Smyrna times., 1889-01-23
LAUNDRYMEN'S HUMOR.
A BACHELOR DESCRIBES SOME FEA-
TUREs OF MoNeoLlAN LIFE.

a Chinaman Who Became Slave to His
VOice-HoP Wah as a Joker-Fond of a
Social Glass-TOld in Confdence-"sam
su" and Chinese Sandwiches.
The first Chinaman ever had DEALINGS
with, said the old bachelor. twas a little
Weasened up fellow, not more than five
Ieet high, who had store on WASHINGTON
street. Next door to him was an Italian
shoemaker. Lee, for that was the laundry
Aan name, was a most taciturn indi
EIuual' even for one of his race, but he
na1 Pecuharlty. He used to sing, not
only IN his shop, but also in a lower voice
when he was walking along the street
IL was when he was hard at work unon
the bosom OF some refractory shirt that
ne could be heard at his best, or, as some
might put it, at his worst. Lees voice
was hoU q pleasing one, even when exer.
Glsed on the lower notes only, but when
he had got warmed up and essaved to
reach the higher key it was positively
heartrending. How his subordinates If
whom he had two, stood it, is bevond
human comprehension. Lees voice grew
upon him, and when last knew him he
was perfect slave to it.
My next laundryman was a cbarac+ar
He was about 30 years old. fairly rood
looking, judged by the American stand
ard' and spoke English quite iuentIv.
ne ne answered to the name of Hop Wah. |
DuG always called him Hop for short.
SOMETHING OF A JOKER.
~ Dy degrees, and when / had satisfied !
!hop that had no intention of patroniz-
ing his rival across the street. for whom
ne entertained a profound yet pitying
G4GnIIe9Pt, 4a he told me some of his history.
he mad been ten years in America. and
ABOUT SIX years in Brooklyn. Iasked him
one day If his parents were alive. He re-.
Pned that he believed his mother was
and added, old man dead long time
Ihen he laughed quite merrilv. as if the
elder Hops decease was a good deal Of
JOKE lie went to Sunday school reru-
IarIy' and this accounted for his prof
cheney In the English language. He went
10 Mott street quite frequently. too. osbe
informed me, and in his wav l think was
afounder Happening one afternoon to
nOClce God Bless Our Home motto of
Ine regulation pattern fastened to the
wall alongside of a Chinese almanac. I
GSAeG MN If he was Christian. He
sile silooA MS mead very emphatically, and
then laughed so that thought he wouId
fall off his high stool. When I said fba4
IL seemed queer to find a Christian motto
In heather place Of business, he winlZed
aI me with great deliberation and re-.
~ marked, Jerking his thumb in the direc-
Uion OF the card, Catch trade; everything
goes. Certainly there were no Aies o9
hop and his knowledge of current slang {
was both profound and aptlv appIied R92
and by he got more notices. and in !
snort time the shop inside looked like a r
mission school. anu :
"one very cold afternoon last winter +
ne was about half frozen when he called Y
a. my room with the weeks washing. AS Y
be laid down the bundle he made so+1o y
remark about the temperature which y
vastly like an expression used bv !,
1nregenerate Christians and proceeded to .
ruo MS hands vigorously. Noticing that I
ne looked affectionately upon a glass of n
loI whisky and water which l had inst n
oreWed for myself, l asked him if he !
YOU'D nave one. Hop didn't mind if he
I'D, and by the manner in which he got
way with the steaming beverage I was
eu TO believe that it was not bv anv
means his first attempt After this I got W
mo the way OF offering him horn when m
yer he happened to find me in. and st
an a recollect that he ever refused. One IL
l ms weekly visits was made the day be- ca
oIe IasC christmas. l was feeling at or
eace with the world myself. and when be
Top had got away with his CUSTOMARY re- ad
resher l suggested that another would io
OF hurt him. He agreed with me. re-. OF
iarklng quite airily that he would have ST
go me-, and helped himself to his su
5couu ~ uTlnk' an even larger one than the on
rsU' ana that was no tablespoonful frt
GROWING CONFIDENTIAL. pi'
NOt 10 be outdOne in generosity he of. po
red me cigar, which he took ont of bis pa
A. and which defined, having already
al experience of likewise cigars think ar
oP must have struck hospitality in other pr
larters before reaching me, for after the ar'
cohd glass OF whisky he took q chair gel
, CHe IRE ana put his heels up on the OF
antelpiece. He was remarkabIv cooJ nes
imored and growing confidential Said bel
was about tired of work, and thonpbt Go
at he would soon go back to China car
mere he would marry and settle down to the
lIe OF ease. at the reference to mar, les!
'ge ne stuck his thumb among nv ribs no
q chuckled after the fashion OF Asiatics pliC
hen ne arose to go l saw plainly that in mis-
ulIion TO his large bag of clothes he Pit
,1Io nave to carry home with him n verv
IL developed jag. He waved his hat ~
as ne 4ett the room, and heard him y
ing 10 whistle as he went down the the
81 night OF stairs. At the head of the ON /
onu night he lost his balance and fell tric
lloIong' striking the street door as if he def
, DeeIl snot out OF catapult. He was he {
nI[t: Iil at least ne did not appear to be, that
, 'Is PiICAIIg hlnself and his bag up, he let thin
1self out, and from the window 7 49, Tba giI'-
him tacking rather unsteadilv down for
street IN the direction of his homo tbot
made no reference to his mishap when re~o
called again, nor did l say ANYTHING mat
hop got no more whisky. subs
Early in the new year he called ona ons
'nl1g before | was up, carrying with or a
q bottle of rice brandy. Sam Sr &C r.
S called in China, and some Chinese are i
uWlches. lie said it was some kind Of trico
ast day among his people and he wished tbis
10 have share Of the good tbings 70 a
lg. Finding the Sam Su too rich for Edir
stomach, placed it on top of a con. ne i
lent ash barrel in the street. If anv Helm
crank 1t, pity him sincerely. Tbe stir
l"lches werequite novelty and taken fer h
re breakfast found them TO be quite I detel
st1ing Instead Of bread slices of sion
On were used, and in place of meat or linia,
80 green ginger, slightly sprinkled have
SAT- !hese sandwiches, Hop sub SUM
lentIy informed me, were in great de. dicti,
d in his own country bv pentIaynoy, TaoS-e ,,,ovl
had made night of it. LAST Nav mvst
sailed for Hong Kong, taking with cnIt
IN IN the inside pocket of his silk blonse etbe,
w IN American gold. He called to eiasti
me good-by, and expressed his hone onlv
ne should ever return to BROOKLYN. mott,
m however, was not likely, l wo1ld heat
q favor him with my custom. - reoni
X. T." in Brooklyn Eagle. prebe
Carving Restaurant Steak. medi,
70 young gentlemen little the worqa move
year dropped in one Saturday evening Tn,