Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-19
RACIAL COURAGE.
Even the Chinaman Will Fight if occa-
sion Demands


During a discussion yesterday of the
Belgrade horror and its possible conse-
quences, in which a party of generally
well-informed gentlemen were engaged, a
consensus of opinion was reached which
gave to the late King Alexander, notwith-
standing his reputed vacillations and
weakness, a full measure of credit for the
pluck he displayed when, with great odds
against him he shot Col. Naumovitch, who
entered his sleeping apartments and de-
manded his abdcation. There was also a
disposition to give some applause to the
young ruler for his care at that moment
of extremity for the despised and ill-star-
red Draga.
The conversation that was being held
took a rather wide scope and ranged from
the prowess Of kingly persons in various
countries TO the individual valor of
their subjects when cornered. 1t was
agreed that there was hardly any one
who would not put up a good fight when
compelled to. One of the party was not
inclined to agree to this idea in toto. He
drew the line at the Chinese. THE indi-
vidual Chinaman." he said, will take
water whenever the advantage is against
him"
This little remark turned aside entirely
the character of the discourse and caused
a descent in its quality almost from the
sublime to the ridiculous.
You're altogether 1t fault in your con-
ception of celestial pluck" said another
member of the gathering. Just let any
number of men with hostile intent enter
one of the laundries in this town-which
are the 'chincks castles-and they can
find a whole washtub full of fighting. And
that reminds me- he remarked, of an
event l saw during a recent visit 1 was
making to a distant city / got up pretty
early one morning to take a little consti-
tutional Iamble before breakfast and was
witness to an occurrence that proved to
me that there are pretty good individual
fighting qualities among the Chinese. In
brief what l saw and which happened on
the outskirts of the city were two young
men riding by in a no-top wagon, a quiet
Chnaman trudging along with his hands
in his pockets and a whole row of houses
in the course of erection and. consequently,
loads of bricks nearby. The men in the
wagon in a spirit of meanness as they
rode by him gave the son of Confucius
a severe lash with their whip. That start
ed lively row. The Chinaman picked up
a whole load of the bricks that were lying
around loose and hurled them at his tor
mentors until one of them left the wagon
and engaged him in single combat. John
knew how to put up his dukes and knock
ed his adversary out in one round Then
the other fellow came and put up rough
and-tumble scrimmage, but the Asiauc
was a good wrestler, and the result was he
put them both to flight. Then he sat down
on the curb put his head down between
his knees and ruminated. l started to COM
pliment him on his prowess.
You didn't get the worst of the bat
tie / said.
No speakee Inglis'.' he responded.
You know how to fight, though
hazarded
'Velly well. veIly WELL said the almond
eyed disciple of John l.. Sullivan.
Don't tell me a Chinaman won't fight
This was not in the 'rowdy west gentle
men," he concluded; 1T was in the Gull
tured east
And then the council adjourned.