The Washington times., 1904-07-31
Odd Gypsy" of a Cfdnaman
Found in Far-of Manchuria

the trainmen, terrorized the coolies. or
ganized his fellows into effective SER
wants The baggage melted into the
crowded cars and was absorbed.
On the journey Sin Foo developed un-
suspected capacity as an interpreter in
Russian; as a conversationalist In
French and German and Italian; as a
commissariat officer and a body-servant.
We confidently anticipated his utter
failure as groom
Landed in Mukden.
Dawn of the third day found us at
Mukden In a siding. a mans height from
! the ground. with our horses 70 detrain.
Our engineering talent grappled with
the problem and despaired Once more
Sin Foo was equal 10 the occasion. He
directed a corps of coolies 10 build
a landing stage with battens brought
from heaven knows where, induced the
linesman to shunt the wagons one by
one to the platform, led the ponies OUT
and forth
We forgave the elation OF his master.
knowing the depression that would fol-
low once this Admirable Crichton OF the
Orient was allocated to his proper duties
in the stable.
Somehow. it was Sin Foo who found
US our lodging. who hired our extra
servants. who brought US our horses.
Each of US in turn sneaked to him TO
beg a favor With time we discovered
his masters horses were the latest. the
best groomed. the most cheaply fed
Our jealousy almost led to open rupture.
but even Cassandra, in all her dejec-
ton, could not have beer more con-
sistent in her prophecy Of evil than We.
Food in Wilderness.
Later his master received permission
to proceed TO General Kuropatkin OF
forty miles. and we were eager to save
baggage We took no food, bundled
ourselves. our horses. and our mafoos-
personally directed by Sin Foo-into
! an empty coal truck. Two nights and
a day we spent in that dark and dusky
residence. But for Sin Foo we should
have starved. Somehow, out OF the void
and hungry prairie he materialized eggs
and chickens and native pears. Chinese
cakes, and Russian khleb. Out or the
/ soldiers he wheedled warm tea and sug-
ar We lived like fighting cocks, and
even the CRIME of the coal wagon rub
( bed of with time.
In the weeks that have passed sin Foo
has been house agent and horse dealer.
minister plenipotentiary and major do
mo, veterinary surgeon. and comedian
/ We know he "sQueezes" as only the
! Chinaman can squeeze. We know he
has a commission of every deal he TN
dertakes. We know he has cornered
I the market in foodstuffs We know he
has driven out every free trader we mo-
mentarily have encountered. We know
he has organized the servants into q
trade union as fmplacable as any indus
trial combination of Manchester or
Pittsburg. We also know we are row.
erless in his grasp. and We know that
Sin Foo knows.
Sin a Problem.
The identity Of Sin Foo we have not
been able TO TathOm. His friends are
numberless as the grains OF sand upon
the seashore. English missionary and
Mukden hanging judge. Russian officer
and German attache. humble coolie and
naughty mandarin--each and all he
halls my found" The marvel is they
never fail TO acknowledge the friendship.
Sin Foo is the pivot of our Manchurian
existence.
Sin Foo has his weaknesses as dis
tinctive as his strength. He loves dress
as an East End Cockney lass loves
ostrich feathers. The day of our off,
wore the robes Of a manGerin-the loan
of a ''fieund "a procee ding which. in q
city where decapitations occur thrice
daily would have Cancelled his policy
in the most lenient Of life Insurance.
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