The morning call., 1893-01-08


a new horror fell upon the crowd of
wretched foreigners at the eleventh hour.
Hurried ENJOYS who had been sent 20 the
Vieeroy of Canton within the city walls to
ask for troops and imperial Chinese prntec-
ton returned only TO report that the Vice.
roy was willing but his purse was weak.
Over ten months pay was owing to the
Chinese troops and in default of payment
they seized the occasion to mutiDY and re-
fused to move at the Viceroy's command.
The situation was desperate. The Consnls
of all nations met together and issued an
ins0lent and threatening manifesto TO the
Viceroy. threatening terrible vengeance
from their respective countries.
The United States Consul, with a dIplo-
matte tact and understanding to which those
residents OF Canton in 1888 owe their very
present existence, refused TO join in signing
any such manifesto. and made separate
aud tactful appeal to the Chinese authori-
ties, and then, cut by his brother Consuls,
glared at by the excited and silly com-
munity, he walked c0Olly and calmly round
the ahamien. quietly. brayely aud good
naturedly exp0stulating with the rioters,
with such success that the pilaging and
burning ceased. and, overawed by his cool
and courageous presence, the wild coolies
withdrew TO their boats, and the shamien
for the time being was In desolate peace.
The unburned consulate OF the United
States formed a welcome shelter to many
who were glad to receive hospitality they
had themselves, TO all lntents and purposes.
denied its inmates in their own hour OF
prosperity.
1t was just at this moment that / arrived
at HonR-kOng, and anxious for my friends
Of the United States consulate. jumped on
board Canton steamer that same evening.
On the same steamer was Colonel w.
Glider, special correspondent OF the New
7 ork Herald. whose brief acquaintanceship
i All with the keenest relish and delight
IT NJ n of
incidents and practical jokes, among which
tine Captain and the ajayiar" was one in
particular with which l have kept good fell
lows of the world convulsed by the mere
narration.
Gllder's mission was apparently to get
news" and he got it. Arriving ut the
"shaInien" a flying interview with Consul
Seymour was followed by a visit to the
Viceruy in Canton City, whose angry legionS
no other white man dared encounter.
do not know who arranged 1t all or how
il was done, but the "shamien" was
promptly lined with Chinese troops vino
camped in tents around the "bund" and
shot down thirty OF their riotous country
men who sought to continue desulOry
plnnderlng. The Chinese troops thoroughly
protected the foreigners from the mob and
the shamien was sale.
The humb.ed COnsuls sought to meet the
visiting Viceroy with due state. but, in view
of the steps they bad taken to add to his
embarrassment in bis hour Of trouble. he
prremptOrily declined TO meet them except
through the United States Consul. and&in
the United States consulate. The stars and
stripes il0ated over gathering OF lncenSed
COnsus waving high diplomatic victory TO
tie nation IL represented.
Glider returned the same night TO Hong
Kong and wired telegram TO New York.
Next day that Telegram was copied in all
the Hong Kong paIers.
1t said that serious riot had broken out
in Canton and properly had been robbed
aud destroyed; that The Chinese troops, ten
months in arrears of pay had mutinied and
refused to serve; that the Hong Kong and
Shanghai Bank had stepped in with a guar
antee loan TO the Viceroy to meet the wages
due; that the troops had Immediately gone
into action and order and safety was COM
pletely restored.
In connection with this matter Glider told
me an excellent story in his inimitable man
ner.
At the Hong-K Club the members
were all discussing the telegram Of the day
and boislerously chatting the lone Glider"
for manufactured news" Most promi-
neDt among them was new manager for
the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, who
had only arrived that day and who pom
derously twitted the Herald correspondent
upon knowing more about the bank bust
ness than the manager himself"
II stood it till | got tired" chuckled
Glider. "and then rounded on him and
told him foIcefully that was exactly the
popularity of Herald special and it was
SO. | assure you.
1t was some time before that riot quelled
down outside the double line of Chinese
soldiers. And 1t was at this period that
another American hero came cOnspicuouSly
and alone 10 the front
Across the broad canal at the back of the
island was a foreign drugstore in which
yaH Ia
married wife. The woman was in such
condition as requires perfect rest and quiet.
In lieu thereof she was surrounded by a
bowling mob Of maniacs. Two or three OF
the better class OF Chinese merchants had
promptly hurried away aud hfGdHD the
wretched foreigners before the mob broke
in the store TO loot and rob. The angry
multitudes we're bowling for their victims
and the situation was critical. The desper-
ate husband sent over piteOus appeals to the
young men upon The shamen. only 80 feet
or so away. for help TO convey bis wife
across and shield her from possible blows of
the multitude, bat no man dared risk the
passage.
Then old Gideon Nye. a white-haiyed ex-
United States Consul Of Canton, heard the
cry for help to women. Without a moments
hesitation be sprang into a sampan. pushed
resolutsly through the angry crowd Gf
boatfok and landing upon the other side
persuaded the woman to accompany him
with her husband. Daun,ed by the old
mans courage. the crowd permitted him to
push his way across and land his delicate
burden unmoested. And then, with that
respect to courage which burns in every
human breast, they cheered him In the Chi
nese way.
1t is because the community sulked at the
great superiority of their savlOrs over them
selves, in lien of frankly acknowledging it;
it is because the national local authorities
were so mortified at the yastdplomatic sue