The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-05-21
LEARNED CHINESE
TONGUE AND WAYS
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
keegan Accomplished Their
Aim In a Dozen Years.
Nv OSBORN MARSHALL.

OY SSSStslN
Copyright, Mcclure Newspaper 9Snu'
It was in the nature OF a genuine
romance-was Hilliard Rosencrantz
friendship for Joseph Keegan. lney
found each other when they were
schoolboys in San Francisco, ana IN
spite of difference in race and traol
tion they both knew from the start
that they were kindred spirits. Eigh-
teen years ago they used to WANDER
dow to the docks of the port OF the
Golden Gate and as they watched the
incoming steamers rich with their
oriental cargoes or laden with ba,
nanas from Tahiti, they would drink
IN the spirit of adventure and achieve
,nent that was waited in with each
breath OF sea air.
"The very biIge water of those "a.
rife liners" says Mr.. Keegan, used
TO TEEN with romance enough 10 nre
our boyish imaginations''
It was in these rambles in the DOCK
wards of San Francisco that Hilliard
Rosencrantz and Joseph Keegan nrst
decided to learn to speak Chinese
They had already determined to make
they had also determined TO
make It in some form Of merchandise
Ing. But down there on The docks,
with their lungs expanded to the fresh
Pacific breezes, they decided with one
accord that they would never stoop to
the pettifogging, small dickering and
narrow scheming that they felt would
be necessary to win success without a
cent Of capital in their native land.
They would go out to the u%nconQuered
markets of the East and do things IN
a big, magnificent style. They would
therefore, they decided, learn to
speak Cantonese, the dialect OF Chl-
nese trade.
OF course in those days about the
only Americans who learned Chinese
were missionaries, and they didn't
usually attempt to learn it till they
reached China. The men who traded
with Chinese merchants usually en-
ployed native interpreters, n SO
there was little precedent for young
Rosencrantz and Keegan In their new
ambition.
learned Chinese In Chinatown.
aThere is one good way to learn
70 oafk CfiiIese, Rosencrantz, When
their minds were made up to study
the language, told his friend, land
that is to get someone in Chinatown
to teach us"
So whenever the two young men
had a few hours to spend and a lit
tie ready money in their pockets they
would make an excursion to CHINA
town where, under the tutelage Oh
venerable old Chinaman, they too
their first lessons in Chinese.
Needless to say, Chinese Is not al
easy language, although o that MI
Rosencrantz has been master OF tn
language for so many years he is ur
able to see why it should be consit
cred unusually diff cult. But the boy
were persistent. When they becam
a little proficient in the language the
took advantage Of every Chinama
they met to practice their neWly-a'
quired method of expression. On
Chinese laundryman almost droppe
his f1atiron with establishment on
day when the fresh-faced young Anne
leans began briskly to address him
his mother tongue
At best this was an uncertain ar
slow method. and when the Unive
sity of California announced an e
tension course in the Cantonese di
Iect the two aspirants to iuency
the Celestial language were delighte
They joined the class and work'
like Trojans at mastering the pu
zles Of their task. Other men in Il
course were taking it as a hobby
as a side issue. To Keegan and Rose
crantz 1t was the most important bul
ness in life And between lessons
the university they haunted CHR
town in search Of natives with who
to converse.
In the spring of 1899, at the end
the term, Rosencrantz stood head m
in his class, and IN recognition Of l
achievement the resident Chine
consul OF San Francisco, the augl
and honorable Ho Vow, conferred
special commentator upon him.
Not only had Keegan and Ros'
crantz learned to speak Chinese; til
had learned IN their intercourse W
the inhabitants Of Chinatown sor
thing quite as important In their
ture work as the language. They b
become familiar with the pecul
temperament unfathomable uni
you understand it-of the Oriental.
c%onquertng the Oriental Markets
Then for a few months the t
men served their apprenticeship
San Francisco. buying cheap il
and selling it in Chinatown, there
increasing their knowledge OF
ways of the Chinese mind and q
az cumulating a little capital.
Their ultimate obJect-that OF c
ouering the markets of the Orien
VA ever before their minds, and
fore long they were ready to max
beginning. With their hardearI
savings they laid in a supply of ch