The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-07

That's where he stuck. He was clean
and clipperish, knew American ways and
methods, and he became so useful to the
japanese firm after he'd picked up the
ability to converse in the japanese language
that they couldn't do without him.
They took him into the firm, and now
he's one Of the rich Americans OF Yoko-
hama. He returned to New York years ago
n married the girl he had had his eye ON
when he was working as a shorthand young
ster around New York, and their home In
Yokohama is worth seeing.
Another Of the exdnfters I met in
Shanghai. This One had been a clerk in a
Philadelphia insurance ONCE at $40 a week;
when, at the age Of "a, he made the break
for San Francisco. From there he went
to the City OF Mexico as clerk in a Mexican
railroad office.
From the City OF Mexico he made the
Mexican coast, and that settled him for
many years-he became a drifter. He
drifted from Manzanillo to Mazatlan, thence
TO Panama, from there down to ValparI iso,
from Valparaiso TO Callao, thence the jump
by ship to Honolulu, from Honolulu 10
Kobe in Japan, and from Kobe to Shanghai,
where he got in 30 well with a firm OF Chinese
general shippers that they found thew
couldn't dispense with him when he told
them he'd be on his way.
"The only way they could hold him was
to give him an nterest in the establishment
and they did that. He's one Of the promi-
nent English speaking citizens OF Shan ghai
now, and l smoked many cigar with him
Of nights in his sumptuOus library.
The curious vacant EXPRESSION crept
upon his features when the places around
the Pacific in which he had lived were men,
toned, and n night / interpreted that
expression to mean hat he was lonesome
for the old moving around way Of living.
l charged him with that, and he frankly
owned up TO il.
But said I, nodding around at his
beautiful place, one Of the most beautiful
in Shanghai, you wouldn't give all this
upfor the ~vagabond life again?'
"'Oh, l don't suppose I ever SHALL he
replied, pulling away dreamily at his cigar,
but I'm blamed If IL isn't dangerous for
me to watch the ships and steamers heading
out to sea. II | don't turn my back on
them I'm in trouble
These were two OF the drifters who had
come to the end Of their rowing because
ard held them. There had bee no chance
for them to become beach combers, for
they kept away from the drink, they never
started anywhere without the price in their
pocket and some surplus besides, and,
above all, they, were willing to work and
knew how to- do a kind Of work that, in
sober, mem, IL highly valued in the Pacific
islands and in the Orient.
Everywhere, from Honolulu to Hakodate
and from Nagasaki to Annoy. l cut the trails
and. ran, across these drifting chaps who
were still on the move. They were all con-
tent.
They could not OF would not offer any
valid reason why they succumbed to the
sudden lunches to go somewhere else,
giving up good Jobs to make such jumps,
and am bound to say that a good many OF
them were a source Of misery to their en-
Lployers, who knew perfectly we'll that their
drifting employees would be likely to
| y5eldAM my minute to the desire to try
some other place, near or distant.
-DO you drift, an employer in the Orient
or in the islands will ask a mar applying
for high grade work, or do you feel like
lingering a while2
THE reply to such a question IL rarely
evasive. The drifter answers that he
doesn't know OF any other place that ia
calling him Just at the moment, but that
II he hears the call he wants to be at liberty
10 respond to IL without prejudice one way
or the other.
These American wanderers among the
islands and in the Orient have a great adj
vantage over rowing educated men OF other
natiOnalities for the reason that, besides
their competence, there is nothing the
matter with them except their all but in
! oorrigible habit Of wanting TO move along
after a little while. Tine E.lglishmen whom
you meet in the Orient are, as a rule, men
who have lett records for dissipation be-
hind them in thoir own land. ald they keep
10 up willie IN the nov Moreover, they
rave not the American a~daptability; they
can't jump into a situation and d. any
One of the Gytors whom l met in a tea