The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-04

that batch Is settled. anyhow. We
won't have any more barber rows on
the Harris wharf for a little while now
The Mixed Court Magistrate gave them
sixty blows apiece and two weeks
wooden cangue on the spot where the
fight took place. You know. 1t isn't such
a bad idea, this Furnishing man on the
place where he commits the crime; 1t
gives them all a good chance to see
Justice administered"
That's SO. Chief" answered the as
eistant. I've sometimes thought it
wouldn't be So far out OF tho way to
have a little Of it in the old country.
That's what they used to do in the old
days of the stocks and whipping post.
you know, and. after all. the wooden
cangue is only another form Of stocks
But doesn't 1t remind you of the Ara
bian Nights. this silly nonsense about
BARRIERS? Just think OF fight in Lon
don and lot of barber chaps nearly
killing each other just because they
didn't go to the same church.! They're
worse than Mohammedans, they really
are"
rs that what started it? didn't hear
the first of the evidence"
why, yes; you see two old BARRIERS
Of the BARRIERS guild have had the mo-
noply of shaving the coolies on the Har-
ris Wharf for years, and yesterday along
came a couple Of new chaps who don't
belong to the guild and don't worship
the same BARRIERS idol and set up their
shop, and up starts the fight with those
Chinese razors They're sharp, too;
the second mate of the Shoe Pow who
rushed in to separate them, came near
being badly cut"
Just another case of Him no chin
chin same joss as Detective Chang
says when ask him what starts the
ordinary street wheel-barrow fight,
eh?"
"They certainly are mighty clannish,
Sir" --.
The foregoing conversation between
the Inspector and his assistant in the
inner police office was hardly over
when {. knock was heard at the door
and the native officer on duty brought
IN the chit-book from the British Con-
sulate and handed a message marked
urgent" to his chief.
We'll, here we are again; wonder
what's up now? Perhaps the BARRIERS
are at it once more
Perhaps it's a lot of their friends
come down to the wharf to get even
with the other fellows, They often do
that, you know
The Inspector tore open the envel
ope, saying as he did SO to the officer:
you tellee coolie waitchee answer"
swer"
The message read as follows:
~ To Inspector Arthur Gubbins,
Shanghai Police: Sir.-In the alb
sence up-river of Sir Thomas
Bradley, K. C. NJ c.. the Consul =
General, I beg to request your
presence, without delay. at the
turbance of very serious nature
that took place in the Settlement
last evening. I am, Sir,
Very truly yours,
re William walpole,
H.B NJ Vice Consul. in Charge.
Handing reply to the waiting mes
senger, the Inspector turned to Mr..
Morehead and asked, as he passed the
paper over to him, whats this? Any
report from headquarters or from the
branch station about 4 row last
night?'
Not a word. Sir; the docket Is all
clear"
We'll, perhaps there's some reason
for the native officers keeping it Sc
cret. I'll go right over and see what
it's about
He put on his long uniform coat.
took his oficial. cap from the hook.
and, hurrying out to his waiting jim
rik-sha, ordered the coolie to take him
to the Consulate. He was ushered at
once into the private offce and after
the usual greetings was asked to take
a seat at the Consul's desk. the doors
having been closed and the curtains
closely drawn.
"Gubbins," began His Majesty's
representative. I'm in a quandary and
I've sent ;or you to help me out. I've
been a good many years in the service
and 1 hatter myself that know these
people pretty well, but every now and
then something new turns up and I
find myself as puzzled as an ordinary
,globe-trotter on his frst arrival. You
have had a good deal of experience in
dealing with them too, but I imagine
that sometimes you get into fix as
we'll as myself and then you have
To-
Have to send for some old mission
airy who speaks the local lingo to worm
it out Of them" said the Inspector,
helping to finish the sentence.
Yes, after all. we study and study,
but the people who live among than
day and night are the only ones VINO
ever really get under their padded
vests as my Chief says"
mat so, ana YET, 90 you KNOW, oiu
DR.. johnson, OF the Mission Hospital
told me only last week that some
times he's just as badly of as we are
and he's been out here forty years and
speaks the lingo like a native"
Hes right, he's right-well, here's the
case: This morning. when I came
down to breakfast notice my number
one boy had his head all plastered up
asked him what was the matter and
all could get was, My makes fallee
down stairs last night Now that
would have gone all right IL the num-
ber-two boy hadn't come in a few min
utes later with a bandage around his
eye. and when asked him If he had
fallen down stairs. too. he stammered
and said, My Gomez in velly late. nc