Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-11-03
LAUNDRYMEN'S HUMOR.
A BACHELOR DESCRIBES SOME FeA-
TuRes OF MoNGollAN LIFE.

A Chinaman Who Became slave TO His
voicc--Hop wah as a Jokcr--Fond of
Social Glass-Toid In Confldencc--"sam
sa" and Chinese Sandwiches.
''The first Chinaman ever had dealings
with" said tho old bachelor. Twas a littlo
weasened up fellow, not moro than fvo
feet high, who had q store on Washington
street. Next door to him was an Italian
shoemaker. Lee, for that was the laundry.
mans name, was o most taciturn indi-
vidual, even for one Of his race, but he
had popularity. He used TO sing, not
only In his shop, but also, In a lower voice.
when no was walking along the street.
II was when he was hard at work upon
tho bosom Of some refractory shirt that
he could be heard at his best, or. as somc
might put II. at his worst. Leo's voice
was not = pleasing one, even when eSer-
cised on the lower notes only, but when
he had got warmed up and essayed TO
reach the higher key II wns positively
hcartrending. How his subordinatcs, of
whom he had two, stood II, Is beyond
human comprehension. Lees voice grew
upon him. and when l last knew him he
was a perfect slave to It.
my next laundryman was character.
He was about 30 years old, fairly good
looking, judged by the American stand
ard, and spoke English quite huently.
He answered TO tho name Of Hop Wah,
but always called him Hop for short.
SOMETHING OF A JOKER.
''By degrees, and when had satisfied
Hop that had no intention Of patroniz-
ing his rival across the street, for whom
he entertained a profound yet pitying
contempt. he told me some Of his history.
II.k kaI h.., Aa,, s.. A..,z z~k.
about six years In Brooklyn. asked him
one day II his parents were alive. He no
piled that he believed his mother was.
and added, old man dead long time
Then no laughed quite merrily, as II tho
elder Hops decease was good deal OF
joke. He went to Sunday school regu-
larly, and this accounted for his prof.
cheney In the English language. Ho went
to Mott street quite frequently. too, as he
informed me- and in his way think was
rounder. Happening ono afternoon to
notice God Bless Our Home motto of
the regulation pattern fastened to tho
wall alongside Of q Chinese almanac,
asked him II he was a Christian. He
shook his head very emphatically. and
then laughed SO that thought he would
fall off his high stool. When ! said that
1t seemed queer to find Christian motto
IA ~ hCututH piutS ol pubiltsSs uC Wlhhtu
at me with great deliberation and no.
marked. jerking his thumb In the direc-
tion Of the card, Catch trade; everything
goes Certainly there were no files ON
Hop, and his knowledge of current slang
was both profound and aptly applied. BY
and by he got moro notices. and In q
short time the shop inside looked like q
mission school.
"One very cold afternoon last winter
no was about half frozen when he called
at.my room with the weeks washing. As
he laid down the bundle he made some
remark about the temperature which
sounded vastly like an expression used by
unrcgenerate Christians and proceeded to
rub his hands vigorously. Noticing that
he looked affectionately upon q glass Of
hot whisky and water which l had just
brewed for myself, l asked him II he
would have one. Hop didn't mind II he
did, and by the manner In which he got
away with the steaming beverage l was
led to believe that II was not by any
means his first attempt. After this | got
into the way Of Offering him q horn when-
ever he happened to find mo In, and
can't recollect that he ever refused. One
Of his weekly visits was made the day be-
fore last Christmas. was feeling ut
peace with the world myself. and when
Hop had got away with his customary re.
fresher l suggested that another would
not hurt him. He agreed with me, re-
marking quite airily that he would have
to go me- and helped himself to his
second drink. an even larger ono than the
first, and that was no tablespoonful.
GROWING CONFIDENTIAL.
mot to be outdone in generosity he Of
fered me cigar, which he took out Of his
h.x ~ 4 laltnaJ Ia, nj lx
had experience of likewise cigars. think
Hop must have struck hospitality in other
quarters before reaching me, for after tho
second glass Of whisky he took d chair
by the fire and put his heels up on tho
mantelpiece. He was remarkably good
humored and growing confidential. Said
be was about tired Of work, and thought
that no would soon go back to China,
where he would marry and settle down to
a life of ease. At tho reference TO mar
riage he stuck his thumb among my ribs
and chuckled after the fashion of Asiatics.
When he arose to go saw plainly that in
addition to his large bag of clothes he
would have to carry homo with him a very
well developed jag. He waved his hat at
mo as he left the room, and heard him
trying to whistle as he went down the
first flight Of stairs. At tho head Of the
headlong, striking the street door as II ho
had been shot out of n catapult. He was
not hurt, at least he did not appear to be,
for, picking himself and his bag up, he let
himself out, and from the window l next
saw him tacking rather unsteadily down
the street In tho direction Of his home.
He made no reference to his mishnp when
no called again, nor did say anything,
but Hop got no more whisky.
early in tho new year he called ono
morning before | was up, carrying with
him bottle of rico brandy, Sam Su,' as
it is called in China, and some Chinese
sandwiches. He said 1t was some kind Of
u feast day among his people and he wished
me to have share of the good things
going. Finding the Sam Su too rich for
my stomach, placed it on top of q con
venient ash barrel In tho street. II any
one drank 1t, l pity him sincerely. Tho
sandwiches wereq quite novelty and taken
before breakfast l found them to be quite
appetizing. Instead Of bread slices of
lemon were used, and In place Of meat or
cheese green ginger, slightly sprinkled
with salt. These sandwiches, Hop sub.
sequently informed me, were In great de-
mand In his own country by gentlemen
who had made night Of it. Last May
Hop sailed for Hong Kong, taking with
him in the inside pocket of his silk blouse
$4,000 In American gold. He called to
wish me good-by, and expressed his hope
that II he should ever return TO Brooklyn,
which, however, was not likely, l would
again favor him with my custom. -
&c. X. c." in Brooklyn Eagle.