The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1901-01-12
CHINESE SooDFELL0wSHIP.
Complete Trust In Trade Trsssas-
steus Was the Rule In the Last
Generation.

Foreigners who have studied the Chi
nese in n sympathetic manner testify
10 their devotion 10 anyone, be he na-
tive or foreigner. who once gains their
confidence; and n story which is told
BY the author OF "China in Transiorma.
ton goes a long way toward proving
this contention, says Youths Compan-
lon.
In the last generation complete trust
was the rule between the old hong mer-
chants and the American and European
traders. and business was transacted
in whole ship loads The friendly re
lations then established subsisted fef
generation after the destruction Of
the factories" in is56, and the in
anrnration OF the new era, which Il
of a more individualised and retail char
aeter.
One well-known survivor OF the old
regime. an American gentleman, Nj
Y, had. in consequence Of the col
lapse of his firm. fallen from afiuenee
10 penury. and was personally much
| In debt TO certain Of the representatives,
of the old "lSo hong
Seeing that the veteran remained IN
Canton. never visiting his home and
family. his Chinese friend asked him
why he denied himself the natural
solace of his old age permanent sep
aration from the family home being
specially intolerable to Chincse~-and
guessing the reason. he produced Mr.
| KS note Of hand for large amount
and tore Il up before the maker saying
aNow YOU are free to go TO your
home"
II Is not only the Chinese gentleman
who is large-hearted. Once upon
time the agent at one Of the minor
ports for n wealthy firm In Shanghai
lived In lordly style. Times changed.
and the big firm ceased business. Left
stranded, the agent decided 90 set up
for himself and work the connections
he Ind formed among native and for
eign merchants.
But the old style of expenditure could
not be supported. Summoning his
faithful "boy" or butler. he explained
the situation to him; impossible to
keep up the old expensive style of lif.
ing, very sorry TO part with such n
good old servant, and so forth. The
boy rose 10 the occasion in a some
what surprising manner.
"What for masta too muehee sollee9
Ny too sollee masta no catchce good
chance. My like stny this side. Masia
how much can pay9e (Why is master
so sorrowful? | am very sorry TINT
master is not doing well. | should like
to stay in masters service. How much
can master afford TO payD
The master named a sum which wns
Just two-thirds of what his house bills
had hitherto amounted TO. "Muskce.
masta; masta talkee so muchee, can
do" Never mind. master, whatever
you say will do.) So said the accom-,
modating serying-man.
So the household proceeded, every
thing exactly rs before--table as
bountiful, servants rs smart and as
respectful, but the monthly charge
30 per cent. less. A year passed; the
new business had been uphill work.
the emolument was disappointing.
Again the master had to make an ex.
planation to the servant; again the
solution of the difficulty was to re-
duee the establishment.
"Never mind. master; tell me how
much you think you can pay," was the
substance OF his boys reply.
The master was seriously taken
aback, but he named figure which
was just one-half of what he had origi-
nally paid. The boy accepted as cheer
fully as before. and the InenaPe pre-
ceeded, not salad leaf or partridge
or mushroom the less; only the cost
was reduced 70 very modest proper
tions.
OF course IL is open 10 remark that
the willy Chinaman had been extortion-
ate in the old time; but what elasticity
Of accommodation, what practical de.
votion in misfortunel