Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-12-07
he Secretive Jap
B, ARTHUR w BREWSTER
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

Ia America We have what we call
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 till they reach the top. These
men do this for themselves and often
practice the greatest selishnesS to at
tain their ends. What they do to adj
vance their own interests IL Japanese
will do from patriotism. or perhaps.
to state it more correctly. for his an
CestOrs Fancy an American making
a sacrifice for his ancestors.
The japanese have drifted into or
navy as servants and have m0nopo-
Iized the field. When | was in com
mand of the United States warship NJ,
| visited Japan and, being in need Of a
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 be
gave no information on the subject
himself His name was so unpro-
nounceable by an English speaking
person that my junior officers reduced
is to Zip. He was very smart. could
see that at once. He learned every
thing on sight. When he came to me
he had never shaved a man. and yet he
bad done the work but twice before
he gave me the best shave l ever had.
There was one thing about Zip that
didn't Ikea propensity to occupy
my cabin. When | went out of it in
the morning l left him there to put it
in order Considering his quickness, !
would have expected him to do the
work in ten minutes. Ins'@.d 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-
ly that l wondered how he managed to
keep busy for so long a time. True,
one day after having returned several
times during the morning found him
looking over book. Curious to know
what he was reading, | glanced at 1t
and found it to be a novel.
Don't waste your time with that
sort Of reading, Zip" l said. Go to
the galley and ask for a cookbook. II
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
lis hands he was always to be found
with a cookbook on his knees. But on
one occasion l saw something to cause
me to suspect that he was wasting his
time, after all, for when i came upon
him unawares he slipped the book he
was reading under one that had been
beneath 1t. 1t occurred to me that
he had more love for fiction than for
cookery.
Zip remained in my service three
years. when our ship again entered
Mississippi bay and he left me. of
fered him higher wages. but he said
that it was not the wages he wanted.
but q sojourn on shore. He thanked
me for my kindness to him. especially
for suggesting that he study cookery.
His intention was to apply for pO-
sition as cook to some wealthy Japa
nese.
One day while in port received an
invitation to dine with an officer Of the
government. He was in the marine
department and very important
branch at the time. for the japanese
were then preparing, though | did not
know 1t, to fight the Russians. &C
cepted the invitation and found when
l arrived a number of persons promi-
nent in naval matters. After we were
introduced the host led the way to his
dining room, where we seated our
selves and waited for the first dish to
be brought in. was placed on the
right of the host. who sat at the head
of the table, and noticed that the seat
on his left, opposite me, was vacant.
While was wondering who would oc
cupy it door opened, and the cook.
in white jacket, apron and cap. en-
tered the room, holding aloft an i'm
mense platter. on which was fish.
What was my surprise to see my old
body servant Zip.
well. Zip" said to him, you've
not lost much time In securing "A situ-
alton, see"
Zip smiled and set down the platter;
but. instead CT retiring. he threw Off
his jacket, apron and cap. appearing
in the uniform of an official in the
beside the host.
Captain; permit me to introduce my
son." said the latter. He went with
you several years ago to prepare him
self to succeed me in our naval depart
ment He tells me that he has picked
up a great deal of valuable informa-
ton on the subject. which he is now
ready to offer to the shades Of his an,
cestOrs."
Pardon me, captain" said Zip. for
having imposed upon ysu. 1t seemed
to me when | ENTERED your service tAat
it was the only practical way to ac-
Quire the knowledge | Reeded We
japanese are Il very secretive race, and
| naturally supposed you Americans to
be the same. But three years cruising
with you bad taught me differently.
Surreptitiously studied your books
when you were not occupying your
cabin and many a night studied till
morning from one Of them | had pur-
Joined"
You are quite excusabe." replied
We all make different standards for
ourselves Ours is not like yours. But
| should think your national secretive-