New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-08
ADJUSTMENTS OF THE CHINESE MINISTER.

WASHINGTON Letter 10 S. Louis GLOBE Democrat
For man of his years this Cheng Tsao Ju has the
tnually. From New Years Day until the 4th Of
March the Minister and his interpreter made after
calls as steadily as any society woman aud the
solemn old mandarin seemed to be enjoying 1t quite
as much if he born to that sort OF thing. His
nephew acts interpreter and his celestial name OF
Chin Chi Young becomes Mr. Chin when he is for
nally addressed in society. No one attacks tho
Minister'S mouthful of consonants when he Is spoken
to- and he is always addressed and referred to as
your excellency" and his excellency" Mr. Chm
has the brightest and most intelligent face, lighted
with pair of sparkling brown eyes, and when he
smiles he displays set of beautifully white teeth.
He speaks English as rapidly and easily as if born
under our flag, and once in while picks up stray
idiom a piece of slang that sounds wonderfully
funny coming from him. Some one asked him yes.
terday, How are you, Mt Chm on, l am az
a shout of laughter followed the reply, although IL
would have been anything but funny if an Aneri-
can had made such an answer. The young ladies
make eyes at this handsome young fellow, and IL he
were not always tied to the Minister'S elbow aud
obliged to translate dlgnlfed compliments and ~
quiries to him all through an entertainment, Mr..
Chins knowledge OF English aud bis charming man
might enable him to master the great American
art of Irritation.
study wherever he is encountered, aud though his
dress his bonnet and his long queu speak of another
civ llzation, he hts into our ways wonderfully well
and enjoys himself all the while. He Is said TO have
q score or of costly sandal-wO0d and cedar boxes
containing wardrobe valued at Sl5O00O lhsis
rather heavy estimate to put upon all OF his long
sleeyed coats and narrow peticoats and as he gen.
orally wears blue satin or brocade garments, no one
can tell that he has more than three suits to his
name He wears the Junk shoes of black satin with
thick soles of white felt that make HIM an inch
taller than he really Is, and as he stands IN com.
pany of pretty women, with his clasped hands lost
somewhere the folds of his long overhang1ng
sleeves he is as sleek fat and happy an old fellow
as you might wish TO look az. he Is over sixty years
of age, but enjoys perfect health, and s good for
another forty years. His poor lutte wife ls only
nineteen, and she might as well be in the District
jail for all that she sees or enjoys OF American NE
The little Madame lives entirely In her own apart
ments, in company with Chinese maid and though
the Legation building holds dozen secretaries or
attaches, uone of them are ever permitted 10 see
her. Her pretty, wistful little face can often DO
seen at her windows but when she goes to ride she
enters the carriage from covered passage at the
side of the house, and Is about lost TO sight in the
depths of her capacioas vehicle Inc mos. poasea
his wife are blandly ignored, and society gets only
himself for its teas, dinners and receptlons AT sew
eral houses the Minister is frequent aud favored
guest and has progressed so far In acquaintance as
to be able to understand great deal without MS
interpreter. At state dinners at the White House
the Chinese Minister can only be sociabe To his
neighbors at the table by dumb show and panto-
mime, and ut Secretary Frelinghuysensh would DC
left in the same fororn estate the young ladies' OF
the family were not SO kindly interested IN him:
Miss Tillie Frelinghnysen is his especial friend, ana
by her ra pid and vvacious talk and gestures can
make HIM unde rstand and enjoy what Is going on
around him. The Minister makes Der gifts OF his
rarest tea, and when he presents himsef &C their
afternoon receptions he is seated at Mss Freling.
huysens tea table and regaled with decoction OK
his own fine tea leaves. The Minister super1ntends
the making of it, and when his own special cup Is
poured out it is pale straw colored decoeton nucn
weaker than our people think OF DIR nking II, ana
Gated Chinese palate can appreciate He IS also
favored guest at Attorney General Brewsters, and
calling there one afternoon soon after Miss Brews-
fer's wedding lie gargled out something in Chinese
to Mr. Chin, which, being interpreted was the polite
inquiry of Where are the happy couple nowID
"Happy couple" Is a common enough term in our
language but as the idea of that solemn old man.
DARN, with his queer notions of womans sphere and
position, il made the inquiry something at which
the ladies surrounding Mrs. Brewster laughed i'm
Besides being accredited TO this Gov
ernment. Cheng TsaO Ju is also Minister TO spain
and Peru At these other places be is represented
Inv charges d'atiaires and except In the event OF
change of governments he will not be called upon to
visit either Spain or Peru this year.