Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-02-13
CHINESE PRESENCE OF MIND.
A Philosopher Relates an Instance of Their
Wonderful SeIf-ControI.

1T is not along the broader lines OF
social life alone that we can trace race
characteristics and distinctions. said
a seedy-looking individual Yesterday
evening as he stood in front of a Chest
nut street hotel, buttoning up well.
worn fall overcoat closely to his throat
so as to conceal the still more worn
summer coat beneath, and drawing on,
with careless fastidiousness, a pair OF
kid gloves that were badly in need OF
repair. His general appearance, says
the Philadelphia Inquirer, 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is repealed; his air was that of a mil
lionaire just sauntering out after hav-
ing enjoyed a sumptuous dinner, but,
according to his own statement, he was
neither.
81 am student of social SCIENCE"
he said, land nothing delights me more
than to study national peculiarities
and characteristics as they are revealed
in the trivial occurrences of everyday
life
''To illustrate, went into a Ninth
street Chinese laundry the other even
ing. The heather had neglected to
send my linen home. That, however,
did not strike me as a race peculiari-
ty; it is rather class characteristic
common to all laundrymen, no matter
what their nationality. But some
thing occurred while | waited that did
strike me.
ut 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 suddenly this caught fire
and blazed up, not only endangering
the red curtains draped about the win
dow, but threatening to cause an ex-
plosion of the lamp.
"a Chinaman on the far side of the
room saw the flames and uttered a
single exclamation to call the atten-
ton of the others. That was the only
sound made by any of the celestials,
and none of them left their work ex-
cept 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 the 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 it, Run for police
mani Strife the fire-alarmr they
iaH nd
led: Take club and smash it to
pecesl'
Meanwhile the little Chinaman in
damp cloth from his table, and while
his fellow-countrymen looked calmly
on amid all the confusion and hubbub
he wrapped it around the burning lamp
and held it there till the flames were
completely smothered. Then he quiet
ly returned to his work without stop
ping for moment to discuss the occur
renee, but it was several minutes be-
fore the excitement died out among the
Caucasians who had crowded in and
they were resdy to depart
Now, this difference of behavior in
the face of danger and amid exciting
circumstances does certainly indicate
fundamental and characteristic differ
ence between the oriental and the oc-
cidental races. You may say that the
conduct of the Cinnamon resulted
merely from oriental apathy, or you
may attribute it to the fatalistic habits
of thought engendered by eastern re-
ligions, or you may say that the occur
renee furnished a confirmation Of Her
bert Spencer's theory that hurry and
overwork have resulted in a condition OF
nervous instability among all the races
of the west. But whatever YOU attri-
butte it to, l tell you the Chinaman's
method Of action is the best when you
have to deal with coal-oil lamp that
is about exploding.