Eastern Utah advocate. [volume] (Price, Utah) 1895-1915, 1915-05-28
That Was Why Two Young San
Francisco Boys Made a
Big Success.
INSPIRATION IN DOCK YARDS
Determined to Conquer the Markets
OF the Orient. Rosencrantz and
Keeaan Accomplished Their
Aim In a Dozen Years.
nx osnoRN MARaHAIL.

n was IN the nature OF a genuine
romance was billiard Rosencrantz's
friendship for Joseph Keegan. They
found each other when they were
schoolboys in San Francisco. and In
spite OF difference I'm race and tradi-
ton they both knew from tho start
that they we're kindred spirits Elgh.
teen years ago they used to wander
down 90 the docks OF the port OF the
Golden Gate and as they watched the
incoming steamers rich with their
oriental cargoos or laden with ba.
nanna from Tahiti. they would drink
IN the spirit OF adventure and achieve
ment that vas waited In with each
breath OF yea air.
"The very bilge water Of those Pa.
cinc liners" says Mr. Keegan. used
20 TEEN with romance enough 10 frc
our boyish lmaginations.-
n was IN these rambles in the dock
yards OF San Francisco that billiard
Rosencrantz and Joseph Keegan FIRST
decided TO learn 10 speak Chinese.
They had already determined 10 make
money; they had also determined 20
make II IN some form OF merchandls-
ing. but down there on the docks.
with their lungs expanded 10 the fresh
Pacific brcezes. they decided with one
accord that they would mover stoop 10
the pettlfoKging. small diokering and
morrow acheming that they felt would
be necessary 10 win success without
cent OF capital IN their native land
They would go out 10 the u1conauerod
markets OF the East and 20 Wings In
a big. magnificent style. rhoy would
therefore. they decided. learn 10
speak Cantonese. the dialect OF Chi.
nese trade.
OF course In those days about the
only Americans who learned Chinese
we're missionaries. aud they didn't
usually attempt 20 learn II I'LL they
roached China The men who traded
with Chinese merchants usually en-.
pioyed native Interpreters. and 10
there was little precedent for young
Rosencrantx and Keesan In their new
ambition.
Learned Chinese IN Chinatown.
There II one good way 10 learn
20 talk Chinese" Roaencrantx. when
their minds we're made up TO study
the language, told HIS friend, "and
that IL 10 get someone In Chinatown
20 teach us"
So whenever the two young men
had n few hours 20 spend and a lit.
Ito ready money In thoir pockets they
would make an excursion TO China.
town where. under the tutelage OF a
venerable old Chinaman. they took
their first lessons In Chinese
Needless 20 say. Chinese n not an
easy language. although now that Mr..
Rosencrantz has been master OF the
language for 10 many Yeas he IL un'
able 60 see why Il should be consid
cred unusually dificult. But the boys
were persistent when they became
little proficient In the language they
took advantage OF every Chinaman
they met 20 practice their newly-ac
auired method OF expression. One
Chinese laundryman almost dropped
his flatiron with establishment one
day when the tresh.faced young Amer
leans began briskly 10 address him In
his mother tongue
AZ best this was an uncertain and
slow method. and when the Univer
sity OF California announced an ex
tenalon course In the Cantonese dia
lect the two aspirants 10 fiuency d
the Celestial language we're delighted
They Joined the class and worked
like TroIana al mastering the pun
xles OF their task Other men In the
course we're taking Il as a hobby OF
as n side issue. To Keegan and Rosen
crantE II was the most important bust
ness IN life. And between lessons al
the university they haunted China
town In search OF natives with whom
20 converse.
In the spring OF 1899. a. the end Of
the term. RosencrantE stood head man
In his class. and In recognition OF his
achievement the resident Chinese
consul OF San Francisco. the august
and honorable lilo Vow. conferred :
special commentator upon him.
Not only had Keegan and Rosen
crantE learned 20 speak Chinese; they
had learned in their intercourse with
the inhabitants of Chinatown some
thing quite as important In their fu
turs work as the language. They hae
become familiar with the peculiar
temperament = unfathomable unless
yon understand it-of the Oriental.
conquering the Oriental Markets.
Then for a few months the tive
men served their Apprenticeship II
San Francisco. buying cheap juni
and selling n In Chinatown. thereby
increasing their knowledge OF th'
ways OF the Chinese mind and alsG
accommodating a little capital
Their ultimate obiect-that OF con
querihg the markets OF the Orient
was ever before their minds, and be
fore long they were ready to make |
beginning. With their hard-earDe'
aaVings they laid In supply OF cheaI