Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-23
CANNED MELODY A LA CHINESE
ALMOST PRECIPITATES FIERCE RIOT

a scattering Of the population and
Apablasa street bt-ame congested For
Wing had cornered the song market
and had laid In complete selection OF
the latest and moct genteel Chinese
songs, sung ~ Chinese artists of the
worst type Also several American airs
translated to Chinese with orchestra
ton.
The Chinese heard the noise and
grabbed implements suggestive OF
battle with the hlghbinders. The Mexi-
cans in the plaza heard IL and the rec
objections of the days when Chinese
were lynched near the old adobe came
flooding back to them.
The police heard and started for the
scene of trouble. And there sat Wing
In all his celestial beauty. He was clad
I'm n freshly launered jumper, his head
was neatly shaved and oiled and the
tip of his queue quivered with his
triumph. His white pajamas were cut
extra short and he wore neither shoe
nor stocking for the night was warm.
With one hand he placed cigarette be-
tween his celestial lips while with the
other he pumped the singing machine.
on near apyoach It sounded like a
busy day at the boiler works. AS the
excited officers got closer It sounded
like a night session of the Holy Rollers.
Finally they saw and Joined the
crowd.
Music, the Food Of Love
High above the Counds of the street
arose n strange yelling noise, for Wing
had just put on new record and the
singer was clearing his throat. Follow
ing that the song died down to the low
register and the singer made noises
similar to that made by the fond
parent who accidentally connects with a
tack during the late hours of the night
when he is trottng the floor with his
latest born.
Even more interesting noises came
yelping forth. The voice rose and fell.
Its sweet cadence poured forth on the
night air, reminding the listeners of the
concert of the neighborhood
cats. Louder 1t grew and burst forth
in a reigning passion with quavering
like the echoes from the dog
pound on assassination day.
The piece was finished and tourist
wiped the tears from his eyes and
meekly inquired the name of the piece.
ut reminds me of my sainted mother
in-law on wash day." he sobbed
"Thlat niece piece. Him all about
Mclean diam fool" trimmed Wing as
he assured his guests that the music
was an extract from an ideal Chinese
farce comedy, a veritable reproduction
of Weber and Fields.
The Boss Siren Ditty
The next piece was composed chiefly
of mournful howls and means similar
to those emitted by the members of the
board of supervisors when they listen
to the protests against Ascot park. 1t
sounded like all the lost souls of
Chinese for thousand generations
shrieking their grief over the tragedies
to come to the land Of the poppy and
the tourists were startled until they
learned that the speech, for speech it
was, was only a translation of Boss
Parlxer's Instructions to the delegates
al the Republican convention.
But Chinese music has become a fad.
The popular versions of Coon, coon.
coon" and waltz me around again,
with the tin pan and broken
plate accompaniment, have worned
their way into the hearts of the fair
sex of Los Angeles, and young women
and men and tourists by the score
nightly take up their station before
place and listen with apprecia-
ton to the yowlings of the disturbed
celestial melody manufactures.