The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-18

to understand to this day
The professors chair creaked as he
pushed it back quickly and got up to
come to us
TIE subject of interest was only the
picture of a goldfish-a goldfish very
crudely drawn in water color on a scrap
of thin rice paper. The paper was dirty
and the coloring faded. AS 1 continued
to look at it, after Giichrist had spoken,
the drawing made a curious and disa-
greeable impression on me, which l tried
in vain to analyze.
Where did you find it2" Gilchrist ask
ed. Il have lost that book for years.
/ explained. Imprisoned in the library
by the rain while our host was busy else
where, the professor and / had spent the
morning rummaging through the shelves.
The professors find had been black
letter treatise on etiquette, in the French
of the fifteenth century. l had unearthed
from behind a row of tattered magazines
what at first sight | had supposed was an
empty bookcover but which had turned
out TO be an old scrap album OF the kino
popular during the first half OF the nine
teenth century. The album had been De-
gun but never filled up. Its sole contents
were a few newspaper cuttings. and the
little .rice-paper drawing of the goidiish
was pasted on the first leaf.
There is something that strikes me as
peculiar about this sketch. but what II
is l can hardly say 1 observed as we
all three stared at it
1.-The mouth is distended in a rather
unusual fashion for a carp" remarked
the professor.
Gilchrist turned to him sharply: NAT
makes you call it carp?
The professor shrugged his shoulders
..The goldfish is variety of the carp
species he replied quietly. You appear
to know that.
II know it; but didn't thinK that
many sother people did.
..It is a Chinese variety the profess
sor was continuing when / uttered an ex-
cb,,nation. The word China had come TO
NE as a revelation.
This drawing has come from emma!
proclaimed confidently. 1t is not the
work of a EUROPEAN"
Gilchrist nodded.
Now | understand why it seemed to
me that there was something strange
about it, l added.
The professor shook his head No. he
said, frowning slightly, that Is not ehe
reason. There is something strange about
this sketch, altogether apart from the
fact that it is the work of Chinese
craftsman. Look at it again, and tell me
whether it is fair to describe 1t as baaly
drawn
examined ;he sketch once more with
the closest attention.
No" 1 said; lit is bad likeness Oh
goldfish, and yet l should not say that II
was badly drawn AT least 1t Is not care
lessly drawn.
satisfaction. Exactly That is TO say
that wherever The craftsman has depart
ed from the correct type of goldfish ne
has done so Intentionally. He has had
a motive for representing the fish in TINS
precise position. Now, what do you IN
fer from that?
was silent. Gilchrist came to the res
cue. THAT is not intended as the like
ness of real fish,, he said to US. II Is
an exact copy frcm a model which hap
pen to have seen. This is not meant for
a picture; it is symbol
Good" The professor rubbed his
hands as he moved back to bis armchair
Now tell us your story"
Gnchrist lounged over to the broad bay
window and took out a cigar.
You would tell the story better than
can, if you knew the facts, he said to
me- You will find the beginning of it in
that scrapbook.
There are two or three newspaper cut
tings here" l observed, turning over the
leaves.
Read them out" commanded the pro-
fessor.
They are all from the Shanghai Cou-
rierr and they are dated in the year 1911,
/ mentioned by way of preface
My father" Gilchrist explained for the
professors benefit. was China mer-
chant. and lived in Shanghai at that
time
proceeded to read from the cuttings.
The first was paragraph of six lines:
Among the arrivals by the Orellana
Yesterday were Mr.. Alexander Gilchrist
and his son, Master Kenneth Giichrlst'
who has been educated in Scotland. we
understand that Mr.. Gilchrist has brought
his son out with him in order that he may
acquire a practical knowledge OF the
Shanghai trade.
Tbe next paragraph was longer. 1t bore
the heading:
singular Adventure of an English Boy.
yesterday a strange incident occurred
in the outskirts of Shanghai. the hero OF
which was a young gentleman named
Kenneth Gilchrist, son of one OF our lead
ing merchants Master Giichrist, who on
" arrived in Shanghai last week, for
the first time was taking a walk by him.
self when he was accosted by China
man who addressed him in what Mas
ter Gilchrist described as a broken jar
COMMERCIALLY 'pidgin-English. Master
Cilchrist shook his head to sisnit.- that
he did not understand what was sad to
him whereupon the Chinaman produced
.o.n,. gold coins which he offered the boy,
a, the same time inviting him by gestures
40 accompany him. Master Gilchrist again
shook his head, and beginning TO feel
alarmed, turned round TO go
homo The Chinaman thereupon seized
hin, NV the arm and tried to drag the boy
along At this moment. fortunately, Mr..
g. "A. Staveley happened to drive past.
and. seeing the struggle, pulled up and
or,ered the Chinaman TO release the boy,
which he promptly did. Mr.. Staveley |
.hsn drove Master Gilchrist to his ia |
theirs house; but the boy declares that |
III. Chinaman followed them and kept |
them in view till the door was reached"
Then came q cutting;
Another Chinese outrage-SusDected |
OF an English Boy.
The British colony in Shanghai has |
been thrown into "A state of the deepest |
and distress by the sudden |
Of Kenneth, only son OF
MIR Alexander Gilchrist. II viii be
membered that a few days ago We pub |
Iished an account of an attempt on the |
part of Chinaman TO lure away the |
,a me young gentleman, an attempt frus-
Irated by the oppor.une arrival on the
scene of an Englishman-Mr. g. IL Stave-