Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-02-15
DAILY. STORY.
MY JAPANESE SERVANT,

name was ChOnosuke HiranO. but we
| couldn't possibly think of calling him
all that, so we reduced the whole to
Sukey. Sukey was my body servant
and was a native of Japan. five feet
one inch in his stockings and quick
| and wiry as a cat. Talk about Serv-
ants, | never knew what servant
| was till | got Sukey. If wanted any
| article at table before | knew | want
| ed it Sukey held 1t right under my
| nose. If | needed shaving. Sukey
| knew Just the minute my mind was
| off more important things and would
| have me lathered and my beard off
| without leaving a scratch. and all in a
| jffy. TO have Sukey for a servant was
to have another pair of legs. another
| pair of arms and another brain that
cost the master no effort to work.
| But nothing is perfect Sukey had
| one failing. He was continually Dor
rowing my belongings. Now it was an
ink WELL now a magnifying glass. any
thing. everything that he could lay his
| hands on, and. since he had the free
dom of my cabin. he could lay his
hands on anything it contained. It
seemed to be a mania with Sukey, for
| he never took anything to keep. and
he took lots of things that could not
| possibly be of any use to the captains
body servant. One evening I missed
my thermometer and nautical almanac.
asked -Sukey what had become of
| them. whereupOn he went to the little
| Cubby hole where he slept and brought
| them to me- I questioned him as to the
cause of his borrowing my things, and
he said he could not help it: he was
born so put it down to kIeptomania:
but. as kleptomaniacs usually hide the
things they steal, this was not very
satisfactory.
One day Sukey went out on the fore
ward deck. The weather was verT
rough and Il sea came aboard. When
II went back into the ocean. 1t tool;
Sukey with it. | was on the deck at
the time and saw Sulley look at M
| with an appealing glance. | stopped
the ship Mt once. called to Il man on the
| deck below me to throw Sukey q life
| buoy and had n small boat lowered.
an hour. and when it returned the
| young ensign commanding it reported
that Sulley was not to be found. SuIey.
| being only copper ColOred Japanese.
would not usually be considered worth
| risking other lives for. but he was in
valuable as a servant. and | couldn't
| get over the look he had given me. So
| sent the boat back to make another
search. This time they remained out
| an hour. but when they returned Sukey
was with them. As the drcnched little
| beggar climbed the ladder and hoped
over the gunwale | gave him dress
ing on the improperly of fitting over
the forward deck when the ship was
| taking water telling him if he ever did
it again | would put him in irons. The
truth is | was angry with myself as
well as with him for risking other good
| lives-the lives of white men--to save
little five foot Japanese. Sukey knew
| we'll enough what ! had done for him
and from that time forward evinced
! the greatest affection for me- He even
conquered his kleptOmaniac proClivi-
| ties.
All this happened several years be
fore the RusSo-Ja snese war came on
| Sukey left me not long before that
| event. During the war ! took my ship
into port at Nagasaki. An admiral
with several ships. all of which formed
a part soon afterward of Admiral To
COS fleet at the battle of the sea Of
Japan. was lying in the harhor. =
boat came from the Japanese flagship
with an invitation for me to dine with
the admiral. | accepted and at & in
the evening was rowed i'll my gig to
keep the engagement.
What was my surprise to be met
on going over the ships side by little
Sukey with n napkin over his arm and
a tray on his hand. The captain of the
ship was there. too, to receive me
Sukey. whose eyes We're gliStening
with pleasure, told me that the admiral
had deputed him to take me to Il cabin
below to mix me Il cocktail. | follow
ed him. and he gave me such cock
tail as I had not tasted since he left
me. Leaving me to enjoy it. he went
away, and after awhile n servant came
and Informed me that the admiral was
] waiting for me at dinner. | followed
the man, who led me to the admiraIs
dining cabin. Who should advance to
meet me. Respondent in a magnificent
uniform, but little Sukey.
I Captain he said radiant with
smiles, Il am happy to welcome you
on my flagship, especially as it gives
me an opportunity TO thank you for
making a special effort to save my
n life. for l would now be with my an
I cestors but for you. l must also thank
( you for bearing with my keptomania
\ habits. for your things. especially your
n scientific books and instruments, were
\ of great use to me. But more than
n all-even my life-I must thank you for
\ the experience gained for my govern
ri ment In noting your methods in man
\ aging your ship. We Japanese needed
K knowledge of naval affairs. for we
Il l-,Na II.