The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-03-29

III Is not along the broader lines OF
social life alone that we can trace race
characteristics aud distinctions" said
seedy-looking individual Yesterday
evening as he stood In front OF Chest
nut street hotel. buttoniug up we'll
worn fall oyercoat closely to his throat
summer coat beneath. and drawing on.
with careless fastdiousness. a pair Of
kid gloves that We're badly ia 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 nm
appointment when the ciyiI-service law
Is repealed; his air was that Of mill
lionaire just sauntering out after hav-
Ing enjoyed a sumptuons dinner. but.
according 10 his own statement. he was
neither.
II am a student of social SCIENCE
he said. "and nothing delights me more
than TO study national peculiarties
aud characteristics as they are revealed
in the trivial occurrences of everyday
life.
40 illustrate. | went into Ninth
street Chinese laundry the other even
ing. The heather had neglected TO
send my linen home. That. however.
did not strike me as race peculiari-
"; IL IL rather class characteristic
common 10 all laundrymen. MO- matter 4
what their nationality. But some
thing occurred while waited that did
strike me.
lit was just about dusk. The streets
were crowded with people going home
from work. aud ia the room half a
dozen Cinnamon were busy ironing Mt
different tables. A coal-oil lamp that
hung ia the bulk window had just been
lighted A good deal OF oil had been
spilled on the outside OF the bowl In
filling H. and suddenly this caught fire
and blazcd up. not only endangering
the red curtains draped about the win
dow, but threatening 10 cause an ex-
plosion of the lamp.
"A Chinaman GU the far side of the
room saw the flames and uttered a
single exclamation 10 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 III! Run for police |
AfRfL H.. II. ~ A.
cried. aud one excited individual yell |
led: Take n club and smash 1t to
pieces.'
Meanwhile the little Chinaman In
the window had quickly seized large. |
damp cloth from his table, and while |
his fel w-countrymen looked calmly |
on amid all the confusion aud hubbub |
he wrapped IL around the burning lamp
and held it there till the flames were |
smothered. Then he quiet
~ returned to his work without stop
ping for "A moment 10 discuss the occur
renee, but IL was several minutes be-
Tore the excitement died out among the
Caucasians who had crowded in and
hey were ready to depart.
Now. this difference of behavior In
he face of danger and amid exciting
does certainly indicate
, fundamental and characteristic differ
snce between the oriental and the oc-
,identai races. You may say that the
conduct OF the Cinnamon resulted
merely from oriental apathy, or you
nay attribute II To the fatalistic habits
IF thought engendered by eastern re-
igions, or you may say that the occur
'ence furnished confirmation OF Her
bert Spencers theory that hurry aud
'verwork have resulted In a condition OF
nervous instability among all the races
II the west. But whatever you attri-
'ute 1t to. | tell you the Chinaman's
method Of action is the best when YOU
ave TO deal with coal-oil lamp that
$ about exploding.