Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-01-31
An Wing Was
Almost II ux2 IN

BY FETER DURANT
.,s"s"s"s.".-."s.s"."s"s "s"s"s"."s's"e"s'.s"s"sI
20. 1922. Western Newspaper UGion)

The Seedlings never ceased being
interested in their Chinese servant
after they mad moved to California.
Being artists-at least, VI. StebbingS
was one, and a good one, they took
v broader view than most of their
friends, to whom their Chinese SER
wants were frankly ineXplicable.
Mrs. StebbMgs, however, could not
| be convinced that Ali Wing was any
thing more than mechanical man,
He does such extraordinary things,
John" she explained to her husband.
| For instance, old Mrs. Brown came TO
the kitchen door To-Day to borrow half
II dozen esgs-you know her hens set
| ting. Wei, | came on the scene just
i'll time t. stop All Wing from sending
| her away mOrtally insulted.
He gave her the eggs and wanted
money. No money, no eggee'-thats
what lie said, John"
Well thats ali right said John
Seedlings. He didn't know we're
used to giving her eggs, and naturally
he wasn't going to give our eggs away
for nothing. 1t simply shows what a
good servant he is
well, maybe you're right" an
swered his wife obviously, but it
seems queer to me-.
a few days later All Wing was the
hero of another exploit.
John, WAT do you think All Wings
done now?" said Mrs. Seedlings. you
know Mrs. Hewlett asked us to watch
her bungalow while She and her hus-
band were on their motor trip, and l
told All Wing not to let anyone go
into it. Well, Anna Hewlett stopped
Off at San Pedro to visit friend and
Mr. Hewlett had to come back on
business. He got home at five o'clock
this morning and found All Wing APP
parently taking his rest on the stoop
and-he wouldn't let him into his own
bungalow, though he knows him by
sight Mr.. Hewlett, had to telephone
the police from the Johnsons' house
before All Wing would go away"
"Well, that's all right said her hus-
band You told him not to let any
body in"
"But didn't mean Mr.. Hewlett"
walled his wife
Cant help that. The Chinese are
a-er-very literal people. You must
dressing All Wing"
"But it isn't human" walled Mrs.
Seedlings.
Nothing more happened for several
weeks. The affair of the Hewletts,
which had threatened to prejudice
pleasant relations, blew over Hew-
lett laughed at Seedlings idea that the
Chinese were human beings.
Mechanical men-you're quite
right, Mrs. Stebbings." he said. "Any
one who expects the Chink to act like
a man doesn't know his Chink, that's
ALL"
And then there happened the terri
BILE confagration thar wiped out the
settlement How it started no one
knows to this day. simultaneously all
the inhabitants of the settlement
awakened to find the street d mass of
flames.
At first the Seedlings hoped to save
their house, but it was quickly seen
that the whole place was doomed.
Hastily dressing, they began to carry
out their most priced belongings
Mrs Seedlings jewelry, Mr. Stebbings'
papers, their love letters to each other,
of course. Then there We're few
ornaments, and Mrs. Seedlings had
dreams of getting out the baby grand,
until her husband reminded her that it
was insured, together with the rest of
their things. After that they watched
the fire more placidly. Most Of their
neighbors had succeeded in saving the
things they cherished particularly, and
nearly all were insured. In fact it was
quite a little party that collected to
await the nearest fire brgaue.
Suddenly Seedlings cried ''Where's
All Wing?'
That was the first time anybody had
noticed the absence of the Chnaman
He can't have slept through that y
exclaimed Stebbings. "Tll go look
But suddenly cry of horror went
I'D, for All Wing was seen deliberately
plunging into the blazing building.
"Ah Wing! We're safe!" cried Mrs.
Seedlings but ALI Wing did not hear
| her. For a moment he was poised
against the burning rafters-then he
| was gone.
| Hes mad" walled Mrs. Seedlings.
| "Stark mad What's he gone for?'
But after a few moments OF breath
| less agitation on the part of all All
Wing suddenly appeared at window
| Under one arm was some black object,
He looked out, seemed to grimace. ana
sprang. He rolled over and over, got
up, apparently unhurt, and came stag
gering toward his mistress.
Except for few scorches he ap'
peared uninjured. He held something