The Hawaiian gazette., 1898-11-22
IN FAR OFF CHINA
Death at Tientsin Of a Ma.
tive of Honolulu.
Vim. French. Son OF an Early ker'
chsnt-Sister Here-Had Been In
Orient Many Years.
Picking Times, October 49,

Poor old French is dead" Such was
the greeting of friend when ! entered
the club today at noon. You knew
him very well" said my friend. viii
you write a few lines about him." !
am not al home In print, but | did
want 70 call on old French yesterday,
when I heard that he was In the hospi-
tai! ! didn't, and now he IL gone!
you knew him very well?" Yes. ]
did. IL is very many years since first
made his acquaintance. II remember
Alright he was In charge OF the Signal
Station his house being in the South
Fort at that time. Often did ] visit
him there, and as often was ] enter
tanned by him, for he was very enter
tanning In his way. ia Hsein-sheng!
everybody In Taku knew "Fa Hsein-
sheng" Present day residents IN Tien-
tsin knew him better as "old French
He was one OF the old landmarks at
Taku. and when one used to ride down
from here in the old days hearty well
come awaited him from old French.
For many years he was boat officer,
going OFF at night and day to the
steamers as they came in and went
out. How often have | heard, How
are you FRENCH" when his boat had
come safely alongside. II wasn't al
ways safe, and ] believe French had
more than one narrow escape, and
often got wet through, and the water Is
not warm in the fall Of the year at
Taku! 1t did my heart good to see him
climb the ladder and feel the grip OF
his hand when was homeward bound,
he did not usually say much. but to
me he has always appeared as the last
link binding me to Tientsin. Return
ing as ! have on several occasions,
French's face seemed to me like the
first glimpse Of home; how ] used to
watch for his coming of; he had a
good memory for faces, and ] was
never disappointed: his welcome back
was as CHEEKY as his kind send-Of.
Many resident here will remember
him at our Race Meetings. he missed
few, II any: he took keen interest in
them and was never happier than
when he was running his sweeps.
Who will forget his Wheel OF Fortune
at the Spring Meeting? ] remember
when his application came before the
stewards there was some doubt as 10
what he intended Introducing; how
ever, we felt It was only old French.
What harmless thing II proved to
be!
Some residents will remember the
visit OF King Kalakaua to Tientsin;
never before had a king been here, and
I was one OF the favored few who were
introduced to and even shook hands
with His Majesty! Well, was an old
friend Of Pats Captain Patterson)
and he had brought him up from
Shanghai. Quite futter of excite
went through the camp when II was
discovered that the king knew old
French, but such was the case, they
had been boys together at the same
school In French's native place. Homo
lulu. IL my memory serves me Alright
French applied for day or two of
duty got per" issIon from his commits
sIoner, and was very happy showing
the king, his late schoolfellow, about.
This experience made no difference to
our friend; he remained the same good
fellow, but he was often chaffed about
the kings visit Poor old French"
Tlentsln October IA 1898