The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1901-05-04

By Captain Musgrove Davis (Charles o. Shepardp
Il * ..ss.N Ns..s.s..
, HEESAI.- in japanese. signi-


Mister; hence Cheesai Willie San
means Little Mr.. Willie. That waI
what tho tiny American was called.
He was about thirteen years of age
when the explosion OF n high-pressure
boiler of the steamer City of Yeddo
made him fatherlcss. His mother and
,ne small sister made up the remand
sr of the family, and poor indeed they
we're. The worthy woman struggled
bravely, and turned her hands to any
Thing that presented itself. She tried
washing but the heather Chinee"
,oon demonstrated the impossibiiity of
getting living in that field. Do what
the might, a hollow-eyed deficit al
ways started her in the face. Even my
granite heart demanded that / now
and then make to her deficiency APP
Preparations" Gallons as l had be-
rome through long exposure to the
solicitations OF stranded Americans,
The mute appeal of facts softened my
heart where a begging word would
have failed.
On many Sunday morning the fol-
owing conversation-in japanese
look place between my faithful, ten
aer-hearted major domo and me:
"Have you seen the mother?" He
soon came to know who "the mother"
was.
mo. master; not yet"
"You must go; go soon."
Eyes, will as you say"
Returning ''alf an hour afterward:
Master, l went. They have little
to eat. | am so sorry"
go call little Mr.. Willie here."%
And little Mr.. Willie always went
home full of breakfast, tears and
gratitude, with a hamper loaded, and
/ few coins besides.
I was, ex officio, The guardian of
every under-aged American orphan,
and Cheesai Willie San was, therefore,
constantly on my mind. Early and
late met the lite chap with his jolly,
Eager face, always doing something
10 earn an itzibu. Sometimes 1 was
able to recommend him to American
travellers as a guide to the japanese
Ihops, and his familiarity with the
English and Japanese languages made
him exceedingly useful to the purchas-
er and 10 mean breadwipner to his
mother.
1t SO happened that Yokohama
ibounded In bachelors, u species Of liu'
man being whose right to exist Is
sometimes called in question. Willle's
mother. however, one day discovered
that, the Yokohama questionables Mt
least had real, practical reason for
being, namely: to furnish darning and
mending fof needy American widows
/ discovery which she followed up
with excellent results to all concerned.
Thus for year or two there were no
holes in unmarried stockings, and no
deficits in certain family treasury.
Early one Monday morning Willie's
bright face appeared beside my desk.
"Well, what is 1t now, my little
man?" 1 inquired.
THAT'S just 1t. Mr.. Consul" he re-
Piled. "Its because / am almost a
man that want to do a mans work.
Haven't you got something in the con-
sulate, STRIP
"What do you want TO do, Willie
SAM"
Anything, sir, anything"
"How much do you want for doing
Hy
Anything, SIR"
On the instant a brilliant plan &C.
Cured to me, so l said: well, Willie,
have you plenty of courage?'
"Yes. SIR" was the prompt answer
"The-e is something want done.
Willie, but any one who begins must
go all the way through with 1t. Are
you sure of yourself?"
"Yes, SIR"
"Can you spell?"
Eyes, sir. SOS 1 can understand it
but maybe you wouldn't"
THAT doesn't matter so much, VIII
lie, for the work will teach you just
how to spell. When will you START"
Nov, sir"
l ordered table to be placed In one
corner of my office and. providing pen,
ink and about a ream of paper. direct
ed Willie to sit down. / then put be-
fore him Worcester's Dictionary,
simply remarking, Il want an exact
copy made of that" and resumed my
work without even look at him.
l ignored my new employee as long
as possible, but curiosity soon proved
too strong for me, and stole a glance
Out OF the corner of my eye, only to
find him working away utterly OBJ
livious of everything but his task.
When four o'clock came l announced
that that was the usual hour of stop
ping work. Willie piled up his book
and papers neatly, and with respect
full bow and sayonara (good-day), de-
parted.
The second day was like the first,
and so on until Monday came again,
and with it my little clerk, bright and
brave as ever. AS the second week
Wore on l began to be uneasy and to
ask myself whether l had not caught
a Tartar. Pride kept me to the bar
gain, however, until the end of the
third week, when ! had paid out to
the little chap the sum of nine rios
about nine dollars.
A fourth week went by and the cost
of my fun had mounted up TO twelve
rios without the least sign of discour-
agement-on Willie's part
Calling the little hero to my side, I
asked:
Willie San, are you satisfied with
your work?'