The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1885-06-11
A CHINAMAN OUTWITTED.

Cnar1eS IfOWell, designating With his
finger slim Malay, who stood little
aloof from the gang of noisy laborera
crowding the pier ut Bntava. "Did
you ever see thinner specimen?
Looks as though 1t had been some
time since he had even heard the men,
ton of food"
Charles Powell, young New York.
er, and his friend Ralph Somers, an
Englishman, had, just the day before,
met in Batavia, the former being OF,
his way to Hong Kong, while the lat.
tel, after two yers' service in China,
was returning to England Oh leave III
absence,
The Malay in question fully quail;
lied by his appearance the remarks OF
the young American. He was a thin,
spare man, half-clad, and with tur-
ban wound around his crisp, black
hair.
He stood for moment gazing
moodily into the water, and then, as
if understanding the jocular remarks
of the young man, he turned toward
him with look upon his face half
sheer, half frOwn, and the next in
slant sprang from the pier and disap-
peared beneath the surface of the
muddy water.
In an instant Ralph cast aside his
coat and sprang after him, and in two
minutes the man lay upon the wharf.
At first he preserved logged .ilence
when questioned by his rescuer.
''Come, come, nowl Brace up,
coolie! l say, now, don't get so
dreadfully hiPped, man," said Ralph.
He finally confessed that it was pow
erty that had led him to an attempt to
take his own life 1t was the old
story! A pair of willing hands, but
more applicants for places than there
were situations to till.
Out of work and out of money, with
sick wife starving before his eyes,
despair had driven him here in the
nope of getting even the poor cru
pl0yment that would earn a few cents
day, and failing in this, he had mo
mentarily lost his reason.
Cheer up, man. said Ralph, hand
Ing him silver coin. ''Here is son1e-
thing for your present needs. Don't
try to feed the fishes again.
The poor fellow but half compre-
hended the words the Englishman
spoke. He gave one doubtful look at
the coin and at the giver, and then
murmuring blessing upon the young
man, turned and disappeared.
Ralph, dripping wet, sought the
nearest house, which proved TO be that
of Chan Fong, rich Chinese mer-
chant of Batavia.
AS our friends entered Chan Fong
was seated upon one of the porcelain
stools in front of the counter. He half
turned as they entered.
"Yung Faa, as I'm sinnerr' cx-
claimed Ralph, as his eyes fell on the
Chlnaman, who, however, returned
his gaze with an unmoved counteh-
ance.
'.Are you not Yung Faa?' question:
ed Raj ph.
''No,' said he; Il am Chan Fong."
And cody asked: ''But who are
your"
''Well, if you arc not Yung Faa,"
said Ralph, disregarding the inquiry,
"'You are his ghost,'
Il am Chan Fong," sententiously
replied the Chinaman.
Ralph apologized for his hasty ex-
clamation, and dismissed the subject.
He called for a draught of brandy to
keep the cold out, and the young men
departed for the Hotel Buitenzort.
THAT man is Yupg Faa," Ralph
earnestly said to his friend, when out
OF ear-shot of the Chinaman.
''But for hcaven's sake who is Yupg
Faap" asked Powell.
"Young Faa,' said Ralph, twas
about year ago the shrotf, or paying
clerk, for the house of Gilbert & Ma
son, of Hong Kong. His bond was
1000, which was deposited in bank,
according to custom, when he first
received the situation. He was intrust-
ed with the expenditure of large sums
of money, and also had charge of the
About year ago he disappeared. A
week afterward a body was found
floating in the harbor, which the Cor
oner decided was none other than
Young Faa. The firm of Gilbert &
Mason, deeply regretting his loss,
gave him a magnificent funeral, and
the bond was returned to his distress
ed family.
you can imagine the chagrin of
Gilbert 4 Mason when they discover
ed afterward that Yung Faa had been
guilty of numerous thefts. The credit
of the firm demanded silence on the
subject, and many debts, contracted
in the name of the firm by Yung Faa,
were paid, rather than to allow the
damaging truth to be known. The
firms losses aggregate nearly 100000,
and none now mourn more sincerely
the death of Yung Faa than his too
confiding employers.
''You can imagine how astonished
l was to see him here--for if that is
not he, l will eat my hat! But come,
| must get rid of these wet clothes,
and We'll take turn through the b.
tanical Garden.'
No sooner had Ralph disappeared
than the Chinaman followed him,
Keeping we'll out of sight of the
young men, he satisfied himself where
they were stopping, and then made
all possible haste toward the Malay
portion of the city.
Threading his way through one of
the narrowest streets, he finally paus-
ed before wretched howell; then alb
ruptly pushing back the mat which
did duty for a door, he, without furth-
or ceremony, entered this house.
A man arose from corner of the
room and advanced toward him, with
q threatening glance, as if to question
this rude entrance.
"Quiet yourself, Nablar,' said Chan
Fong. II mean you no harm.''
''She shall not be troubled" said
the Malay, huskily, pointing to the
corner. where, upon 3 mat, lay his
sick wife.
''She shall not be troubled" echoed
the Chinaman. II come tc give you
money, Nablar not to demand it. You
shall be we'll paid. You shall get
enough bright silver dollars to place
yourself and her forever beyond want.
Can I trust you enough to explain
what 1 wish of youp'
1.-The Malay's eyes glistened. He
knew that "what was wanted of him.
xuos so,no rocoo l1u