Norwich bulletin., 1909-04-24

celved by return mailssa letter from that dear wife informing him that if her ever wanted to see her again he must come home, as she would not go to California He was too loving a husband to ignore the summons, con- sequently he sold his business and made preparations to return to his home. l. with others of his friends, was at the wharf to say good-by and to see him off. On the wharf was a fruit-stand where Australian apples were being sold. My friend, taking one in his hand. asked the price:
 Two bits,'' said the fruit seller.
 1.-Two bitsl" calculated my friend, and holding up the apple to us. said he: "Only think of it! Two bits for that apple, and have got to go home and sell better looking apples two for a cent"
 The utter disgust with which he ex- pressed himself, and the contrast be- tween his feelings and those of the Australians upon their departure, are my reasons for telling this story.
 In 1852 an American vessel return ing from China picked up 8. Japane e junk with starving crew which had been blown off the coast some five hundred miles. They were unable to help themselves, and were brought to San Francisco. Upon their arrival Col lector King had the crew, eight men and a small boy. placed on board the reye- nue cutter Polk, then at anchor in the harbor, while he communicated with the authorities at Washington, relat- ing the circumstances and awaiting instructions. In due course of time an answer was received informing the collector that a government ship under command of Commodore Perry would call at San Francisco and convey the Shipwrecked Japanese to their own country. 1 was then custom house boarding officer. and often during my morning tour of the ships in harbOr l was on board the Polk when the strangers made their first appearance for the day. Their first act, upon reaching the deck, was to go aft and prostrate themselves three times be- fore the officer of the deck. This was their form of salutation-kowtOwin Japan was then a sealed book to all the world. and death was the penalty to be paid by any Japanese who vis- ited a foreign land and returned. The Japanese language was then an un- known tongue outside of that country, and that Japanese crew knew nothing of where they were nor what would be their fate. Commodore Perry ar rived with his ship and sailed again for Japan with the sea waifs aboard Arriving at Yokohama. boat was otIb dtSliOI t Nllli GIoJdLELtS u 1LG OI- ficials informing them of the object of the visit, which was a guarantee for the lives of the shipwrecked crew and a desire to negotiate a treaty hetween the United States and Japan. The an- Swer VOuchSafed to this communication was for the ship to heave up her an- chOr and leave. as the authorities would have nothing whatever to do with them. Commodore Perry then sailed for NagasaId. There another effort was made to enter into diplo- matic relations. but it met with surly rebuff. Then the commodore, with his patience entirely exhausted and determination at white neat, sail ed away for YOkolEbna again, carne to an anchor in the harbor loaded up his guns on both sides, and blazed away This produced the desired effect, for. when a second dispatch was sent ashore informing the authorities that they would be bombarded if the lives of their countrymen were not guaran- teed and the treaty negotiated witnn tWenty-four hours. no time was lost in coming to terms. Within less. than the specified time the affair was con- summated and the ports of Japan were virtually thrown open to the worlds commerce. Today there is no name held in higher esteem in Japan than that of Commodore Perry, and this I can testify to from my own knowl- edge of the people and the country.
 A change ill the administration at Washington brought about a corres- bonding change in the custom house at San Francisco and was superseded by man who afterward made a for tune in the ice business. The cool ness with which he took possession of my office and all belonging to it con- vinced me at the time that as an ice dealer he would be the success which he afterwards proved himself to be.
 (Continued Saturday, MsT1.)