The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-01-08

ehcyciopaeulc fup Sing, whose ad-
dress, az written on the card which
my classmate furnished me, was on
Mott street, . few doors from Pell.
New York's Chinatown Is a much
more familiar locality to the transient
visitor than to the average citizen. In
all the years Of my residence in the
metropolis. OF which / am q native. I
had never before had either the occa-
sion or the desire to dip into this most
foreign OF all the city's foreign Sec
oons. To me. Chinatown was as
far country. Vaguely had an idea
OF Its location. It lay, I knew, east of
Broadway and west Of me Bowery:
but Its latitude was not clearly de-
fined.
My impulse was to hail q cab, give
the driver the number Of the Mott
street establishment, and so, without
further individual effort, be whirled
away to my destination. But there are
no cab stands on lower Broadway:
and to walk to Broad street. where
the cabman lies all day In wait for the
prosperous stock broker and his af.
nuent customer, required more time
than In my impatience I was willing
TO grant. Therefore boarded Broad
way car and was drawn haltingly
northward. until. on reaching Canal
street, alighted in sheer desperation
and turned eastward.
Here letter carrier, Of whom IN.
Quired. sped me straight to my goal
q couple Of blocks as I was going, a
turn to the right, few blocks more,
and the bulk windows Of the Yup Sing
Company would come into view.
found the establishment easily
enough. But had II not been for the
name printed In big Roman lettering.
7 should never have imagined Il
Chinese business house. There was
no display Of goods in the big win.
dows. which were screened half way
up by light blue shades, giving the
front an appearance similar to that
OF the average American wholesale
house.
Having passed inside. however.
there was no such Illusion. All about
me were the characteristic products
OF the Orient. from brilliant silken
embroideries. and exquisite gold and
silver and bronze work, to cheap cot.
ton and linen fabrics, lacquer furni.
ture, and straw slippers. And the at.
mosphere was further enhanced by
the half-dozen or moro Cinnamon who
were lounging In the middle and far
distance. each with shaven crown and
coiled queue and each in the more or
less brilliantly colored native dress.
One OF these. a comparatively dark.
ly-attired young man with full. round
visase, came forward as I entered.
rs Mr.. Yup in?" asked.
He was inclined, saw, to hesita.
tion and so produced Mow's card.
"Oh. yes," he said, after studying II
for a moment. "Oh. yes. Mista' Yup!
He In" With which he left me, and
taking the card with him disappeared
behind some draperies at the back Of
the big crowded store.
Between the others, who regarded
me for a moment only with idle inter.
est, there was, while / stood there, a
rapid exchange OF observations in
their native tongue, mingled with a
sort OF high-pitched cacking which l
assumed to be laughter.
/ had turned my back towards
them, but presently a shutting of feet
along the floor informed me of the
approach Of what imagined was my
returning emissary. On whirling about,
however. II was to face an elderly man
In purple silk garments and a black
skull cap-a man Of thin, almost Ca
daverous yellow visage, whose upper
lip and chin were adorned with d
sparse growth OF silky blue.black hair,
and upon the bridge Of whose nose
rested a pair Of gold-rimmed spec.
tacles.
You would see me. sir?" he asked,
and i noted that there was scarcely
the slightest indication Of the foreign.
er In either pronunciation or accent.
III you are Mr.. Yup." | smiled,
you can, fancy, from what Mr.. Now
tells me, give me the information
am In search Of"
He did not smile in return, but his
thin face assumed an expression Of be-
nignity that was as much Of an invita-
ton to lay my problem before him as
were his words.
Anyway / can serve a friend of
Mr. Now" he said, will be a pleas
ure."
But, as he spoke. the benign express
sion passed. Once again that thin SAT.
fron-hued face, with Its hollow cheeks,
and small deep-set eyes, had become
unfathomable.
AT least two OF his partners or
statesmen were within ear-shot, and
turned n significant glance towards
them, as | said: