The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-16
Like A Visit
To The Orient;
The Chinese Club
BY MEMORY M'coRD

Yesterday, %lunching at the China inn
down on Main street. I had a brilliant
idea. That Is. ! thought so at the time.
and asked for George Gong. the man
ager.
George" I said. when the polite lit
tie Chinee presented himself, Il want
entree TO the Tri-state Chinese Social
club, POI South Third street. Can you
give IL to me?"
mo can do said the little man,
bowling positively. but %gracionsly; and
II YOU Will so pardon. hereNhe saluted
still more formally. mo can be did,
And, will YOU believe me, he bowed
yet again and disappeared. 1t made
lime angry. For days and days l had
been trying TO get into the place, and
somehow i seemed impossible. Right
then n there l made up my mind TO
do i regardless. Signing my check
slipped out, bent upon the project.
II was raining a mean little drizzlc
as ] wended my way down Beale ave-
nue. and o a shot at some flying ducks
for target practice. It's great sport,
and, wonders of wonder, 1t has not adj
vanced in price-still selling two shots
for a jitney.
ON South Third street / found the
club-a straight red brick building with
q large gold lettered sign. Stepping upon
the porch l pressed the button and
waited. Not a sound came from the
building, and upon the street only an
old darkey dozed. Suddenly a yellow
face thrust itself from behind the door
curtain 1t seemed to search my visage
reading all my past and up to the
present. A long wait followed, during
which the Chink's eyes fastened them
selves upon my countenance. At last
he opened the door, allowing me space
enough to squeeze inside.
Into a narrow hall l wedged myself,
and as | did so sliding panels gave
way and curtains drew back, leaving
a sea of yellow faces. They bobbed up
at the right of me, at the left of me,
In front and behind, and suddenly / had
q peculiar feeling in my left side. Some
thing flip-flopped there and then gently
dropped to my toes. In a moment II
was gone-the feeling Of fear-and ]
said In a voice that did not wobble:
y am from the paper. Please call
ChG Woo, your manager, and let me
speak to him. ! want to write a story
Softly the yellow men crept closer
not understanding. / began again;
Il am from the paper, see" and
held up an afternoon edition, land ]
want to write-see'' and pretended to
scribble--''about this and l waved
my arms toward the ceiling.
They didn't get me; it didn't register
I hoiiiNitu Wlid iiibNt 1 WIN AANaa
make, when a ice -looking Chinec
bobbed out OF a panel and said to me:
"Ah, jes-I COMPREHENSION woulda
write US In paper. Certainment-mJ
wife-she tella you"-and from the bot.
tom of the stairs in the hall he called
upward in a heathenish sounding Ian
guage.
Immediately a Chinee woman ap
peared and said to me:
Come upa. / Sadie Lee All Que
tella you what you wanna know"
Up the long flight I scampered, con
soious that the eyes of those yellow
men were yet upon me, Down a mar
rover hall All Que and / wandered un,
til we came to a living room Furnished
semi-American.
"Sitta YOU said the girl, pushing !;
queer little chair forward. You wlsl
to knowa absut club, Well, 1t for Chi
nee-no white man ever before visited
sas, Mississippi and Tennessee-they ca
with the chopstick-rice forks, yo'
knowa. We no drinka-no can-n
got" she explained sadly.
IAN ink pencil you wanna" she quer
ried, handing me a fountain pen. II
writa all l saya, You lika club--jes'--
she smiled, displaying a set OF excel
lent teeth decorated in old gold. .
lika 1t also. You seea, and as / nodded
she accompanied me from room to roon
in the upper story. Some were bed
rooms, others what we call the HvinI
kind, and there was a bath. All wer
furnished semi-American.
Suddenly l was conscious OF steps
| knew not where, but soon an ancien
little Chink appeared with a tray,
"Chu Woo sends eats. Missa peEhap
mucha famished. All Que's dinner tim
soon," he said suggestively.
l bowed Oriental fashion. but grave
ly declined the luncheon.
II have to go home.' said | "soon-t
the family. / eat them and, plainl
disappointed, the old mar glided away
Suey was the refreshment offered,
Several moments later, after All GU
had displayed some Of her wardrobe
/ babe her adieu saying, Many thank
for the time and entertainment; 1t goe
in the paper
AN j see it," she asked, clapping he
hands like a child. II no reada, bu
h~usband-he cana"
Nodding, ! went down the stairs. Be
low the yellow men waited. ] SCENE
to be something OF which they kne'
nothing-something different from a
|. that had come their way-but this tim
they bowed from behind panel and cul
! tain. The ma that ungraciously ft
i me enter, opened the door to let me GU
wedged myself through the rack I
the outside.
. There a number of people gathered
somehow 1t had circled around ths
/, something that had never been dor
" before had h~appenedTa white person
a girl-had visited the club. Ploddin
homeward many a curious perso
searched my face for the spell of II
Orient was upon me.