Wichita eagle., 1890-02-06
All CHING F0'S WILL.


dry-n any one happened to know Chi
nese OF course he was called John. The
American dubs every Chinaman John
lust as the stout old gentleman calls
every pretty girl "my dear"
If you chanced to walk south on Mott
street four years ago l have no doubt
YOU saw Johns laundry. 1t was in the
basement of big tenement house.
Through the open windows one might
have seen John at work, sprinkling the
clothes through his teeth-a la mode
Chinoise-or, perhaps, polishing re-
fractory shirt front. At all events, there
he stood for ten good hours every day,
among strangers, the Chinaman wears
like mask.
Above stairs IN the tenement dwelt all
sorts and conditions of people. There
were broken down gamblers, Irish labor
ers, Jew peddlers and a few swell
negroes given to faring scarfs and much
cheap hair oil. 1t was in two dingy
rooms at the back and up three pairs Of
stairs that old Otto Won Haeckel and his
pretty daughter Lischen lived. Herr Won
Haeckel earned few dollars every week
by playing the violin in a Bowery ''the-
atre of varieties" Now, be it under
stood that a Bowery theatre of varie-
ties" is very unsavory place, and the
less said about it the better.
ischen, like good little housewife
of fifteen, stayed at home and scrubbed
the bare floor till it shone and darned
stockings till they were good as new
better in fact-and was desperately un-
happy. For Lischen, like Caesar and a
great many worse folk, was ambitious.
"You have a voice like bird, dearest
child" her father would say; ''it is gold,
liebes kind, but it needs refining and
minting.
So Lischen. knowing what need there
was for minted gold, practiced the exer-
cises her father set her, and hoped. And
the poor old man saved every penny
few enough they were-and tried to
make himself fancy that some day he
would take his nightingale to Milano.
For Herr Won Haeckel believes that one
cannot learn singing outside of Italy.
But in spite of Lischens hopes and the
old mans boarded pennies, Milano was
very far away indeed; it seemed as
though it moved a few leagues farther
away each day.
John, in the basement among the shirts
and collars, had sharp ear for the stair
case. Whenever he heard Lischen's lit
tie feet tripping down he was sure to be
at the window to see her pass. Lischen
fell into the habit of glancing down at
him; soon the glance grew into a smile;
the smile grew into nod.
One day as she was coming home John
Chinaman met her in the hall. After
much mysterious fumbling be produced
large packet from some hidden cave
in his blouse. He thrust it into Lischen's
hands and vanished. Cinnamon have
the art of vanishing-Chu Fong did.
Lischen carried the packet to her room
and opened it. 1t contained a large
papier mache dragon and this was filled
with salty Chinese bonbons of wonder
full taste. When the old violinist came
home that afternoon from the Bowery
theatre of varieties she showed him the
dragon, and laughingly told him how she
had been presented with it.
HIM, gut-jaT' said her father, and
wrapped it up and took it down to the
Chinaman.
my daughter cannot take this" he
explained, ''she is much obliged to you.
Do you understand?'
"Go'long way" returned John placid
iy, ''n'lot mine-go'long way"
Herr Won Haeckel tried again with no
better success than before. At last he
was fain to go back, dragon and all, as
he came.
After that mysterious parcels would
come sailing through the transom; long
silk scarfs and gay colored handkerchiefs
twisted under the door like snakes-and
apparently of their own volition.
One afternoon Lischen was startled by
a sharp knock. She opened the door
and there stood John Chinaman. He
wore a long blue silk blouse, lowered
gorgeously. Yellow silk smalls were
wrapped about his thin legs, and white
silk shoes adorned his feet His pigtail
hung to the floor and his face was
wreathed in smile blander than new
butter. In one hand he carried lighted
wax candle. This he deposited on the
table. Then he drew up chair and sat
down.
''Plitty day." he said. "Wil you
mally me?''
WHAT" exclaimed Lischen.
"Mally me. please" All Ching Fo re-
peated, and pointing to the candle be
gave her to understand that while i
burned she could ponder over her de-
cision.
Half laughing and half frightened. she
jumped up and blew out the candle. All
Ching Fo sighed, shook his head sadly,
and went away.
Of course the Chinaman knew-how
could he help knowing: Every one in
the tenement had heard of Lischen's am
bition and the old viollnist's savings.
When the old man came home to tea
that afternoon Milano seemed very far
away indeed. John Chnaman-known
to the wise as All Ching Fo-stopped him
IN the hallway and spoke to him
"Veily pity gel. y Iii gel, mally Joh',:
No, no, no! Lii gel go long way: be
Sieat sinC@el an be veuy rich-good eeii
Here plenty heap dollsls-ln gel be gleat
singer-good bly,"
Now, that speech the old man under
s1ood in moment, for An Ching Fo
thrust into his hand box flied with
bank notes, big and little, and a jolly
jumbie of gold and silver coins. 1t was
hard struggle for the poor old German
violinist-in Bowerv theatre of varie-