Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-06-05
TEACHING A chINAMAN.
A Little Girl ArtlessIy Relates Her Expo
rience with n Heather.

'Oh, say" she exclaimed to Wash
ington Star reporter, throwing a great
emphasis on the SAY" and her face
beamng with sudden recollection.
"have | told you about my Chinamanp'
She was modest little schoolgirl, and
her question seemed trifie odd and so
the Star man expressed an appropri-
ate amount of genuine surprise, and
told her that he had never heard of
cher Chinaman."
"Wcll, let me tell you," she con-
tnued, and as her auditor did not pro-
test she proceeded: He is Just too
cute for anything. and he is SO bright
that / am sure he will learn to speak
real good English very soon, and then
am going to have him teach me
Chinese. Won't that be nice?"
But you have not told me who and
what he is, suggested the reporter.
Haven't /? Well, he is my pupil
at the Chinese Sunday-school at the
Ascension Church-all my own-and
am teaching him. You see, we have
got to teach them to speak English,
before we try TO teach them any re-
ligion, and so am now trying to make
him understand me. 1t is pretty hard
sometimes, but l am sure that he is
going to learn"
How many lessons have you given
him." asked the reporter.
Only one, but he can say several
things already and he is real bright.
You see there is little primer book
that we use that is written partly in
English and partly in Chinese-just
Ike one of those horrid Latin books,
You know. First there is line at the
top, where there are given some En-
glsh words, You know, and opposite
these are the same words in Chinese.
Down below, at the bottom of the page,
there is little story that brings in
these words and SO he learns. He is
very eager to learn, but he can not
pronounce some of the words, for he
has trouble with his r. which he will
persist in calling an H. l can't break
him of the habit. | said he was bright,
didn't /? Well, he is in some things.
but he was so stupid last Sunday. The
word hand was in the copy and l
wanted to illustrate its use to him, and
so Just stretched out my hand and
said: My hand. What does the
stupid do but reach over and take my
hand and say, My hand OF course.
he did not mean to he rude. but it
sounded so presumptuous that it made
me mad for minute. But the more |
tried to show him his error the more
he persisted in saving that my hand
was his. At last | took hold of his
hand and said. Your hand, and then
he did the same for me and said: Your
hand 1t was little provoking, but |
am hoping he will know better next
Sunday
Il suppose he is heightened China
man, from the legation, perhaps, with
lots of silks and other nice clothes?'
suggested the reporter.
mo, indeed. he is not" was the
somewhat indignant reply. He is
not one of those Cinnamon, but a real
nice, Woodworking, poor CEinaman,
who washes clothes for living, and |
do not think any the less of him for it.
| wouldn't have one of those legation
Cinnamon; they are so proud and stuck
up they think that there is nothing
like them. They don't come to Sun
day school; they know enough al
ready"
We'll, do you like to teach China
meu?" queried the reporter to round
off the conversation.
Il should say did. l think it is
just too lovely for anything; but don't
want to have him think that my hand
is his, for it int and never will be- y
and IA pair o! very black eyes sparkled
charmingly. Il really don't know
what am Going to teach him when
get him so that he can read, but | sup
pose that it will be something reli.
piOuSn