Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1911-11-08
The Secre.ive Jap
BY ARTHUR w. BREWSTER
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation. 1911.

self made men-that Is. men so anxious
TO get ON In the world that. beginning
ut the bottom round OF the ladder. they
climb TIL they reach the top. These
men Go this for themselves and often
practice the greatest sel1shness to at
tain their ends. What they do to ad-
vance their own interests n japanese
will do from patriotism. or perhaps.
TO state it more correctly. for his an
cestors. Fancy an American making
Il sacrifice for his ancestors.
The Japanese have drifted into our
navy as servants and have monopo- |
lied the field. When l was In COM
mand OF the United States warship NJ. |
| visited Japan and. being In need of |
body servant. brought away with me |
man exactly five feet high and any |
age between sixteen and forty. No |
one could tell how old he was. and he |
gave no information on the subject |
himself. His name was so unpro-
| nounceable by an English speaking
person that my junior officers reduced
| it TO Zip. He was very smart. l could
see that at once. He learned every
thing on sight When he came to me
he had never shaved man. and yet he
had done the work but twice before
he gave me the best shave l ever had.
There was one thing about Zip that
l didn't Ikea propensity to occupy
nv cabin. When l went out of II In
the morning L left him there to put II
in order. Considering his Quickness,
would have expected him to do the
work in ten minutes. Instead 1t re-
Quired all the morning. Whenever !
had occasion to go there the little Jap
was busy as a bee buzzing from one
thing to another so rapidly and so deft
IL that wondered how be managed to
keep busy for so long time True.
one day after having returned several
times during the morning | found him
looking over n book. Curious TO know
what he was reading. ! glanced at II
and found II to he novel.
Don't waste your time with that
sort of reading. Zip | said. Go to
the galley and ask for Il cookbook III
you want better wages study cookery.
Some chefs get very high wages"
Zip thanked me for the advice. and
after that whenever he had time on
his hands he was always TO be found
with 4 cookbook on his knees. But on
one occasion saw something to cause
time, after all. for when l came upon
him uuawares he slipped the book he
was reading under one that had been
beneath il. IL occurred TO me that
= he had more love for fiction than for
cookery.
I Zip remained in my service three
years. when our ship again entered
Mississippi bay and he left me. | of
fered him higher wages. hut he said
}. that it was not the wages he wanted
o but a sojourn on shore. He thanked
] me for my kindness TO him. especially
for suggesting that he study cookery.
+ His intention was to apply for a po
: sition as cook 10 some wealthy Japa
nese.
, One day while in port I received al
( invitation to dine with an officer OF the
4 government. He was in the marine
y department and very important
. branch at the time. for the japanese
- were then preparing. though | did no
u know 1T. to fight the Russians. nc
IL copied the invitation and found whei
y / arrived Il number of persons promi
nent in naval matters. After we wer
II introduced the host led the way TO hi
. dining room. where we seated our
% selves and waited for the first dish L
~ he brought in. / was placed on tn
~ right of the host. who sat at the hea'
e Of the table. and noticed that the sea
on his left, opposite me. was vacant
u While was wondering who would o.
~ cupy 1t a door opened. and the cool
~ in white jacket. apron and cap. ell
ID tered the room. holding aloft an in
- mense platter, on which was fish
ei What was my surprise to see nly oil
~ body servant Zip.
nc "Well, Zip" / said to him. ''you'y
IN not lost much time I'm securing a sit
alton, l see."
e Zip smiled and set down the platte
Oh but. instead OF retiring. he threw o
Oh his jacket. apron and cap. appearir
ne in the uniform of an official In II
lie naval service and took the vacant cha
10 beside the host.
E. Captain. permit me to introduce II
o. son." said the latter. He went wi
OF you several years ago to prepare hi
ed self to succeed me In our naval depai
IN ment. He tells me that he has pick
ne up n great deal of valuable inform
rs. ton on the subject. which he is no
ne ready to offer to the shades OF his q
oo cestors."
nd "Par3on mo captain." said zip. II
1ot having imposed upon you. 1t seem
to me when 1 entered your service tn
eo 1t was the only practical way to
ms Quire the knowledge l needed.
ie japanese are a very secretve race. a
n IIx-