The Hickman courier., 1881-09-23
The Washee-Washee at School.

There is a school for the Chinese IN
Philadelphia, and the Times of that
city tells how John Chinaman is I'M
proving the shining hour:
Mr.. So is forty years of age, and
although he has lived in America five
years he hasn't even mastered the simple
beauties of "pidgin" English. He is
the dolt of the school, but that fact
doesn't seem to disturb him particle,
and the look of pleased astonishment his
face wore when he was told for the
twentieth time that "a is the first let
ter of the alphabet would have driven
any but Christian teacher to distraction.
"H-e-n said the teacher. as he wrote
those letters on the blackboard and re-
ceived sn approving smile from Mr.. 80.
+ "'What does that spell?" continued
the instructor.
The pupil smiled, scratched his left
side and reflected.
THAT is hen-a chicken, said the
teacher.
g Me s.be hen" replied Mr. So as
coolly rs though the information was
not by any means new.
"Well, write it." said the teacher,
thrusting a piece of chalk into the
| Mongolians right hand. The idea of
asking him to write struck the other
seekers after knowledge as extremely
funny, and Sam Hing, King Gee, Moi
Kee and Chang Lung giggled like over
| grown schoolkoys. The slow pupil
| smiled, eyed the writing on the black
board critically, grasped his crayon
firmly and to the astonishment of the
Caucasians III the room executed an al
most perfect imitation of the teachers
chirography of the world hen.
a. - I
Chicken" was the nonchalant re
sponse of the pupil, as no moved toward
his seat.
''Not chicken, hen, said the instruc-
| tor in correction.
ALE same hen, allie same chicken, y
replied Mr.. SO, philosophically, as he
dropped into his seat and famed his
fevered brow with his primer.
A lady and gentleman were the only
teachers In this school The lady devoted
herself to An How, while John Lung
looked on and yawned at regular intervals
as though he was dreadfully bored. All
How, however, appeared to take great
interest in his studies. The male teacher
spent the greater part of the school hom
in instructing Quong Wha and All Loon
the latter being much the brighter
student 1.-The fox has hen, said the
teacher, reading from the primer. 1.-THE
fox has a hen," repeated the pupils
spelling out the words.
"This Is the picture, said the tutor,
pointing to an engraving.
- Me sabe fox, me sabe hen, replied
All Loon, eyeing the picture.
"What Fol fox got him hen?" inquired
Quong, examining the wood-cut.
He wants to eat 1t, answered Tia,
teacher
Belly good fox, was the sententioui
criticism OF Quong, as he looked gravell
at the teacher, who was evidently I'M
prepared for any such philosophical ut
terance and consequently did not attemp
70 reply to it.
About this time the attention Of nearl,
every one in the room was attracted b,
the suppressed laughter OF MOI Kee an,
King Gee, who were enjoying the fiut
tering of paper butterfly, manufacture,
and set afioat by Sam Hing. The arti
fetal insect was captured and the cours
of study went on. The teachers hea
the lessons of each pupil separately, an,
so long as they are under the eyes c
their preceptors the pupils are as meel
and studious as any one could wish, bu
their moments are not spent in study
that IS, TO any great extent Tn
teachers, however, are loud in thei
praises of the scholars aud say the
learn with remarkable rapidIty.