INCIDENTS OF THREE CHINAMEN.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIX, Issue XXII, 20 November 1897, Page 696

INCIDENTS OF THREE CHINAMEN.

BY

L.A.B.

Some months ago, in a religious weekly, I read an article on San Francisco’s Chinamen and I was rather surprised that such an article should be received by a religious periodical, for it denounced the Chinamen and spoke of them as altogether bad. Now, I want to tell about some Chinamen that we think a great deal of and who are good and trusty. We will begin with Gue. We refrain from giving his full name for Gue has a good English education and reads, and as he is quite modest it might possibly embarrass him to see his name in print. I should like very’ much to show you his autograph for he writes a full, round, plain hand that many boys would do well to copy. Gue is a Christian and attends the M.E. church, and when the ladies have a lawn social Gue furnishes Chinese lanterns, and at Xmas time he rememliers his young friends, giving them books, silk handkerchiefs and sweetmeats from China. Now that our auntie is away for the summer with her family, Gue and grandpa keep house alone and have very’ quiet, pleasant times. Gue can cook very nice dinners, and last w’eek he and grandpa entertained our presiding elder and minister. In parting with many' of his Chinese customs he still retains his cue, and although he dresses in citizen’s clothes he wears his long black cue coiled under his hat which, of course, keeps his hat from fitting nicely. Gue is not a very lively Chinaman, but among our Chinese acquaintances is Hong, our funny Chinamen. He talks pretty good English, is good-natured and jolly. A lady he once worked for had a little daughter, who sometimes cried when things did not go just right. One day the little girl was crying and her mamma said, laughingly : * Why are you always weeping, weeping?’ Hong heard and remembered. It was very warm weather and one day, soon after the weeping episode, the laily went into her kitchen and found that Hong had taken off his Chinese blouse and was cooking dinner in his undervest. ‘ Why, Hong, where is your blouse ?’ ‘Oh, Mrs S., I weep so on my body I have to take him off. Sawoy?’ meaning do you understand.’ One day all the folks were away from home except Hong and some very’ mischievous lioys. Hong was busy and did not want to joke and play, for a wonder, and finally, when bis patience was tried beyond endurance, he concluded he would settle the young fellows, but one of them was most too much for him and those who witnessed the little scuffle could not refrain from laughing. Hong’s shoes anil cue went Hying in opposite directions, the shoes at quite a distance and the cue would have been too if it had not been attached to the Chinaman’s head. One evening Hong cooked us a very inviting looking dinner, and as be had prepared it without any assistance, and the meat course was entirely new to us, we were quite delighted with its appearance. A large meat platter was filled in the centre with a rich, inviting looking gravy, with squares of brown beef about four inches in size anil two inches thick. All about the edge of the platter, as a kind of garniture, was heaped creamy rice, cooked as only a good China cook can cook rice. We tasted Hong’s new dish and then we felt like weeping- Hi d pepper, black pepper, white pepper, everything hot and strong. - Hong, « hat do you call this ?’ ‘ Garlic stew,’ he answered.

The garlic was lost sight of in those horrid red peppers that we found hidden away under the meat. Once we had a very young Chinaman for a few weeks, who knew little of cooking, but was so kind and willing we had a great deal of patience with him. One Saturday morning we liaked a layer cake, with chocolate frosting between layers, and put a thick coating of the frosting on the top layer. The next week we were called away just as the last layer of a cake with almond custard for filling was taken from the oven. We told Chee he might put the custard between for us. After awhile we came back to see how he hail succeeded, and he had used the custard sparingly l>etween the layers and as a frosting for the outside of the cake. He explained that we made the other cake that way. We had to use that cake for a pudding, as it was encased in custard. Could tell many such stories of our Chinamen, but will not tire the ‘ young people ’ with my first story of Chinamen.