The San Francisco call., 1908-11-22

Ems the facts Questioned as to tho
disposition Of his wealth. he shows his
Fat feet. Il buy two. pair shoes" he
states with a glow OF awakened feel
tng. My mudder she tell me every
night, go down Dupont street and sell
nut. But I not sell now. Maybe. bv'n
by"
Lum Cook. aged .. Is the first news
boy who ever cried a Chinese paper
IN the streets Of Chinatown. He sells
papers for the Four Companies. His
stand Is a rough box on the corner OF
Grant avenue and Sacramento street.
where he has the sheets of daily news
weighted carefully down with stones,
while he screams an unintelligibIe
Chinese Jargon which seems TO have
the effect OF selling a good many
copies. Lum Cook. unlike YIN Ping.
carries his thriftiness to the point OF
penury. Clad In an old suit OF some
thing resembling jeans. his busy. alert
air seems 10 say. mo trifers now.
This is a live business. Either buy or
80 away" and II you don't care to
buy you need not linger long In Luua
Cooks vicinity. In the intervals OF
selling papers he plays cards with
another plgmy about his size, but
never chance customer gets by un-
seen. Lum Cook is Napoleonic IN being
able TO do several things at tho same
time.
II was the arrival OF the feet that
caused the longing for commercial
pronts TO spring up IN the breasts OF
these Lflliputian traders. Everybody
was buying and selling-why should
not they7 American children made
money IN nuu1berless ways. Imitation
to the Chinese tots was second nature.
Their own commodities were at hand,
though quite beyond their small means
-s6 for box OF China nuts-but here
the Chinese fathers and mothers. who
are like all fathers and mothers IN the
world when II comes to helping their
children-stepped in and furnished the
money to set their small youngsters up
IN business. AS q result most OF the
money earned by the Juvenile mer-
chants goes into the family purse. al
though II Is not demanded by parents.
See Too buys her own tiny trousers and
blouses, and others have the begin
nings OF a bank account. But the days
OF feet time are over and business '5ust
NOW Is little dull However. to off,
set that the winter IS coming with It's
throngs Of tourists and visitors from
all over the world and the China nut
business viii leap into renewed ac-
tivitY. 1t is a curious sight. that OF
little See Too or .Lum Cook or Har
Loui sitting solemnly on the steps OF
the great. ruined cathedral. under the
shadow OF the gray arches wfth the
empty space OF the famous clock above
and the words which have been read by
thousands Of passersby: son. observe
me time and fly from evil" It Is a
contrast to delight the mind OF an
analyst: the little ofshoots OF a race
GESTURES old sitting under the ruined
temple OF a religion equally old and
powerful. IN the brilliant sunshinef OF
the new land waking the echoes with
the cry OF commercialisn China
T4Frt ~ Nrfft = t-~L.
last saw See Too Son Muey with her
basket OF wares Her black eyes looked
tmpish In the blue electric light but
her naive charm was all there. She
had two impertinent little .pigtails. a
black. fuzzy bang The purple bow had
disappeared and in its place was a bod
OF vivid red. the exact shade OF the orys
over her other ear. And couldn't helm
wondering II that red ribbon, tied 80
accurately with its smart little dip. was
not an unaslxed concession to Amsrfoaa
views Of tailored propristy.