The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-18

changing his voice and manner to the
idol, IN teach you not to deceive
people that way after all the rice and
cake and wine they've given you" and,
to the infinite delight and .amusenleK,
of the natives, but to the establishment,
horror and utter disgust of the foreign
ers, he deliberately boxed the ears Of
the little poo sdI and returning It to
the sleeve from which it came. said,
Go back up there and go to bed"
DR. Forbes could scarcely believe his
senses. as this all the respect they
have for their idols?' he asked Ct his
companion, that they will devoutly
pray to their gods on one moment ard
then deliberately turn around and cas-
tigate them in the next? Why. never
heard of such thing in my life ana if
hadn't actually seen it I c5uld never
have believed it,"
"Oh, that wouldn't surprise you at
all if you had lived any length of time
among them" answered DIR. Upham, as
they continued on their walk across the
bridge and over through the streets of
the French Concession. sit is just one
of those peculiar little anomalies of the
whole idolatry system. 1t is a curious
blend of abject fear and ridicule. Some
times when the skies are fair and every
thing is Propitious. you will hear them
speak in almost sneering distrust of
all their native gods and then, the first
moment that trouble and disaster comes
off they rush pell-mell to the temples
and get down on their knees"
We'll" said the visitor, pausing
thoughtfully for a moment, perhaps
after all they are not so very different
from many people in the Western world.
You know the story Of the atheist who
stood on the ships deck arguing with
his fellow-passenger against the exist
ence of God and sneering at their re-
hgion generally, and then when the
ship suddenly struck a rock was the
first man down on his knees"
YES" answered the Mission surgeon,
sit recalls the old saying, doesn't it,
When the devil was i'll, the devil a
monk would be-when the devil was
well, the devil a monk was he!" This
dear old human nature of ours is pretty
much the same all the world over. I
haven't a particle of doubt but that if
his house should get on fire tonight.
or thieves should rob him. or any dis
aster overtake him, that old juggler
would be down on his knees before that
very same idol whose ears he so vigor-
ously just now boxed in our presence.
China is China we say, but I can tell
you that if the Chinese weren't very
human under all these native DISCUSSES,
Wouldn't be here, that's ALL"
They were interrupted just at this
point in the conversation by two French
policemen, who were rushing across the
street to stop an incipient fight among
the wheel-barrow coolies at the mail
wharf. There was the usual amount of
shriekfng and yelling and the throwing
of sand at each other from a convenient
neighboring heap and the hurting of all
kinds Of curses back and forth until the
air was a rich Chinese blue, but no
actual blows or personal injuries. The
two officers quickly picked out the ring
leaders and Selling them by the cues,
dragged them off to the nearest station
and the crowd melted away as rapidly
as it had gathered.
Just as they crossed the canal into
the British Concession they saw stand
ing there DR.. Cortelyou, the American
Consul, and Inspector Gubbins of the
police.
Good morning, gentlemen" said the
former, 81 want you to meet the Chief
of our guardians Of the peace, as we
call them at home-though 1 believe
our friend Dr. gpham already has the
/
into the French Settlement and watch
ing the disturbance. The Inspector here
tells me that it's a part of the barrow
coolies trouble that has been threaten
| ing for some time and may break out
into serious proportions at any moment
though SO far the authorities on this
side seem to have things under very
good control. Isn't that so, Mr.. Cub
bins?"
yes" answered the officer "I am
| thankful to say it hasn't come to any
general row yet, though we have had
several beginnings down at Jardine S
and the Japanese wharves that might
have proved serious if we hadn't nipped
them in time. You never can tell, how
ever, what these things may grow to-
especially around the native holidays
when they lay off work and take to
drinking Sdna-SItu.'
what is the trouble?" asked DR.
Forbes 'is this a strike as we call it
at home. for higher wagea-or just
what is their grieyance?"
well, sir. it's partly the same and
partly different. They're all greatly up
set because the authorities are charg-
ing them ten cents more for their
licenses than they did last year.
What You don't mean to say that
they would threaten to start a riot for
the small sum Of ten Chinese cents?
Why, that's only about a nickel of our
American money
Yes, I know, sir. it certainly seems
ridiculously small, but you must re-
member that the wages Of these men
is ridiculously small, also. AS my dep
Z uty Captain Brownlow says. Brass cash
to them is dollars to US. and they can
live on what any white man would