Evening star., 1898-09-03
TEE HOON WAS A WONDER

rel when Tee Hoon shipped aboard of US -
said Washington bluejacket, recently
back from the Asiatic station, visiting his
people here last week THAT was six years
ago-perhaps bit more It was at Shang-
hal. Tee Hoon didn't belong to the coole
| class-any of US could see that. After
you've been on the China station for a few
years you learn how to pick Cinnamon of
quality from among punches of coolies.
even if they are dressed alike--and China
men of quality occasionally get down in
| the world, just the same as people of quail
| ity occasionally stack up against runs of
hard luck over at this end of the world. As
soon as Tee Hoon came over the side to see
| about shipping as a mess attendant we
figured 1t out. correctly, that he belonged
to the mandarin class OF course we could
not know then, however, what a really
heap much Tee Hoon was. Tee Hoon was
| shipped aboard the Petrol. He made an
| admirable mess attendant. His English
| was better than mine. or yours; that's
right, don't modify it at all-his English
| was better than mine or yours. This sur
| prised us a good deal. OF course on the
| emma station. you often meet up with
| Shlnamen of the quality who speak good
| English. but Tee Hoons English was SIM
ply perfect-accent, phraSeology, modula--
tion and all. We couldn't make it out.
| Then. again, we had an Italian boy ship
1 ped on the Mediterranean station, serving
/ dDodtu ds d mess attenGant One day,
| couple of weeks after Tee Hoon shipped,
| the Chinaman and the Italian lad had a bit
| OF row. Tee Hoon cuSsed the Dago boy
/ up hill and down dale in choice Italian. We
knew 1t was choice Italian, because one of
| the officers was a student of Italian, and
| his eyes stuck out like doorknobs when he
overheard Tee Hoon cussing the Italian
| Toy IN the CAB of Italy. Afterward the
| Italian boy told us that Tee Hoon's Italian
| was like unto that of cardinal We had
| aboard Greek boiler maker, named Ly-
| curgus. Lycurgus was foolish enough one
| afternoon, about a month after we shipped
| lee Hoon to attempt to guy the China
| man. Tee Hoon opened up on Lycurgus in
| a lingo we couldn't make out. Lycurgus
told US that 1t was modern Greek, and a
| peculiarly fiery and convincing brand of it.
! BY this time We began to regard Tee Hoon
as pretty clever shipmate. He played a
| pretty good game of poker; also, he could
beat any of the Germans aboard playing
| plnochle; also, he could talk German with
| any Of them, and German that they said
| shot away above their heads. Likewise,
| Tee Hoon used to repair to the beach, once
| in while, and become exceedingly drunk
and disreputable, which was sailorly and
| IN line with good many of his Caucasian
shipmates. He always turned up aboard
| SOBER however, and never got, into any
| trouble Tee Hoon, three months after he
| shipped at Shanghai, was transferred to
| the flagship, which was ordered back to the
United States by way of the Suez canal.
| So was /.
probably because he won good deal of
| money from me at poker. I've always OBJ
| served that I'm very much admired by
| shipmates who know how to get my pay at
| the game of draw. Anyhow, Tee Hoon got
| to like me good deal, and one night long
| before he got to Port Said, Tee Hoon open
ed up a notwithstanding story for my ex-
| elusive benefit. 1t was all true. Cinnamon
! of quality very rarely lie. Tee Hoon was
| from Annoy, and his father was a very
| wealthy mandarin and the governor OF his
| province. In his early youth Tee Hoon had
| been sent to Europe for his education. He
| had spent seven years in Germany, France
| ana England, studying hard, and dissipat-
| ing good deal. too. When he returned to
Annoy his continuance in dissipation dis
| pleased his father, the mandarin and gov
| ernor Tee Hoon had had violent row
| with his father and had made his way
down to Shanghai. There he shipped
| aboard of us-the Petrol, that is. That was
| ALL Some day, though he would go back,
| said Tee Hoon.
1--WE tarried for a few months in the
| Mediterranean. One day, when we were
| at Villefranche, the archbishop came
| aboard to look us over. The skipper took
| him the ship. Tee Hoon was in the
| galley when the skipper and the archbishop
| reached the galley.
| Aha ceestial-a Chinaman,' said tAe
| archbishop elevating his eyebrows and
! taking snuff.
Tee Hoon turned and gazed at the arch
bishop with languid eyes. Then he said
something to the archbishop in language
we didn't understand.
| Latin! CALCULATED the archbishop The
world is upon end! celestial with his
| Latin. Look you, NJ. le Commandante, and
marvel addressing the skipper. Then the
archbishop and Tee Hoon held an easy
| and amiable conversation In Latin for
some minutes. The Chinaman's Latin
| seemed to fall upon our ears just as NIL
| sically as the Latin of the archbishop
| " In all things wonderful. the Ameri-
| OG ha ,urn r.
over the side; even unto having Chinese
Latinist on ship cleaner of shoes
We We're pretty proud of Tee Hoon by
| this time. No man Of any nationality ever
| came over the side Of our ship who could
| call the turn on Tee Hoon in any Ian
guage. Tee Hoon was on deck with all of
| them. We had a Scotch machinist who
| liked to discuss controversial theology.
| Tee Hoon was the hardest nut the Scotch
man had aboard to crack. Tee Hoon had
| studied Christian theology.
| Il was paid off in New York Tee Hoon
went with another ship down to the South
Atlantic station. l often wondered about
| him.
"six months ago my ship. the Concord.
went UP the big river as far as Annoy
! had always found Annoy among tn. dullest
| of the Chinese interior towns, tut / want
| ashore. hoping for news of Tee TIoon. IT
| was brilliant, chill afternoon. ] stood not
| far from the American consul5 house,
| thinking of nothing in particular There
| was a clatter down the street, and then a
big litter party appeared. Twenty uniform
| ed coolies in front, then dozen lesser
! mandarins. afoot; the same outfit in the
| rear of the litter; the litter between, car
| ried by eight giant coolies. Sitting in the
| litter seat. in silks and furs and Jewels
Tee Hoon!
Hello, Hoonn says l.
| "Hoon regarded me carefully. Then h.
| tipped me a solemn, yet merry wink, and
| the litter passed on. Rather caddish on
| Tee Hoon's part. I thought.
'"That night, Tee Hoon came off to the
| ship in a sampan. H, was disguised as a
| ccolie. He brought me many presents
"T am now mandarin. and may not
address you in public. friend. said Tee
| Hoon. Then his eyes filled a little But
| wish I ere back at sea, o shipmata that
| was!
i An, Ant. Lei