Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-09-04

About 80 years ago there came to
America Chinese boy who was called
Ri Cooke Liang, or "Pe-cook," ''for
short as the boys say. He was one
of many Chinese lads sent over by
the imperial government to receive an
American bringing up and be edu-
Gated after the western fashion. Some
years after these boys, including Pi
Cooke Liang, were recalled to China
by the government. Not long after,
this boy, now young man, returned
to the United States as interpreter to
the Chinese legation at Washington.
This time he was known as LANG
Shung, having outgrown his juvenile
appellation of Pi Cooke. And now he
has just come to America again, this
time in the exalted company of Prince
Chen, perhaps sometime to be the
emperor of the Chinese, to represent
that remarkable old woman, the
dowager empress, as the Chinese min.
lister. Again his name is changed and
he is now Sir Chentung Liang Cheng.
This Chinese custom of altering,
amending and adding to name as the
person passes through the. advancing
stages of dignity has perhaps con-
cealed the identity of one Pi Cooke
LANG, for there are probably not
many people who know that the
Chinese minister spent three years of
his boyhood in the town of Amherst,
was fitted there for Phillips Andover
academy and finally entered Yale
university.
There are no records in Amherst to
show in just what year Pi Cooke
LANG arrived there for his entry into
American family life, but it was
probably about 1872, when the first
group of young Cinnamon arrived in
the Connecticut valley. ri Cooke
went into the family of Miss Harring
ton and remained there for three
years. He was IL years old when he
went to Amherst, a bright, intelligent
likeable boy, who could hardly speak
word of English. He acquired the
new tongue with great rapidity and
with it absorbed the American boys
spirit. He took an active interest in
affairs and adapted himself very quick
ly to American customs, even to the
UNIVERSAL habits among boys of play
ing the national game. He acquired
an education in baseball and other
sports, which stood him in good stead
later at Andover, where he played on
the academy team. He was much in
terested in social affairs, too, and he
is said to have had the church sociable
habit quite firmly fixed. He was a
regular attendant at both church and
Sunday-school He had keen sense
of humor and though rather quiet in
demeanor and actions was neverthe-
less fond of joking. In fact, he became
pretty much like the American boy.
But the Chinese lad was ever here
for purpose He was a good stu
dent. did not need to be pushed and
never required disciplining. The
progress the boy made at Amherst
may be judged from the fact that, al
though speaking practically no Eng
lish when he went there, he had in
three years fitted himself so well that
he passed creditable entrance exami-
DIT AuuONcis NACA NC AOib ALI
herst he had a thorough knowledge OF
American, French and English his
tory During his first three years in
America Pi Cooke remained in Am
herst all the time, except one day each
week, when he went to Hartford to
see Yung Wing, the Chinese commits
sioner An anecdote is told of Pi
Cooke, illustrating his sense of hui
NOR and grasp of the English Ian
guage. While at Andover a fellow
student entered his room one day and
found him hanging up some article OF
attire in his closet. He shut the door
on him Suddenly and locked it, refus-
ing to let him out until he should
Amake pun in the English language.
s Quick as flash Pi Cooke answered:
sOpun the door'-which is common
enough, if not good, American pronun-
iation of the word. After his course
4 Andover Pi Cooke entered Yale,
was recalled to China before he
sould finish his course there.