The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-11-01
Chinese Laundry Checks.

From the N. Y. Post.
The ingenuity of the Monaghan mind is
we'll displayed in the system of accounts
and checks in the laundry business. II
their written language were as scientific
and accurate as our own, it would be an
excellent creation, but they labor under
many disadvantages which are unknown to
the civilized world There are no char
acters in Chinese for letters of any such
simple variations as Roman and Arabic
numerals. 1t is therefore impossible to
translate or transliterate into Chinese such
common marks as A. or ". 6.
LIN place of this the Chinaman uses the
ideographs for the commoner facts of life,
such as 'shouse, ssmoon," "dog, lion,
'bear, . stable, . "chair, and street :"
In addition to these he employs the
numeral characters from l up to 100
A customer comes to a laundry unable
to speak Chinese and delivers his wash to
man unable to speak English. He re-
ceives in return check containing two
characters. One represents the day of the
week or month and the second one Of the
facts mentioned, such as s'moon'' or lion, ;
The slip is torn through the middle, upon
the principle of the legal indenture. 1t
is impossible to initiate the torn piece SO
that it will fit the half retained by the
laundry. Then upon the day book of the
laundry the proprietor enters under the
day of the week or the month the ideo-
graph moon or lion assigned to the customer
and beneath this the articles left to be
laundered.
He then takes down from hook lot of
muslin tags, on which are written in indel-
ible ink moon or 'lion," 1, 2, 3, 4,
and so on One of these tags is affixed
to each article, excepting the cuffs and
collars. To these one tag is affixed, which
is fastened by strong thread or cord tied
through the buttonhole in each article.
In addition to this they often put private
mark upon the article to be cleaned, al
though this is not very common. When
the goods are washed and ironed, they are
done up in package and the day and special
| character written on the outside. In ad-
dition to this the half ticket is fastened to
it with pin. When the customer enters
he gives his half ticket up, and if he is
known BY sight the package is handed ovel
to him. If he is not known, or is supec.
ted ofsbeing confidence operator, his hall
ticket is fitted to the laundry half ticket
before the package is handed over.
The day book is often amusing reading.
1t is difficult to write Western names il
Chinese characters, and most cases impos
sible. The laundryman therefore writes
| down some salient feature of his customer
In doing this he manifests quick perception
and considerable humor. ''Two Cole
Tooth appears on the same page will
"Redhead Scar Cheek, F" cred Nos,
Man. follows ''Old Woman With Whit,
Hair. ''Man Who Looks Like Horse,
"Man With Much Long Hair, ever,
Tall Thin,' and "Man Very Fat Body
are familiar entries. Often the custome
is described by his calling grocer, butcher
policeman, carriage man, or expressman
Doctor and dentist are frequent titles
Upon this system the little laundrymal
transacts his business with great smooth
ness and satisfaction. 1t may be askec
if an American would do as well in tn,
! Flowery Kingdom.