The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-12-12
JOHN, THE CHINAMAN.

=
San Francisco with my family In COM
IlarHtive luxury. v n y f {, " s
Our house was OF stone and but a
single story In height as most of the
buildings then were and surrounded
by well kept lawn and garden with a
stable at the back OF the place in
which John. my Chinaman maid-of-
--all.work and head gardener. slept
a He was faithful fellow, neat and
industrious. but very sly and though
too sharp sometimes with others in
driving bargain he was with me
model OF goodness and often pro-
.fessed Willingness to die in my de-
Tense.
suppose he, was grateful for my
saving him from a crowd of hoodlums
one day who had discovered one of his
tricks and were looting his little shop
and getting ready to string him up for
the fun OF it J@g
1t was small tobacco business he
was running. and the cry OF 1.-The,
Chinese must 60, was then very popu-
liar, while the cigars the heather
Chinese were making were boycotted
to such an extent as to ruin tho
= acknowledged manufacturers. LII
But John was up to snuff, y and
was doing great trade on the sly be-
fore he was discovered.
ne Anew brand OF cigars, bearing on
! the box in bold letters the inscription
Sg'sThe Chinese must CO." was. like the
words in everybodys's mouth. and
John was fast getting rich when, to
/ his loss and my gain. they found out
that he himself was FASTING the popu-
War labels on the boxes holding very
bad cigars Of his own make. 8F 4
Ia That settled the business at once.
and would have settled John. too, IL I
hadn't been at hand to protect him
: from the angry mob. re
Though robberies and deeds OF
violence were numerous in spite OF
vigilance committees had no fear OF
them. for was careful not to display
any signs OF wealth about me. NV
pile OF gold dust kept buried in the
cellar and not even my wife or children
knew it. hl
Neither did I tell John, whom I felt
to be perfectly trustworthy but l sus-
Ipected my secret was not hidden from
his sharp eyes although his innocent
looks too innocent at times. never be-
;. trayed the knowledge. IL he had any.
Our house was divided by great.
long hall. with a bend or recess at the
back part near the kitchen. Here
had a plaster of Paris life size statue
OF myself (made by an artist friend for
q rough model but never finished)
standing
1t looked In its flowing cape coat
more like ghost than it did like me.
and though it made people laugh in
the daytime and be frightened in the
dark, ! let 1t stay there just TO please
or tease my young friend. who then
dreamed OF some day being a famous
sculptor.
In hot weather / usually slept in the
cooler front corner room. while my
family slept in The opposite rooms
across the hall.
One night when my family FORUM
ately were away. j lay there when l
imagined ] saw shadow fitting noise
lessly through the dimly lighted hall
past my open door.
While | was thinking whether to
get up and make sure or not the
shadow glided back. / sat up straight
In my bed then. but before / could step
out It returned and stood motionless
by my door in the hall.
Instead OF being one Of my folks re-
turned as first supposed-or john
I saw to my spell bound surprise and
fright that 1t was the form appar-
emily OF a man with black mask OF
Grape over his face.
Though plainly saw him. he didn't
seem to see me- owing 10 the mosquito
canopy over my bed, rejecting the dim
light In the hall
After peering in my direction for
moment the figure turned and glided
into the opposite room. atittNs
As noiselessly Islipped from my bed
and stole to the back part OF the hall
thinking to call my servant. from the
stable for had no handy weapon in \
reach, my pistols being in the room
wherein my strange and OWL appear
inG guest had vanished.
-. AS I passed the hollow plaster statue
Of myself q bold idea struck me.
- IwsA in .rnyilong white night-robe
aEgtod counterpart OF the statue II
my face was also white no one would
detect thsi difference In the dark.
M / quickly lifted my other self and
set 1t in the kitchen near by-then go
ing, to the Hour barrel literally
sprinkled the stun over my toe and
hair and beard mot forgettine my
hapds, Grabbing. q heavy bottle -the
Oily ching could fnd for = weapon
Ilturned and took my Stand where my
statue had been, and waited knowing
my robbor visitor must pass closely
to ma on his way out
AelAftSf what seeme4 an awfulIy long
Tino saw from the corners Of my mo-
tonless eyes the rascal coming toward
no and gazing straight q my frozen
form
alvidently he thought was the same
old plaster humbug which had startled
him When he entered for he slowly
same along until within arms length.