Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-22
CHINESE LAUNDRY TICKETS.
No Characters In Their Language Like
Roman or Arabic Numerals.

The ingenuity of the Monaghan mind
is well displayed In the system Of ac-
counts and checks in the laundry BUSH
ness. 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 characters in
Chinese for letters of any such simple
variations as Roman and Arabic num-
erals. 1t Is, therefore, impossible to-
translate or transliterate into Chinese
such common marks as "a. or Nv. CD.
In place Of this the Chinaman uses the
ideographs for the commoner facts or
life, such as house" ''mOon." dog,
lion" bear" table chair" and
street"
In addition to these he employs the
numeral characters from up to 100.
A customer comes to laundry un-
able TO speak Chinese and delivers his
wash to man unable to speak Eng
lish. He receives in return a check
containing two characters. One repre-
sents the day of the week or mOnth and
the second one of the facts mentioned,
such as moon or Lion" The slip is
torn through the middle. upon the
principle Of the legal indenture. 1t is
impossible to initiate the torn pieces so
that it will fit the half retained by the
laundry. Then upon the dayboOk of
| the laundry the proprietor enters un-
| der the day of the week or the month,
| the telegraph moon or lion assigned to
| the customer, and beneath this the
| articles left to be laundried. He then
| takes down from the hook a lot Of
| muslin tags, on which are written in
| indelible ink moon or ''lion," one,
two, three, four. 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 fasten-
| ed by strong thread or cord tied
through the buttOnhole in each article.
In addition to this they often put pri-
vate mark upon the articletO be cleaned,
although this is not very common.
| When the goods are washed and irOned
they are done up in a package and the
| day and special character written on
| the outside. In addition 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 over To
| him. If he is not known, or is SIls-
pected of being confidence operator.
his half-ticket is fitted to the laundry
half-ticket before the package is hand
ed over.
The day book is often amusing read
ing. 1t is difficult to write western
names in Chinese characters, and in
most cases impossible. The laundry
| man therefore writes down some sail
ent feature of his customer In doing
this he maifests quick perception and
considerable humor. 1.-TWO Gold
Tooth" appears on the same page with
"Redhead Scar Cheek; RED Nose Man
follows "OlG Woman with White Hair"
Man Who Looks Like Horse" Man
with Much Long HAIR" Very TAN
Thin" and Man Very Fat Jolly" are
familiar entries. Often the customer
is described by his Calling-grocer.
butcher, policeman, carriage man, or
expressman. Doctor and dentist are
frequent titles. Upon this system the
little laundryman transacts his busi-
ness with great smoothness and salts
faction. 1t may be asked if an Ameri-
can would do as well in the Flowery
kingdOm.-New York Evening Post