Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1888-07-21

ucutcfit~s OF the Asiatic colonist dispiaycu
to advantage. An agreement on the
price of the goli dust or the rate OF cx-
Change IL not easily reached. Tho Mon
goiian Is cautious TO q degree. and II Is
when he thinks that he has secured all
that Is coming to him that he closes me-
gotiations Then commences the i'm
portant task Of examining the lucrc.
A white trader generally takes up his
liandfuIs OF twenty dollar pieces or silver
dollars and carelessly tosses them into his
pockets or convenient sacliel with the
most cursory examination. Not so tho
suspicious colonist from Cathay. Every
piece Is closely scrutinized and passed
from one hand to another. The edges arc
scanned and the color OF the gold noted.
until the whole pile has been observed
closely. This Is only the preliminary in.
spection. The gold Is fair TO the eye, but
the doubts Of n well conceived scheme TO
defraud him have not yet been quieted in
the Asiatic traders breast. His ear has
to he satisfied. and he begins to jingle the
pieces one after tho other on the county,
till every coin has announced it,
character. The result In all PROXY >dity
Is that some pieces have been 70 "a that
shows signs OF wear or fail tQfpfng with
the clear metallic sound so crAracteristic
Of the Incompatible twent Aollar pieces
fresh fEm the mint. wrangle with
the broI e ensues. AZ ,9he less perfect
coins ha to be eF >snged for more
faultless q, IT, substitutes have
also to be Njingled. and when
tllt. Ia,,
outside the Of the brokers' shop
nc Is mora lain that he has avoided
Inception II ,(i,e exercise Of what he re-
ATds as kary business sagacity.
" n ION his side. IL In the habit
Of dealt &ich with Chinese. Is un,lsu.
ally 81 as and alert. II the money he
passH rom the Chinaman to him, the
brQf Z goes through tho same formula.
" .akcs no coins on trust as II were. but
ores them all. for experience has shown
him that the rroverb Of all being fair In
love and war has been extended by the
disciples Of Confucius to money matters.
The scrutiny which the careful broker
lcstows on the coin Is only excellcd by
the attention he gives his Monaghan GUS
toners. whose lightness Of finger he has
learned 10 regard with apprehension.
Shoplfting Is Il fine art in Chinatown,
and slcight Of hand performers are abun-
dant. Almost anything. from n diamond
ring to an anchor, that they lay their
hands on. disappears with magic promp-
titudc. II is a fine study to watch n
cautious llebr;ic broker. who has been
hiiten a few times, a. he doles out the
>in'kcls toa suspicious looking Monaghan
linancicr. Every movement Of the Cclcs.
tails long and dcft fingers Is watched,
and restraining hand put upon his
claws every time they wander too close
TO his ample blouse with load Of half
dollars. II is only when the final stage
Of the barter has been reached, and tho
"whcrcwith" has been showed across tho
counter and all Is safe. that the brnto-'
coun,rnancc assumes lis nu-mal trnctudc.
II is considered 50 much the correct
thing in China to ovcrrcach another in a
monetary transaction that no sensible
man will accept money by lamplighi. and
will only take his coin in the broad day
light after an exhaustive inspection by
eye. ear and teeth. The best Chinese
iinancicrs rely oh their teeth TO deter
mine the gcnrinencss Of gold or silver
piece Of money. After hanging slis.
pcclcd com on the counter or tho side.
walk. il lie I've unable 10 decide whether
il is good or bad, tie Chinese iinancier
places the metal between his teeth and
leaves the verdict 10 molars and palate.
Brokers who do m extensive business
with Chinese tell some curious stories OF
the cunning Of their Asiatic customers.
4 down town broker exchanged some
money for two Chinese one day not long
since and in the transaction saw that he
had lost two ten dollar pieces. The Mon
golans protested violently that they had
not taken the money. and when searched
readily turned their pockets inside out.
Their hats. shoes. and every corner Of
their several coats were examined, but
the money could not be found and the
broker finally lct them go. though NOR
ally certain they Ind robbed him. Dur.
ing the afternoon lie was bordering over
the affair when AN American friend who
had had considerable experience with the
Chinese in Shanghai dropped in. The
broker described his loss and rccountcd
how he lad cunningly examined the
shoes and hats of tho suspected Alongoli.
AIS. The friend from Shanghai laughed.
THE chances are" said he, "the
money is stuck under your counter.
That's an OLD Trick in China.
On hooking under tho overhanging
edge Of the heavy counter the missing
coins were found stuck To the wool with
some strong Mongolian glue. One Of
The rascals had rubbed on the soft glue
while Inrlc,ing with the broker. and tho
other fellow. scizing a favorable oplor.
tuniiy, had stuck the money under the
ledge. knowing that the instant il was
missed they would la seized and searched
The Shanghai man explained the trick
''Th,~s' fellows have confederate who
las been here before said he. ''and will
In arhlnd asiI Ia hook those $40 pieces
while l,- j. giving you u I'LL about want
ing Ia sell gold dust ar something. You
wall AMI sec. "
The nnnry WAS left sticking 10 the
counter. 81 that when the confederate
came in hr might l~ caught red handed
and Elilrrrl,,l Ia the county iail.
Every o.n. ia the office. which II occu
pied 10y several II r-onS besides the bro
kcr, set himself la .aich the thief. and
th" unexpected result wis that the money
vanished wil.imiI any arrest. When the
broker r,lurn,. n.icra liasty flight across
the str.si i.I u cup II coffee. he found
thai ilr ulpir'y wis gone AMI no trace Of
The rul,'sr i.il The wcll grounded b..
Lief Of tn. ,li,,''iV,-, il that some one Of
he ic.li ...'.:'n C.nn-r who dropped ia
.lurin: The a.irrsHHnl WAS the 0onfcdcr.
~" ~ I.r i.i.,,'. and carried oil the
o. i;tlrr u,i,srrrVei. san Fsancisc.
I .iIoi,li