The review., 1918-02-14
MISSIONARY LIFE IN THE
INTERIOR OF CHINA


Glory That Night--Hen's
Eggs Boiled in Tea and
Duck Eggs Preserved in
Lme--AbOut the Ricksha
Coolies.
lRvF.C. Carter, Wanchih, via Wuhu,
China.3
NV dear Uncle William:
In my last letter | promised to
tell you about my shopping expert
pnce in Shanghai. You will recall
that while there I received instruc.
tions from the mission superinten-
dent to supply myself with such ar
ticles as mosquito netting, bamboo
basket, a sun hat, enamel wash
basin, books, etc. This experience
was a novel one, though | found it
very firing. Strange to say. Shang-
hal is just like any city in the Unit
ed States or in Europe. One who
proposes to do, much shopping must
have money to pay as he or she
goes. So the first item oR my list
was TO exchange American dollars
for Shanghai currency. This item
of business was quickly transacted
with the HongkOng and Shanghai
Banking Corporation where / receiv-
ed the sum of ST 96 Mexican for
each dollar exchanged. In appear
ance at least, this was like fiuding
rich vein of gold ore, though I soon
learned that the purchasing value OF
the Mexican dollar was only about
one-half that of the American dollar.
With money in hand l ventured
into a store carrying a general line
Of foreign goods. And what a shock
to discover that this merchant spoke
neither Chinese por English. He
spoke what is known in China as
Pigeon English / can best illus
trate the virtues of this jargon by
quoting a few lines of an actual ex-
Derience which l was party to in
Shanghai. May l look at some en-
amel wash basins, please ~ Ies-e.
yes-e, want,e see muChe | size e?
Big size-e belong much-e more
dear price-e,. belong-e seven -ty cent.
Good-e wash e basin, belong-e Am
er i-can top side goods, much-e long
wear. 1sefhis yen best price p
You will give-e me how much-e
money!" Il will give you forty
cents for this large one" For-er-
tv cent, no can do, too much-e small
Drict-e. no can4selI, no can do. Can
make fifty cent, can do, can sell. i.
no lose much-e money" l paid Sue
for the basin and was glad to be
off, for by this time I was well nj sh
exhausted, having spent most of the
day running in and out Of Chinese
stores. >
Another feature of the daV worth
noting was an experience with rick
sha coolies. All the while | was in
and out of the various Chinese
stores there were from two to five
DOOR. half fed, half clad men who fol,
lowed me, each man drawing two
wheeled cart (kin rick-sha, which
means man power carD. these men
dOeged my steps for hours, eacn
hopeful | would decide to ride. But
like most new cOmers to Shanghai,
WAS prejudiced against this OTlen-
tai custom of enjoying a ride at the
expense of fellow-beiDg who, like a
horse or a donkey, trots along draw
ing a cart in which creature Ike
unto himself rides. But l was ex'
hausted and in order to spare my
self the embarrassment of a.collapse
on the street. engaged one OF tne
carts, to the great delight of the tel
low who had followed me Tor nours'
The ride back to the Missionary
Home was very delightful, to say
nothing of the great convenience IL
served me. And the poor cooile
earned at least enough TO pay tne
days rent of the cart aud also tC
provide himself a warm supper.
Just a word about these rlcksns
coolies. They are a most pitlaoie
class of human beings and are o.
precious in the eyes of COD as are
any other class of men under INT
sun, though there are many eloDe
trotters over here who look upoI
them as an inferior class OF souHes'
beings. There are more than one
thousand of these men IN ohangha
who depend entirely upon the day !
earnings to support the day Ia
tions. 1t is reported that scores o
them die monthly from tuberculal
trouble brought on by exposure .
inclement weather, poor 1000 anS
insufficient clothing. A coolle VIII
trot for miles through pouring ran
for the small sum OF fifteen cents
then return towhat he calls home L