The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-11-04
How de do, brother."

| How de do, brother,'
| One of the night men of the Adver-
tiser looked up quickly with surprise
and immediately placed one hand firmly
over the entrance to the pocket which
contained his lunch money, for stran-
ger stood before him muttering the
magic words above which have cesc
many poor scribe some portion of his
weekly wage. The stranger appeared
| to be about twenty-three years old
His face was young looking but was
scared badly by deep lines. An old
coat, a relic of earlier times, and a.
pair Of trousers Of even earlier man
ufacture, with long-service pair of
shoes, a faded negligee shirt, with col
| lars and cuffs attached and a carelessly
arranged, fringed four-in-hand tie and
I aged straw hat, made up the strangers
outfit.
az wouldn't work in this mans town
if he'd pay me in bottles of cham
pagne," quickly continued the newcom-
er, "for you're about as far behind the
times as dog show is behind Carrie
Nations Ratchet circus. Honolulus
ent. went out there couple OF
months ago to look up the war situa-
ton and be right on the spot at the go
off in case Of any fracas. But there
was no war and I'm back again. I
will return to st. Louis tell the old
man to take fifteen or twenty a week
out Of my salary and reserve me some
stock, taking working interest in one
of the new pypers the old man is going
to add to his string. Have a cigar?"
The stogie was accepted without
apologies.
ST went out on the Coptic to Ma
Mia. Sometime ago said to myself that
Japan was going to wipe Russia off the
face of the earth. went to the old
man and said, Suppose go on a trip
He said all right. I said III get next
to the war. Any Instructions I ask
ed. None he replied, we'll give you
a rowing commission to do the whole
thing and rely upon your ability and
originality to do it right 7 .packed UP
! and went over on the Coptic,, DID Ma
Mia in four days. BUM town.. Don't
know that grass will. grow if it is we'll
Iwatered. I went on to Hongkong.
Loveliest city in the world, at least
loveliest ever saw. Went on to Can
| ton. Dirty hole. Wanted to go up
tug. All afraid of the rebels. bought
IA sampan myself and sailed up from
Hongkong as far as she would go.
Then 7 walked five miles. I pitched a
camp and looked around. Nothing do
ing. They, didn't even offer to fight
me- Guess they knew I was an Ameri-
can citizen and that they can't fool
witl we Yankee war correspondents.
| Walked back to Canton and narrowly
escaped being captured by those muir
derous bandits on the way. Got through
all right though and saved a big ran
som bill for my syndicate. Guess
they'll appreciate. What do you think?
Promotion sure. Went on to Yokoha-
ma. All excitement there and I hustled
hard to get a line on things. I went
aboard the battleship Oregon. Had a
yarn and a cigar with Captain Burwell
and he piped me straight that there
To he Ont of
considera ton for the expense bill of the
syndicate come right back. No geisha
girls or sake for me. Guess they'll ap-
preciate that at st. Louis! What do
you think?
And say. I can give you big
| yarn. Honolulu's in a deep hole now
| but it's goin' to prosper. The Chinese
| merchants of the place have made up
their minds to place the town on the
same brilliant footing of prosperity
as 1t was in KamymehawS time.
| What do you think?"
| How did you learn that?" asked
| the Advertiser man.
Dead easy. Met a Chinese mer-
| chant on the Korea. Had a yarn.
! He said they's decided to get together
J and stop the hard times. Big organi-
ZdLlOH Oh tHeIn mere. ne Sdlu ill TIE
Chinese sugar planters had come to
an understanding that no more sugar
was to be shipped to America or Aus
tralia or England in steamers. Steam
ers mean ruination to your city. They
! have agreed on using only sailing
ships. S'pose that will surprise some
of you folks here. Might cause
furry on your stock exchange. The
story'll make feature for our Sun
day issue when I get back. Maybe
the boss won't appreciate? You bet
| he will. I'm good for a raise on that
! alone. My articles in the st. Louis
papers will do for you here. You can
copy them.
| "Well, must be going. Steamer
sails tomorrow at ten you know. Got
lots of work to do first. I am going
to write review of your politics here
for a magazine. Got lots of good ma
terial tonight Saw ten thousand
native voters in a parade all wearing
torchlights. Heard a speech. One