sively hot and dusty in our settlement,
80 the European junior had a fortnight's
leave for ramble up the country. 1,
as accountant, did his work as well as
my own, and amongst the extra duties
which devolved upon me was the weigh.
ing of the dollars every evening, and
seeing them safely locked up in thu
treasury. As went into the Office one
morning, the comprador met me at thu
door, grihning all over with excitement
and pointing to a paragraph in tn,
daily paper, which announced that on,
of the great native banks in Curio stree
had been robbed of some five Thousand
pounds worth of gold coin, and that n,
trace had yet been found either of th,
robbers or their booty, remarked: /"
think that belong number one cleve
robbery. S'pose we no can keep sharl
look-eut allo same happen to U.S." So
thought, and gave orders that tn
momban" or night-gate guard shoul,
be doubled, that the treasure lock
should be seen to, and that every pre-
caution should be taken to oguard agains
nocturnal visits.
One evening, some weeks after this
when autumn had fairly arrived an
the days began to draw in, the comprs
dor told me as we were putting the do
lars into the treasury-I had got th
notion into my head that l would Sc
them in every night myself, notwitE
standing that my junior had long sine
returned-that some japanese Of hig
birth and rural position who had nevt
been into European settlement befor
wished very much to see our treasur,