Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
BETTER THAN A LAUNDRY
Ii Foy is Now Busy in Another Field of
Usefulness.
Ofiiciates Parber for His Fellow
CeIestinls and Finds 1t
Very Profitable.

Since Lee Poit, the thoughtful Chinaman,
left the monotCnous life of laundryman
on lower Pennsylvania avenue a little
a year ago for the peaceful pursuit of
farming, several of his countrymen in
Washington have fOrsaken the wash tub
and flat iron for more remunerative fields.
The story of Lee Potts venture and the
success which followed it after many vics-
STUDIES was toll in The Star last fall.
Until he set the pace Washington China
men Were content to follow those callngs
with which they have become inseparably
identified, but Lees success caused them
to think that they. too. might increase
their incomes by entering fields less crowd
ed and where the profits from their labor
would be greater. Ii Foy, a shrewd celes-
tial. is the latest of his fellows to rinse the
suds from his hands and take down the
red ard white sign which proclaimed him
to be the proprietor of a laundry.
Ii was thinking one day, as he bent over
a tub full of soiled clothes. that he had
not shaved his head for week, and the
stiff black hair sprouting all over that part
OF his scalp which the well-grOomed China
man strives always to keep smooth and
white made his appearance anything but
tidy. Ii knew he ought to shave but the
day was warm he was tired after a hard
days work aud he did not feel equal to the
task. He could not get the required ton
sure at American barber shop, for the
dfLlStS at those places knew nothing OF
such a delicate operation.
Brilliant Inspiration.
Suddenly Ii stopped rubbing a shirt
the washboard and lighting his long-stem
med pipe he sat down on a stool. A bril-
liant thought had struck him. There were
dozens of Cinnamon in Washington who,
perhaps felt as ne did about shaving their
heads. He was well known and liked in
Chinatown" so why not start a barber
shop for the benefit of the moon-eyed citi
Zens of the capital?
The idea pleased Ii immensely. He dried
his hands, laid his pipe aside and waddied
down to Fer Lows restaurant to talk it all
over with Moy, who is a sort of public ad-
wiser among the Cinnamon. In the restau-
rant, over a bowl of ''yetomee,' Ii unfolded
his plans. Moy, who has never established
a reputation for remarkable energy and
who needed a tonsure at that very moment,
was deeply interested. He advised Ii with
out much delay to embark at once in the
new enterprise and pictured to the little
laundryman in glowing language the pros
porous times ahead of him.
That was two months ago, and now Ii
is kept constantly busy removing the sur
plus hirsute growth from around the bases
of the queues of all Chinatown. If business
continues to increase Ii will soon be COM
PEELED to take in a partner. He has no
place of business because he shaves his pa
irons in their own laundries groceries or
restaurants. He starts out shortly after
noon every day and ii is late at night when
he reaches Fer Low for a dish of chop
suey and a cup of tea or rice brandy.
For Shaving Heads.
Ii carries his entire outfit in a big pocket
in his blouse. There is an ordinary razor,
a strop, shaving brush, soap, bottle of oil,
and then an instrument which the conven-
tunal barber would never recognize as one
belonging to his trade. In appearance it
strongly resembles drawing knife, such as
those used by carpenters. The blade Is
fiat and curves inward toward the middle.
At each end is bamboo handle rougnen-
ed so that a firm hold may be kept on it.
The name of this peculiar instrument is
urpronounceable in English, but sounds as
if spelled ''yoh-te-in,' and 1t is used ex-
ciusively for shaving heads. Ii is always in
a hurry. and when he enters a customers
place of business he proceeds At once to lay
out his tools in back room. The Gus
&c mer leaves his work and the operation
begins Immediately.
First the face is shaved with an ordinary
razor. much after the fashion of American
BARRIERS. and then the more difficult task is
undertaken. The head sis first thoroughly
soaped and vigorously rubbed after which
the sudS are washed away. The oil, which
is highly aromatic is rubbed into the roots
of the stubby hairs, and then there is a rest
for ten minutes while the oil soaks into the
scalp. Tea and conversation serve to while
| away the time and make the ten minutes
| appear HIuCli Siioi seI, ana then LII SelZlnS
| his 'yok-te-in proceeds to business.
The shaving is invariably done from the
| forehead back to the base of the queue
| Ii stands behind his customer and draws
| the ''yok-te-in" from front to rear over
| the head, the customer pulling the skin
down just above the eyes III order to pre-
vent wrinkles from forming in front of the
| blade. A few scrapes and the job is prac-
! ticaiiy finished. With the ordinary razor
| Ii trims away the few bristles that remain
| around the edges of the forehead and near
| the ears and washes his customers head
Then follows cup of tea or rice wine at
! the expense of the customer Ii receives his
! pay, which Is usually p cents, and is off to
| the next laundry on his daily rounds
| Death of Mrs. $. w. Duncan