Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1881-09-10

Times OF that city tells how John
Chinaman is improving the shining
hour:
Mr.. So is 40 years of age, and al
though he has lived in America five
wears he hasn't even mastered the
simple beauties of "pidgin' English.
He is the dolt of the school, but that
fact does not seem to disturb him a
particle, and the look of pleased as
constituent his face wore yesterday
when he was told for the twentieth
time that ga" was the first letter OF
the alphabet would have driven any
but a Christian teacher to dlstrac
ton.
aH-e.n" said the teacher, as he
wrote those letters on the blackboard
and received an approving smile
from Mr.. So.
"What does that spell?" continued
the instructor.
The pupil smiled, scratched his
left side and reflected.
"That is hen-a chicken" said the
teacher.
"Me sabe hen," replied Mr.. So, as
coolly as though the information
was not by any means new.
We'll, write it," said the teacher,
thrusting piece Of chalk into the
Mongolian's hand. The idea of ask
ing him to write struck the other
seekers after knowledge as extreme
ly funny, and Sam Hing, King Gee,
Moi Kee and Chang Lundg giggled
like overgrown school boys. The
slow pupil smiled. eyed the writing
on the blackboard critically, grasped
his crayon firmly and to the aston
ishment OF the Caucasians IN the
room executed an almost perfect
imitation of the teachers chirogra-
ply of the word hen.
"Read it," said the teacher.
"Chicken," was the nonchaIent
response of the pupil as he moved
toward his seat.
"Not chicken, hen," said the in
structor IN correction.
Gale same hen, allie same chick
en-" replied Mr.. SO, philosophically,
as he dropped into his seat and fan
ned his brow with his primer.
A lady and gentleman were the
only teachers in this school yester-
day. The lady devoted herself to
All 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 por-
ton of the school hour in instruct
ing Quong Wha and All Loon, the
latter being much the brighter stu
dent.
"The fox has a hen," said the
teacher, reading from the primer.
"The fox has hen," repeated the
pupils, spelling out the words.
"This is the picture" said the tu-
tor, pointing to an engraving.
"Me sabe fox, me sabe hem" re-
piled All Loon, cycling the picture.
"What for fox got him hen?" in
quired Quong, examining the wood
cut.
"He wants to eat it," answered
the teacher.
"Belly good fox" was the senten-
tious criticism OF Quong, as he look
ed gravely at the teacher, who was
evidently unprepared for any such
philosophical utterance and conse-
queutiy did not attempt to reply to
it.
About this time the attention OF
nearly every one in the room was
attracted by the suppressed laughter
of Moi and King Gee, who were en-
joying the fiuttering of paper but
terfly, manufactured and set atioaI
by sam Hin. The artificial insect
was captured aud the course of study
went on. The teacher hears the les
sons of each pupil separately, and
so long as they are under the eyes
of their preceptors the pupils are as
meek and studious as any one could
wish; their other moments are not
spent in study--that is, TO any great
extent. The teachers, however, are
loud in their praises OF the scholars
and say they learn with remarkable
rapidly.