Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-02-24
Ice Wah Leaves Town.

Shepherdstown loses one of its most
Interesting residents today, for Lee
Wah, our lone Chinaman, takes his de-
parture and goes to Washington CITY
to live. Lee Wah has been living in
ShcpherdStown for the past six years
having come here from Front ROYAL
Va. He conducted laundry when he
first arrived in Shcpherdstown, having
an assistant who did most of the wort
Lee Wah was aversc TO manual labor
when the other Chinaman quit, Lee
Wah closed his laundry, as he could
not run the business and at the same
time devote himself to, his ifavorite
sport. of fishing. In the summer time
he went fishing every day and remain
ed on the river all day long. In the
course of the season he caught a good
many fish. though no one would saN
that he was an expert fisherman. He
could, however, lie about the size OF
his fish as we'll as the next fellow. The
only thing that would tempt him
away from the fish was a baseball
game. He was passionate devotee
of this sport, and loyal 10 the home
team. His roofing was exceedingly
funny, and many a time was we'll worth
the price of admission. He followed
the team when il went TO other towns
and stood by il through thick and thin.
He was also greatly interested in bas-
ketball and all other sports.
Lee Wah never worked. He frank
" admitted that he didn't like work
He had interests in stores in New
and Washington and this income suf
feed hor his needs, together with wha'
he made on the side-,he is said 10 have
been very slick with cards and dice
The itrkcS OF Bret Harte's heather
| Chinee were not unknown 10 him, and
so he always had money. His unclo
was one OF the managers OF the store
in Washington, and he has arranged
TO return TO China never 10 come back
Lee Wah, who speaks English yer,
well, goes TO the Washington store. a,
ZAP Pennsylvania avenue, where he
will serve as interpreter, an easy iot
that will suit him.
Lee Wah was born i'm Canton and
came TO Washington Territory about
fifty years ago, when he was a boy
He came east and finally landed ir
New York. His principal business
was TO start laundry in that city a
a cost OF hundred or two hundred
collars, and then sell out to some greer
Chinaman at from five to eight hun,
dred. He saws that he would have
been a millionaire il he had saved hi.
money, but he was sport and tn,
money flew. His uncle called hin
many hard names for not saving hi.
money. He returned TO China afte,
he had grown up. where he married
and now has a wife and son and daugh
ter in China. His son conducts stor,
that belongs to Lee Wah. When tn,
son was married last September tn,
father sent him and mis- new wife eacl
two hundred dollars. Lee wah re
turned TO America, leaving his famil
behind him. He said he didn't wan
his wife over here His theory is tha
wife is not so much. n she dies i
IS easy enough to get another. Will
a mother or father, II Is different. TO
one can never get another father o.
mother. When his mother died h,
cried all night. II his wife would di,
he would only be little bit sorry.
Lee Wah was baptized when he livec
in Washington Territory. He said
Baptist minister put him all the wa,
under the water. There Is a diversi
ty OF opinion as to how we'll il "took"
but that is true OF a good many VIII,
have been baptized-Baptists ant
others. Lee Wah kept by his bed tw,
Bibles, one in Chinese and one in Eng
lfsh, and when he felt in a pious fram
OF mind he would lie on his bed an,
read from one or the other OF the Bi
bles. singing for dear life. His sing
ing voice, however, has not been highI
commended.
Lee Wah is selling his goods toda
at public sale. His chickens. his boat
his fishing tackle and gun and all o
his household goods are being dispose,
o. and he leaves tonight or tomorrow
Tor Washington. He says he hooe
that his Shepherdstown friends will
call tp see him at 342 II the ffshIn,
is particularly good he will come bacl
newt