The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-05
CHINESE CHECKS.
The Ingenuity the Laundrymen Show
in Identifying Customers.


The ingenuity Of the Monaghan mind
is well displayed in the system of ac-
counts and checks in the laundry bust
ness. If 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 Chi
neSe for letters of any such simple varl-
atoms as Roman and Arabic numerals.
1t is, therefore. impossible to translate
or transliterate into Chinese such COM
mon marks as a. u or CIV g.. In place
of this the Chinaman uses the ldeo
graphs for the commOner facts of life,
such as house . moon dog" lion,
bear" table . chair" and street"
In addition to these he employs the
mineral characters from 1 up to 100
A customer comes to a laundry unable
to speak Chinese and delivers his wash
to man unable to speak English. He
receives in return a check containing
two characters. One represents the day
Of the week or month and the second
one of the facts mentioned, such as
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 OF the month the Telegraph
moon or lion assigned to the customer
and beneath this the articles left to be
Numbered. He then takes down from
the hook a lot of muslin tags, on which
are written in indelible ink moon" or
lion" 1, 2, 3, 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 a strong
thread or cord tied through the button
hole in each article.
In addition TO this they often put
70, IL 4sc1o - Ia
cleaned, although this is not very COM
mon. When the goods are washed and
ironed they are done I'D in a package
and the day and special character writ
ten 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 suspect
ed of being a confidence operator. his
half ticket is fitted to the laundry half
ticket before the package is handed
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 salient
feature of his customer. In doing this
he manifeSts quick perception, and con-
siderable humor. Two gold tooth ap-
pears on the same page with Red head
scar cheek" Red nose man" follows
"Old woman with white hair. Man who
/ looks like horse" Man with much long
hair" Very tall thin" and Man very
fat jolly are familiar entries. Often
4 the customer is described by his calling
i grocer, butcher, policeman, carriage
man, or expreSsnan. Doctor and dentiSF
are frequent titles. Upon this system
/ the little Iaundryman transacts his bus1
ness with great smoothness and salts
faction. It may be asked if an Ameri
can would do as well in the fiowery
! kingdom.-Boston Journal