Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-01-31
CHINESE PRESENCE OF MIND.
a Philosopher Relates an Instance of Then
Wonderful Self Control.

Wonderful Self Control.
at is not along the broader lines of 30
cial life alone that we can trace race char
acteristics and distinctions, said seedy
looking individual in front of a Chestnut
street hotel, buttoning up well worn fall
overcoat closely to his throat so as to con-
ceal the still more worn summer coat be-
meath, and drawing on, with careless fas-
tidiousness, a pair of kid gloves that were
badly in need of repair. His general
appearance was that Of broken down
sporting man or ward politician who
had been subsisting for many months on
the expectations of an appointment when
the civil service law is repealed; his air
was that of a millionaire just sauntering
out after having enjoyed sumptuous
dinner, but, according to his own state
ment, he was neither.
II am a student of social science" he
said, land nothing delights me more than
to study national peculiarities and char
acteristics as they are revealed in the
trivial occurrences of every day life.
"To illustrate, l went into Ninth
street Chinese laundry the other evening.
The heather had neglected to send my
linen home. That, however, did not
strike me as a race peculiarly; it israther
class characteristic common to all laun-
drymen, mo matter what their nationality.
But something occurred while waited
that did strike me.
''It was just about dusk. The streets
were crowded with people going home
from work, and in the room half dozen
Cinnamon were busy ironing at different
tables. A coal oil lamp that hung in the
bulk window had just been lighted. A
good deal Of oil had been spilled on the
outside OF the bowl in filling it, and sud-
denly this caught fire and blazed up, not
only endangering the red curtains draped
about the window, but threatening to
cause an explosion of the lamp.
"a Chinaman on the far side of the
room saw the flames and uttered a single
exclamation to call the attention of the
others. That was the only sound made
by any of the Celestials, and none of them
left their work except one nimble little
fellow, who jumped lightly and quickly
into the window.
"But the flames had been seen from
the street, and instantly the room was
filled with passers by, who rushed madly
in, each one shouting directions at the
top of his voice.
Throw the lamp into the street!
Dash water upon itr Run for police
man. Strike the fire alarmr they cried
and one excited individual yelled; Take
club and smash it to piecesP
Meanwhile the little Chinaman in tho
window had quickly seized large, damn
cloth from his table, and while his fellow
countrymen looked calmly on amid al
the confusion and hubbub he wrapped
it around the burning lamp and held il
there till the flames were completely
smothered. Then he quietly returned t.
his work without stopping for a momen
to discuss the occurrence, but it wa
several minutes before the excitemen
died out among the Caucasians who haC
crowded in and they were ready to de
part.
Now this difference of behavior il
the face of danger and amid exciting
circumstances does certainly indicate ;
fundamental and characteristic differ
ence between the oriental and the occi
dental races. You may say that tht
conduct of the Cinnamon resulted merely
from oriental apathy, or you may attrib
lte it to the fatalistic habits of though
engendered by eastern religions, or yoI
may say that the occurrence furnished
a confirmation of Herbert Spencer
theory that hurry and overwork have
resulted in a condition of nervous insta
bility among all the races of the west
But whatever you attribute it to, tel
you the Chinamans method of action il
the best when you have to deal with Q
coal oil lamp that is about exploding.
"You couldn't lend me a dime, coulc
you, to pay my car fare? l want to ge
to Richmond, where l am announced t
lecture before a conclave of the Theo
sophical society" - Philadelphia In
quirer,