The Delaware City news. (Delaware City, Del.) 188?-18??, 1889-03-21
"Little All Right"

Bob Lockwood, of the New York and
Charleston Steamship Line, "and l
would rather have around me one Jap
anese than dozen Cinnamon. Why?
Because you can always rely on him.
As a rule, he is intelligent and adap-
tive, quick to learn, honest, brave, in
dustrious, obedent and ambitious.
You never heard of one in this country |
being convicted of crime, and in all |
my travels | never met an educated |
Japanese who was not the beau ideal of |
a gentleman in the fullest sense of the |
word. Look at him in our streets, and |
whether he be student, merchant,
or a government official, you find. that
in elegance of manners, dress and con-
versation, he has thoroughly assimilat-
cd with the best of our people, and by
reason of his native refinement is a
welcome guest in the social circle. l
have had not little experience" con-
tinued the Captain, land know
whereof speak,"
'I.et me illustrate: A year or two
after the war, there came to the city of
Charleston, S. o., and boarded at the
Mills House during their engagement,
company of Japanese athletics and
jugglers. Among them was a manly
little fellow, twelve or fifteen years of
age, who was said to have been the
original Little all Right You may
remember that they first appeared in
the Academy of Music, in New York,
about $50 or go. and this small young
ster, not much bigger than q piece of
chalk, created sensation by climbing
to the top of long pole that was bal
anced on mans foot, and thence to a
horizontal ladder, on which lie did Il
number of feats. After each one, lie
would whip u fan out of his glrdle and
squeak. 'al right and the audience
would draw a long breath and swallow
the Jumps in their throats, for they eX-
pected every minute to see the little
clap fall. Well, lie attracted every
body's attention in the Mills House, by
his brightness, politeness anu grace.
One day, after matinee, the troupe
were followed to hotel by bowling
crowd of negro boys, and when the en-
trance was reached, one of the negroes
threw a clod of dirt. In an instant,
before lie could be restrained, little
'Ring'-I remember that it was the
| name 10y which he was known-dashed
INTO the midst of the mob, and, IN less
time than am telling it, dealing blows
right and left, had the ragged crew fly
ing before him. The incident was wit
messed by scores of our citizens, and in
consequence he became quite IA favor
lie, especially with the ladies'.
IL did not see Ring again until
! eight OF nine years ago, andShen it was
i'll New York under peculiar circum-
stances. 1t seems that an editor, then
OIL the staff OF the Herald, who was in
Charleston at the time speak of, went
into IL store on Park Row for the pur-
pose of buying some cigars. They were
served by Il tall, handsome Japanese,
about whose manner there was some
thing so striking, that the gentleman
inquired whether his name was not
'Ring.' The young fellow blushed,
and at first tried TO evade the question,
but finally confessed that he was called
Ringwood, and sometimes George.
Beng pressed, lie further said that
several years before lie had been at.
tached to a Japanese combination, and
Travelled through the country with it..
Tired of Il strolling life, and anxious to
do something better, he came 10 New
York, found a friend in the Janitor of
one Of the public schools, and was talk
en- under his roof on condition that he
should sweep out the school rooms,
make the fires i'll winter, and do what
ever might be necessary on the prem
lses. lie was also permitted TO attend
the school, and In this way became
familiar with the language and rudi.
ments of an English education.
Ii. F,,. -
terms, but, at last, although grateful
TO lis protector, lie began to chaft
under tile thought that lie was depend
. ent. lie therefore determined to seek
IL business position in-which lie cOult
earn Ills own living. The cigar store
he said, offered him temporary employ.
nent, but it was not Il position tina
) suited his taste. lie was anxious t
improve his mind and especially Il
study navigation, in order. ii possibl,
that lie might sail into IL Japanese liar
= Dor the master OF Il ship. 1t is singu
lar, that at the time lie had quite for
| gotten his native tongue, although i
: may he explained by the fact which
e learned subsequently, that lie was stol
! ell when Il child, and carried to Eng
/ land with troupe Of performers.
r swell, to maze the story short,
| good deal of interest being aroused il
: the lad, he was provided with book
:. calculated to give him general knowl
Y edge of various subjects that would L.
useful to him in latter life. 1t is lbui
this time that my editorial frienl
. brought him to my cabin, and you ma
>, judge OF my surprise when recognize,
I IN the young fellow my little hero o
$ the Charleston row, Ring He sai
5 he wanted TO go to sea, would act Il
y my cabin boy, work as a fireman, il
] short, do anything that would enabl
g him to learn the duties aUO nd ship
Z There was no place right there and the
where | could Use him TO advantage
either to himself or myself, but [ deter
I mined to take him one trip, anyhow, j
t it was only to study his characteristics
a lie was one of the most competent, ar
: tive and obliging lads L ever saw, an
j. therefore had no hesitation, OH my lt
e turn TO the city, in hunting up AN O,
Il friend, Captain Read, Of The IIavaui
a Line (who, by the way, is Il graduate u
d Heidelberg, and every inch IL sailor
g and relating the circumstances. Rra
/. engaged him at once, and made hi
iul tit tlulS DtlilSs lllS ltlSOHdl ultcltl
ant. The captain subsequently toll
t me that in less than IL month, Rim,
! knew all compass, winds and tides, an
e could steer Il ship as well us himself.
|. "Under his direction he pr0srpssc
$ rapiely, especially IN the study OF nay.
CATION. The engineers and other OF
licels were also kind, and before the eX
t piration of a year, tie lad was famim
r with everything on board, from trucI
J. TO keelson, and from boiler Hues t
d piston rods. Read then told him tina
l. he was unable to teach him any more
t and that his next best plan was to go I
i sea in II sailing ship and make Il voyag
It around the world, so that lie could al
If ply his knowledge practically. Rim
was delighted with the idea, and b,
tween Read and myself, we secure
l. him IL berth under II kind captain
)i Il ship on the Black Ball Line.
81 never have seen the boy since, hi
t few months ago, my friend Shove
lg Inc a letter from Yokohama, whic
L gave brief account oil the events thi
Is ! .,ft ln L. I,