Evening Star Newspaper, August 4, 1894, Page 18

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, & scanbaia” 4, 1894-TWENTY PAGES. THE HERMI CARPENTER IN COREA she SS The Rebellion and a War Between Japan and China. A WONDERFUL COUNTRY The Chinese and Japanese at Swords’ Points. OPPRESSION BY THE OFFICIALS Pict acca (Copsrighted, 184, by Frank G. Carpenter.) Special Correspondence of The Evening Star. COREA, July 3, 1504. HAVE TAKEN A Je from China to Corea, and it took me three days to go fromm Tien-Tsin to the harbor of Che- mulpo. I was grounded for a time on the. Petho river, and had a rough voy- age over the Yellow sea, but I am now in the biggest city of this wonderful king- dom, and I am sur- founded by the queerest sights and the strangest people on the face of the globe. 1 found the harbor of Chemulpo filled with gunboats, and, after sailing up the river | Han, I was met about four miles from the ity with a chair from the American lega- tion, hich was carried by four Coreans and which was guarded by soldiers. im this way I came into the city of Seoul. I passed through the gates without trouble, and I am now almost at home in this € Fean world. I have a most efficient inter- preter, wkom I call Gen. Pak. He comes of one of the oldest families of this coun- try, and his grandfather was a big magis- trate. He has as much cheek as a New York plumber, and he would make a good Mr. Carpenter and Pack. Bewspaper reporter. Gen. Gr suse, the American adviser to the king, has loaned him to me duri stay. He is the con- fidential interpreter ci the general, will accompany me in my He is an aristoc that I always feel out of place when I ask him to do anything for me. He is far bet- ter dressed than I am. Ilis brand new hors hair hat, I venture, st $ tied on under his with ribbons of black gros grain silk. He wears a gown ef the most delicate sky blue. This reaches from his neck to his feet. It is tied at the waist with a purple silk cord. and the sleeves of it have pockets in them so large that they would hold a baby. He speaks English well, and he is an invaluable man In these troublous times. With him and a couple of soldiers or Kesces I feel quite safe. I usually ride in a chair borne on jhe shoulders of four men in uniform, while the soldiers trot along at my side. I some- ud he Corea. h in the rear, he were vance or that mu Rimself along though tleman of leisure. 7f there ar> ar Corean nebles about 1 ca help the photogr: manual labor. Ye is aia would be } ery 3 » take an ext Jens for this pares It was} . and this is | T KINGDOM. - I have also a Corean artist with me, and strange as it may seem I am getting some very fine pictures made of Corean types and scenes by this man. He paints as well sketches and is considerel the finest artist of the kingdom. He ts a noble and it is hard to get him to do work quickly, but his pictures are true to life, although they seem strange to American eyes. He sketched une of my soldiers for me today and also made some pictures of the rebels who arc making such a trouble here. He gave me a picture of an offictal on his way to the palace. I saw the fellow going past the door and asked him to sketch him. The official was dressed in a long green gown with official boots of black cloth peep- ing from under its hem. He had a great belly band decorated with gold sticking out from bis waist and his horse-hair cap had huge wings fastened to its back, per- sonifying ears, and denoting that he was always ready to listen to the comands of the king. He sat in a chair upon a leopard stin and two Corean ceolies in uniform took him along on the dead run, while bis servant ran by his side. Behind him came one of the king's officials, possibly a gen- eral of the army from the country. He had amber beads eround his neck, a bow in one hand ard a quiver of arrows at his back, while other arrows were fastened to the crown of his hat. The Coreans are s§00d shots and they still stick to the bow and arrow, both for amus:ment and to a certain extent for war. The king's troops | are armed with modern guns, but many of the rebels have bows and not a few of them carried tridents. The Corean Rebellion. Ané this brings me to the rebellion. It is a mighty big ctory, and it is hard to handle it in a newspaper letter. I am told by those closest to the king that the rebels did not intend to fight against his majesty at all. | They only took up a: to oust the officials | of their provinces. They have been terribly | oppressed. Offices have been sold for years, | and of late years the prices of the offices | have gone up. and the tenure of office has beon shortened. There is one man here who has had this matter in charge who ts werth many million of dollars today. He Was a poor men ten years ago, and his fortune has been made by squeezing. The officials have had to pay so much for offices that they have overtaxed the people to get the money back, and they have oppressed them to such an extent that starvation stared them in the face. Had the king let them alone and not come to the support of his officials there would have been no re- bellion against him. He sent, however, his troops out to punish them. The rebels de- fcated the troops, and the king asked the Chinese for some soldiers to help him put down the trouble. The Japanese also sent soldiers, and this walled city of Seoul now swarms with armed men. There are guards everywhere. The law against men going out at night is strictly enforced, and any one but a foreigner found wandering about the streets is liable to arrest. The gates are carefully guarded, and the walls are watched. The Japanese have a large camp at the pass of the mountains between here and the port of Chemulpo, and every one is excited and alarmed as to the possibilities of a war, not only between the king and his rebellious subjects, but between China and Japan. The Chinese and Japanese soldiers are by no means friendly to one another, and the Japanese are ready and anxious for a pretext to fight. The “Baltimore” is still in the harbor of Chemulpo, and our marines are ready to march from there at & moment's notice to protect our legation and the missionaries. The Coreans to a large extent Jook upon the matter as a great joke. They walk about in their fine white gowns, smoking pipes as long as themselves, and laughing under their big black hats at the queer figures which the Chines; and Japanes> soldiers make. They . go by thousands to the camp, and they do not seem to realize that the very existence is threatened. “st of their goverament The king, however, und nds it very well He ‘is terribly alarmed, and he counsels with his officials night after night, under ric lights of the pala whatever in the da and rumor that he fears as: ation and that he likes no dark corners in his | palace His troops have shown themselves } unable to cope with the rebels among bis | own people, to say nothing of the Chinese and Japanese. They have been defeated and they are largely out- he forces of Japan and China which are aow in Corcan soil. The king's army consists, all told, of not more than eight thousand treops. Some of these are | well armed, and a number have been trained by the American officers who came over here to organize the army. Of these all have left exep®Gen. William MeE. Dye, who has been more of an instructor than a commander, but the officers are generally Corean, and they are not fit to fight the more experienced heads of the foreign troops. e, The Chinese tw Contret. In the meantime the king ts under the con- ltrol of the Chinese, and all information which fs sent out from here by the Coreans ts dictated by the Chinese. Corea has clairred to be ‘ndependent for some time, but she fs really under China’s thumb, and when Li Hurg Chang of the Chinese em- pire pulls the string she ts compelled to dance. I can’t give In a few words my reason for this statement. 1 may write of ii later. There is no doubt, however, of the fact. The calling in of the Chinese troops without asking the consent of Japan was contrary to the terms of the treaty which exists between China and Japan. The Jap- anese, naturally, sry. ‘They have large colonies at the ports of Chemulpo on the Yellow sex, Gensan on the west coast, Fusan on the south coast and here in Seoul as well. They own a great deal of prop- erty, and they are the leading fore'gn na- tion in Cor, Th il not permit China to have . and it is by no means t there may not be 2 and an on Corean sf nas been th nations In time ow it will be or The Core and some can hines+ cun supj modern muni! lions of dollars 4 their soli h the ne it is now it lod in such a cas nd support of the king, Much dissatisfaction with the pul, and the J anese tends or tc " n't heip himself, a borrowed money from th He does ; Chinese government and all of his customs receipts have been mortgaged to pay the interest on the debt. The king is so much in debt and so hard pressed for money that whether a war occurs o> not he is bound to open up Corea to foreigners. He has a wonderful kingdom, filled with enormous re- sources, and it will pay American specula- tors to keep their eyes on the mining and railroad possibilities of this land. The Hermit Kingdom. Corea is, perhaps, the least understood land in Asia, and it is one of the most won- Gerful countries on the face of the globe. I paid my first visit to it six years ago, only a short time after it had been opened up to the world. About fifteen years ago no foreigner could land on its coasts, end shipwrecked sailors were forced to stay in the country, fer fear they might carry news of it to the barbarous people of Europe and America. During my stay In it, I have traveled many miles over {ts mountains and valleys, and I expect to push my way, if possible, right through the tnterlor of the country to the west coast. I have visited many of the countries of the world, but this is the queerest and the least known. There is little information in the books of travel concerning it. Taere are no guide books whatever. It is like no other country, and every day I hear new and strange things about it and its people. It is going to be a very important country in the eyes of the world. Its people are of their own kind, and Gen. Clarence Greathouse, the Ameri- can adviser of the king, tells me that the land contains between sixteen and twenty millions. This is about one-fourth of the population of the United States. It is, in fact, more people than there are in Spain. It is half again as many as there are in Mexico, and three times as many people es can be counted in the state of New York. These people are scattered over a territory of about one hundred thousand square miles. Take your map of Asia. Look at the northeastern part of it, and you will see the penirsula of Corea hanging down like a nose from the lower corner of Siberia and the Chinese province of Manchuria. This peninsula is of about the same shape as Florida or Italy, and it has something like the area of the latter country. It is between four and tive hundred miles long, and from its extreme north to the south- ern coasts the distance is about the same as that between Cleveland and New York. At no place is !t much wider than between New York and Washington. The sea sur- rounding it is peppered with rocky Islands, and its lower coasts are only a day's sail from Japan. ‘The Corean Gold Mines. Whatever be the outcome of this trouble with Japan and China it is bound to result in the opening up of the country, and the character of the land and its resources will be matters of interest. I have traveled over much of Corea and I have asked questions about all parts of it. It is made up of mountains and valleys. There are a few large plains, but the valleys are as fat as the low lands of the Nile, and the moun- tains are filled with all sorts of minerals. The gold mines of Corea turn out from two to three million dollars’ worth of dust and nuggets every year, and practically nothing but placer mining is done. All of the gold belongs to the king, and I hear it whispered that his majesty has a great quantity of bullion stored away in his palaces. Not One of tue Rebels, long ago it was a necessity that some money be raised at once to complete the electric plant which is now being put into the palace, and there was practically noth- ing in the treasury. Forty-seven thousand dollars had to be supplied, or the work could nut go on. The king was especially anxious that there should ‘be no delay, and he sent to Mr. Power, the American, who has charge of the electric lighting, two boxes of gold dust and nuggets. These came from the palace to Mr. Power's house, the distance of at least a mile, witnout a guard, and it is a question whether the porters who carried them knew what they were bringing. The gold was packed in pine boxes, and these were hung upon a pole which rested on the shoulders of the two men who carried them. ‘The only man who went with them was the Corean interpreter of Mr. Power. They were opened when they reached the house and were found packed full of gold dust and nuggets. The nuggets were of all shapes and sizes from that of the head of a pin to lumps as big as your fist. There were two Jumps of solid gold of this size and another Was as thick as the palm of a man's hand and of about the same shape. It was of fuch a nature that it could not have been rolled far by the water, and it must have been found very near the site of the original & Commander of the tanner. lode.- This gold was sent by Mr. Power to the mint at Osaka, Japan. There was 175 rounds of it, and it assayed eighty-seven rer cent gold and about ten per cent silver. It was sold to the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank for $47,(4), and the money was applied te the part payment of the electrical ma- chinery which is now suplying his majesty with light. There Is little doubt but that the mountains cf north Corea are full of gold, and a great deal more is probably gotten than is generally supposed. The Corean eltizen has no security of property, and the possession of money always brings the officials down upon him, and they impose upon him until the money is squeezed out of him. Every now and then a native will come into the establishment of the Ameri- can firm at Chemulpo and will pay for what he wants with gold dust which he takes out of a pipe stem or from a belt which he has hound about his body under his clothes. Cften men want to turn the cold into Co- rean cask, and it by no means safe for \them to have it found upon them. The | mines are worked under a superintendent, | who probably gets a big slice of the output. | By the aid of modern mining machinery there ts no telling what they will produce. At present not even blasting powder is | used to get at the quartz, and the rock ts broken by building a fire against it, and then when it has become hot, water is thrown upon it, and this cracks the quartz. | Such bits as can be got out are laid on a flat stone, and big round rocks are rolled over ‘them again and again to crush them, | and at least fifty per cen! of the gold it lost. here are no pumps, no quicksilver and no chemicals. Such of the well as fs secnred comes from washing the sand and crushed | rock with water in hand pans, and in the winter the rock is crushed and boiled to | free tt of gold. o vand Coal Mines, There are large copper mines in different | parts of C nd a great deal of this is | | dug out, smelted and used in the manufac- ture of brass ware. i ss 1g more used perhaps than any other metal. The eating utensils, ircluding dishes, spoons and chop sticks, are made of it, artd all of ghe wash- basins of the country are of this material. The quality of the brags is superior to that which I have seen in any other part of the world. It takes a polish like gold, and it is wonderfully bright and pure. None of the copper is, I believe, exported, and the same is true of the caal./The Corean coal mines, which lie near the big city of Ping Yan, about 100 miles north of Seoul, so Dr. Appenzeller, one of the best posted mis- sionaries of the country, tells me, ere rather coal quarries than shafts. The coal is dug from the top ofthe ground, and it ts taken out at the minimum of expense. It is a fine antracite, and it would bring right here in the capital from $10 to $12 a ton. A big trade could be carried on in it to the different parts of China and the east. As it‘is, Japan sells millions of dollars’ worth of coal every year, and the mines which I visited last month in north China Were disposing of from 1,700 to 2,000 tons of coal a day. The coal that comes to Seoul, however, goes chiefly to the palace, and the mines await practical men to turn their dusky lumps into veritable black diamonds. The People. Agriculturally considered the country Is very rich. Not one-twenticth of it is culti- vated, and the fact that the officials take the greater part of the crops removes all incentive to work, and the people farm only enough to keep them alive. Almost anything that can be raised in the United States can be raised here, and rice is grown side by side with wheat and barley. There is plenty of good grazing land, and the cattle are very tine and form the beasts of burden of the country. I don’t think the people are naturaily lazy. They are strong and well meaning. They have a fair idea of justice and right and their civilization is by no means & barbarous one. With se- curity of property and incentive to work they could easily be taught to accumulate money, and if the foreigners are allowed to take hold of the mines and build railroads Corea will in a shcrt time approximate Japan in its progress. It has been several timcs on the verge of giving concessions to foreigners, and only a short time ago the king had agreed to such a proposition. An American, Mr. James R. Morse, who had spent years in Corea, and who is the chief partner of the American firm now doing business here, was called from New York to Seoul to see the king about the matter. He was a thoroughly responsible man in‘every respect, and he had at his back some millions of American capital. He came to Seoul, and after the promise of such concessions as would have given him the exclusive right to build railroads over the country, to have opened up the gold mines and to have engaged in schemes for the general development of Corea. | ‘The papers were all ready to be sign- ed and the American left the palace with the assurance that the next day all would be settled and he could begin work at once. During that night, however, either through the Chinese or some other influence, the king's mind was changed, and a message was sent to the American legation that his majesty had decided to grant no conces- sions at present and that Mr. Morse was at liberty to leave as soon as he chose. As to just how this change came about no one knows, but China probably had her fingers in the ple. It is sald that one of the for- elgrers connected with the court demanded that he be paid a big percentage of the Profits of the scheme for the influence which he claimed to have exerted in get- ting the king to accede to ft. This was re- fused, and h2 probably. got his revenge through the Chinese: In all this trouble which is going on in Corea it must be re- membered that the Chinese are the ene- mies of progress. Theysare not the true friends of the Corean people. They have the upper hand and they are doing all they can to keep the country back. The falling through of this scheme was a very unfortu- nate thing for Corea. Had the papers becn signed both the king and the American capitalists would now be on the road to wealth. The people would have had a large amount of their taxes remitted, for the king's treasury would have been’ full and there would have been no rebellion. As it Is now, no one can tell what will happen, but sooner or later this land will be one of the most prosperous on the globe. Fmt 9, Canes imDloT. PRIZE Owing to His Failing He Had to Seek Another Place. From the Boston Herald It isn't woll to be too rigid in the inter- pretation of one’s duty to an employer. In business, as in other relations of life, “the letter killeth,” while “the spirit maketh alive.” This is the conclusion to whieh an ac- quaintance of mine, a steamboat ticket agent, has come, after an experience in following the letter of his official rules, which cost him not oniy his position, but the loss of a reputation hitherto his for cod judgment and common sense. There came to his lattice one afternoon not long ago a musician, bound for a point on the steamboat route. He was to fill a very important engagement, which was the more important because it Was a recital in which he was the only performer, and a falivre on his part to appear meant the di: mis:al of an audience and the loss*of a good deal of money to all concerned. To the lattice with the artist came his wife, his musical accompanist. There was but one boat he could take in order to arrive at his destination on time, and, were ne to lose that, no other means of conveyance could remedy the disaster. When he had purchased his tickets and put his hand in his pocket to pay for them, the embarrassing truth flashed upon bim that he had left all his money at the hotel, a plight frequently fallen into by must- cians. His wife was in a similar predica- ment; so there they were, with no means but the ticket agent's discretion of being relieved from their annoying position, They appealed to him. The artist told him his name, the circumstances, the im- possibility of going to the hotel for the meney and getting back in time te catch the boat, and besought trust until his re- turn to the city. Either from pure conscientiousness, or from genuine ugliness, the master of the situation refused. Us against the rules,” was his curt and only answer to every request. The artist slipped a valuable ring from his finger, and offered it in pledge of his honesty. “It's against the rules,’ came through the arch in the lattice. The artist unhooked his gold watch and chain and laid it before the grim repre- tative of the company. It’s against the rules, and that settles it,” was snzpped back at him, So it did, for that day. ‘The boat steamed away, and the artist end his wife returned in helpless indigna- tion to their hotel. The recital was, of courte, necessarily fn off, the audi- ence dismissed and (he, money refunded, and on the following day;an trate manager stormed Irto the apaytmeuts of the artist with all sorts of vifuperation, and with threats of a suit into the bargain. Explanations followed, an< then the an- ger of the manager was turned against the ticket agent. He straightway took the art- ist with him to the president of the steam- beat company, informed him of the event of the evering before, and asked if, under the circumstances, the company's subordi- nate had acted the paxt of,a wise and faith- ful servant. ay ie The president cent ‘for ‘the latter imme- diately, and when he €arie into the apart- ment the following ‘@iategue ensued be- tween them: wh “Did this gentleman, buy two tickets of you last evening?” “Yes, sir.” : “Did he pay for them?" > “No sir.” ra “That's right, so far. do anything else? “Yes, sir. He offered me a ring and a gold. watch as a guarante2 for the money ertil his return from _ “Did you take them?” sir; I told him it was against the you let him have them?" sir.” Did the gentleman rules. “Ah! Did the gentleman tell you his name and the importance of his business?” “Oh, yes, sir; but that didn’t shake me. [ had my rules. “So yeu had. Well, sir, you arz the big- gest idiot this company has ever had in its employ, and if vou go to the caxhter you will find your services paid for to date. You had better seek employment as tu-nkey in a jail. You need never stretch a rule there.” And the price of the two tickets was just 60 cents. WINNING HIS STAR —-—_- OR THE ADVENTURES OF PAUL TRAVERS. cee oe es WRITTEN FOR THE EVENING STAR BY 8AM T, CLOVER. ie ane SES En CHAPTER XVII. Dr. Tolman greeted the young American very cordially when, unannounced, Paul walked into the physician's private office at the hospital. . “Why, my dear boy,” he exclaimed, “I had about given up all hope of seeing you again. I have had just one letter since you went away. Ah, you youngsters are so fickle; the friend of a week ago is forgotten in the friend of today. But I’m glad to see you looking so well; sit down and give an account of yourseif since we parted.” For an hour Paul ei.tertained the doctor with the story of his trip to Fiji; his days of ease and his days of hardship at Sydne: the ink-peddling incident, bird-whistle trans: actions, gold-mining episode, jockey-club experience, his attempt at balloon voyaging and last, but not least, his delightful visit among the charming South Australian cousins. The doctor was highly amused at the graphic description Paul gave of his efforts to introduce “Kaiser-Tinte” in the collegiate circles of Sydney, and he fairly roared over the manner in which the lad revenged his insults on Solomon, the servitor. Referring to the bird-whistle episode, he laughingly declared the partners deserved the drub- bing administered by the young colonials, whereat Paul waxed indignant and pro- tested it was an horest transaction, in which the Sydneyites were worsted only be- cause they did not prove apt pupils. “Oh, that was it,” observed the doctor, dryly; “well, of course, you couldn't expect them to be as smart as two Yankees.” The succeeding week, which Paul passed with his friend, was devoted to rambles through the botanical gardens and in de- lightful excursions to the many charming suburbs for which Melbcurne ts noted. One day, toward the close of his visit, as the two Sat on the bench at St. Kilda idly watching the bathers, the doctor suddenly asked Paul if he had any definite plans for getting back home. “Yes and no,” answered the lad. “I have a hope of getting a berth on one of the Orient steamers at Sydney, which will ca:ry me through to London, but whether I ceed is doubtful. Judging from past exper- jences, it isn't an easy matter, but having eccme so far ‘right side up,’ I'm not going to borrow trouble at this late day. After I reach London, I'll trust to luck to get to New York; that looks simple enouzh com- pared with the pzoblem that confronts me Just now.” The doctor chuckled softly. “You're a queer boy, Paul. Here you are 12,000 miles from home, with barely enough money to pay your fare to Sydney, and yet you are as free from care as my dog. I confess 1 am envious of so tranquil a disposition.” “Well, what's the good of fretting,” re- turned the lad. “I entered into this state deliberately and of my own free will and accord, as the lawyers say; I should be an idiot to whine over hardships and trials for which I alone am responsible. No, 5: when I get to my troubled bridges I'll cro: them, but no worrying in advance if I can heip it.” “Right you are, Paul; that's good, sound Philosophy, and I hope you will live up to it. After all, the moze experiences you get the better qualified you will be for the pro- fession you are ambitious to enter. Let me see, how long is it since you left home?” “Ten months—ten years, I had almost said. So much has happened in that time I can scarceiy realize a year has not yet passed. I went away from Chicago a boy —perhaps more matured than the average lad of seventecn, for I had been an omniv- orous reader, but the boy that goes back to the bustling city on the shor-s of Lake Michigan will be immeasurably older. it isn’t the number of years one lives,” he added, pensively, “but the manner in which one lives them that makes the man. I hope I shall have nothing to regret in the future when I look back on this eventful tramp.” “You won't, my lad; you won't, if you keep yourself pure, mentally and moraliy,”” was the doctor's earnest rejoinder, “and 1 believe you have too mach good sense to stray far off the right track.” The older man parted from Paul with genuine regret. He kad taken a great fancy to the stusdy American lad whose ac- quaintance he had so strangely formed. As he said his last gcod-bye down at the dock, just as the bell warned all visitors asho-e, there was a tremor in his votce which indi- cated the depth of his feelings. “Some day we shall meet again, my boy, so I won't say ‘farewell,’ but ‘auf weidersehen,” as the Ger- mans so beautifully express It." Then he slipped a sealed note into Paul's hand, and, hastily crossing the gangway, disappeared in the crowd. In his cabfn, after tea, Paul opened the letter which Dr. Tolman had so hurriedly given him at parting. It contained a brief message and a banknote to the value of £5. The lines read: Dear Paul—Don’t refuse the little gift I inclose, as it is merely a token of my regard for a brave young traveler who has fully demonstrated his ability to get along with- out money, But it will make me feel easier to know you are not penniless when you get to Sydney, so I entreat you to keep it. With deepest affection and wishing you a safe re- turn to Chicago, 1am, sincerely you> friend, HENRY BERTRAM TOLMAN, One of the uses to which Paul put the money on his arrival at Sydney was to buy a watch charm of the famous New Zealand green stone, on the gold mounting of which he had encraved “Paul to H. B. T. Fide- liter.” This he sent, with his best love, to his good friend, together with a long letter, expressing his warmest thanks for the many kindnesses he had received and which he assured the doctor he could never forget. As he had divined, getting a berth on a London-bound steamer was by no means an easy job. For several weeks Paul haunte} the circular quay, alongside which the col- ossal ocean steamers unload their cargoes, but, although he boarded many an4 assidu- ously cultivated the acquaintance of the understewards, he could find no opening. One after another he saw the big liners dis- charge their passengers and freight, All up again and slowly steam out into the bay, bound for the port he so earnestly desired to reach. By carefully hoarding the money which the doctor had so generously given him he was able to live in a fairly comfortable way during this disheartening period, but as the weeks siipped by his funds grew lamentably smaller. It was his custom every morning to scan the bulletin board in front of the Herald building, in the hope of finding a situation which might tide him over until his prospects brightened. Running his eyes down the “lest and found” column one day, when he had been nearly a month in Syd. ney, he saw an advertisement for a lost key of peculiar shape, which the finder was re- quested to bring to the manager of the Queensland Bank and receive a reward. It suddenly occurred to Pau) that he had that same key in his vest pocket. The night before, while standing in front of the Royal Theater, he had seen it glistening on the pavement, and, picking It up, had stowed it away in his clothes after a cursory glance at Its curious shape. He now took it out and compared it with the description. Yes, there were the num- bers 121,307 stamped in the steel, corre- sponding exactly with those advertised. Clearly the key belonged to the manager of the Queensland Bank, and in search of that official Paul at cnce bent his steps. ou can’t see the manager; gaged,” was the somewhat curt which a tall young man, wearing a huge choker collar, made to Paul's modest re- quest. “Then I'l walt til he’s disenztaged,” was the lad’s cheerful response, plumping down into a bench placed for the convenience of bank patrons. _ The owner of the collar made a sneering remark, the purport of which Paul did net catch, and resumed hts work of adding a | cclumn of figures, the interruption of which \ had eveked his spleen. Haif an hour elapsed without the sign of | a caller emerging from the meuager's !icom. Paul began to suspect the surly clerk of tampering with the tts: “Aro j you sure tho manager's engaged?” ne sud- | denly ventured “That's what I said," was the snappish reply, nd you'll have to weit.” A Yew minutes later one of the ers went In to see the manager, lon ta t such angle that Pa) r * | eculd rove over the entire room. The min- — was alone, save for the presence of the clerk. The lad’s Ire was aroused. He was justly incensed at the uncivil treatment accorded him by the tll-bred clerk, and he fairly ached to punch the boor’s head. Raising his voice a trifle and addressing the unmannerly youth, he exclaimed, “Ex- cvse me, sir, but will you ask the manager to give me five minutes of his time? I want to see him on a matter of business.” Paul noticed the gray head perk up a bit in the inside room as the sound seeped through, and presently a brusque Petors!” floated outward. The proprietor of the tall collar unwound his long ‘egs from the stool, and, with a black look at Paul, disappeared in the pri- vate room. In a few minutes he emerged, still wear- ing a scowl, and, walking o Paul, jerked out, “He'll see you no’ “Oh, thank you,” returned the lad with one of his blandest looks; “sorry to have put you to so much trouble. He wasted no time in stating his busincss when he stood before the manager. “I saw your advertisement about a lost key,” he n. “I found it last night in front of the Royal Theater. This is the article, I believe,” and he placed the key on the banker's desk. ‘The manager picked it up, saw the num- ber was correct, and said: “This is certain- ly the key I lost. Permit me to pay you for your trouble.” “It was no trouble at all, sir, and you don’t owe me a cent,” was the respectful Dut emphatic reply. “I found the key by the merest chance, 2nd, noticing your ad- gertisement this morning, brought it over at once, because I had nothing else to do. I am glad to have obliged you, but it really -sn't worth talking about.” The banker smiled. “You are an Ameri- “Mr. you won't let me pay you for the key at least tell me if there is any- thing I can do for you while you are in Sy; ney.” ‘One of his happy inspirations seized Paul. “If you would be kind enough to give me a letter to the agent of the Orient Steamship Company I would be greatly obliged,” he said. “I don’t mind telling you that I have been trying for sume time to get employ- ment on one of thelr homeward-bound boats, but I don't receive any encourage- ment. A good word to the agents would be a great help, I am sure.” “I'll give you the letter with pleasure. I happen to know the sgents intimately. Let me have your name, please.” “Paul Travers, sir.” “Just be seated a few minutes, Mr. Travers, ani you sh2ll have what you want. Then he rang a bell and a stenog- rapher appeared to whom the banker dic- tated a short letter, overhearing which Paul mentally decided his vexations and disappointments were nearing an end. “I gather you are trying to see a bit of the great world,” remarked the bank man- ager while the letter was being typewrit- ten. “Yes, sir; for that reason I prefer the roundabout way home instead of returning to San Francisco. Not having much money I, of course, work my passage from point to point. So far I have done fairly well, and with good luck I’expect to be back In Chicago six months from now.” “And then, what? A second long tramp in some other direction?” “No, sir; I am Planning to be a news- paper man and hope to go to work on one of the big Chicago dailies when I get back.” The door opened and a clerk brought in the expected letter. Taking the envelope the banker wrote in the lower left-hand corner, “Introducing my young friend, Paul Travers.” “There,” he exclaimed, handing it over to Paul, “If that doesn't do the busi- ness come back and let :ne know.” Then he shook hands with the youngster as if he was really interested in him and wished him a safe and pleasant voyage back to America. in the outer room Paul brushed by the pin-headed youth on the stool. “Good-bye, collars,” he murmured as he passed, “try to be a little more accommodating to the next stranger Who wants to see your man- ager.” Without waiting for a response cr even turning his head to note the effect of this flippancy he kept serenely on through the office until he reached the street. it was the junior member of the firm of Steamship agents who received the letter of introduction which Paul brought from the banker. He told the lad it was beyond his power to make a position for him on any of the company’s boats, but he would furnish him a letter of recommendation to tue captain of the incoming steamer, which was due in a few days, and if there chanced to be a vacancy he had no doubt it would help him to secure it. Thankful enough to | set this concession Paul went a after arranging to call for the letter us coon as the Cnimborazo was bulletined. The four days intervening dragged heavily for the boy. With a voracious ap- petite and an almost empty purse the prob- lem of adjusting himself to these conditions was a trying one. By nice figuring his finances would procure just five meals, 80 Le was obliged to restrict himself to one a day. This he planned to eat a v'clock in the afternoon, combining in it breakfast, dinner and supper. He avoided all exer- cise which had a tendency to increase the appetite, and to shorten the time between meals as much as possible he ead assidu- ously in the public library. He usually visited the reading room immediately after taking his combination meal, remaining there until the doors were closed at lv o'clock. Then he borrowed an interesting book from an attendant, went to his reum and read till almost daybreak. An economical sleep followed, lasting until 2 o'clock in the afternoon, by which + time he was hungry clear through and nearly ready to dine off tenpenay nails. He found a restaurant where bread was placed on the table in generous quantities, and by filling up freely on this staple a shilling bought all he could eat in the way of meat and vegetables. Once in a while he managed to slip a double slice of bread anu butter in kis pocket for a midnight luncheon, but this was alway red-letter occasion. The Chimborazo had scarcely made fast to her dock when Paul songht the captain and presented his credentials. Glancing over the letter the skipper scribbled a few words across its face, and instructed the lad to present it to the chief steward. The latter was a keen-faced Engtishinan, wit’ eyes that looked out from the corne: a square, firm chin that denoted a constani exer of authority. He read the letter very deliberate! note of Paul's Lpearance. ver do any stewarding?” he sudéeniy Yes, sir.” jot your sea legs, I suppose?” Yes, sir” “When'can you come to work?" “In an hour.” “AU right; get back here promptly aad report to me.” This was the extent of his catcchism, ana} that was the way in which Paul beca one of the crew of the steamship Chimb razo, as stanch a vessel as ever breste! the waves of the Indian ocean or plowed b>- tween the sun-baked shores of the Sucz canal. On the ship's books he was rated mersiy as “general servant,” {n which classifica- tion all the understewirds were entere 1 If Paul hed an easy thme ashore he socn made up for it by his labors aboard the Chimborazo, which in the week prior to sailing he found arduous enough. He was ene of a score of youngsters, ranging §n age from sixteen to twenty, whose dutic: were confined exclusively to caring for t main deck end saloon when not enzaze! waiting on passengers. The chief stewart and his brawny rst assistant saw to it that no one loafed or shirked his work. heir constant supervision rendering any “soldierirg” out of the question. While the ship lay at her docks and be- fore the passengers came aboard, the lads were kept very busy scrubbing the paint- work, cleaning the silverware, getting in stores, and holystoning the main or salocn deck, which the satlors were not supposed to touch. Holystoning began immediately after coaling, which latter operation le(t the boards in inky blackness, It was a job the boys had to do on their hands and | knees, pumice-stene instead of soap beint the chicf accessory in renoving the dirt. Paul's back ached foi week following this assignment, wh is skinned knees ani sore fingers bore tribute to the ther- oughness of his work. But, after all. this task was not to be compared with his jee-pacting experience, a chilly operation which seni the boy t his bunk with choleraic cramps that threaten for a whole day to develop into a scria itness. As the Chtmboraz> don via the Indian ocean, canal, and the Mediterraner five or six weeks of voyaging in tie hot latitades, a goodly supply of ice was a ¥: esseatial part of the commissi: keep well it required close pec with three others, was detailed freezing room ard store the ice, 8 the hage bloc awkward position they slid the big squares into place. Armed with a pick and with only @ potato sack between his th.n serge trousers and the icy surface, for nearly four hours Paul filled in the crevices with broken pieces, which had to be vigvrous! pounded home in order to make the ice pack thoroughly. In spite of the chilly mosphere the lads perspired freely, and when their task was completed ail four were in a state of physical exhaustion that threatened deleterious results. A double dose of brandy ordered by the doctor and & recommendation to strip and crawl be- tween woolen bienkets had a salutary ef- fect, but for the succeeding twenty-four hours Paul lay groaning tn his bunk with & severe and decidedly unromantic attuck 6f cramps in his stomach. He was feeliag be ter but sti!! unable to leave his berth when the Caimborazo stexame? out from her dock? and headed for the Pacific ocean. (Te be continues.) RE NAMED THE TOW A Choking Indian Keokuk'’s Peculiar Cognomen. “Just been out in Keokuk, Hottest in Iowa,” said a weary traveler at the Great Northern the other day. “Wonder why they Luve such towns on the map. Only place there that appears to do any business is the steam laundry. What does the time Keo- kuk mean, anyway?” “Indians named it,” said a traveling man 4 forgotten to,” sighed the weary wayfarer. “Ever hear how it came about?” asked the drummer. “Never,” replied the traveler, as he sank exhausted into a chair. “Well, it was this way,” said the commer- cial man, sitting down. “Years ago a lone Indian walked across the plains looking for game and trouble. He shot a prairie eni en, built a fire near the river and cvok bis bird on-what is now the site of Keokuk.” “Was this in the summer time?” asked the traveler. “It was,” said the drummer. “Don't see why he needed a fire to cook @ chicken, then. “Never mind about that. He cooked his chicken and proceeded to demolish it. As he Sat upon the river bank engaged in this pleasing pastime it suddenly occurred to him that some day there might be a great city built where he was sitting. — red men was fooled,” said the trav~ eler. “Well,” continued the drummer, not heed- ing the Interruption, “he thought to give that great city 2 name, and he arose, the chicken still in his hand, and prepared tc register the name with the winds of heaven. Just then a bone stuck in his throat and-alb he could say was *Ke-o-kuk.’” Then the two men clinched and the porter pulled them apart. s. ——-~oe- Nerve and Heroixm. From the Chicago Post Oakland, Cal, furnishes an incident o» the strike that is dramatic. The strike of the semaphore men caused a blockade at @ ratiroad crossing and no one could be found who dared attempt to release the trains. Train hands got off, looked at the semaphore, then at the ugly crowd that surrounded ft, and quickly climbed back on their trains. Then Miss Lizzie F. Tillson, a ticket agent in the station at the cross- ing, appeared. A passenger train was the firet one held by the semaphore, and she thought it time that it was moving. Some one counseled her to ge stow, and surrested that if she would minutes the trainmen might There was a further delay, but the trainmep had seen enough of the temper of the strikers to convince them that their best policy was to do as little as Possible in opposition to the muttering crowds that surrounded them. Then Miss ‘Tillson concluded that the occasion and the woman had met. She went out_of her little office, locked the door, put the key in her pocket and ran to the semaphore, which she turned in the twinkling of an eye. She was s0 swift in her movements that the crowd of men and women assembled hardly knew what she was about. Her hands had seized the great iron lever aad whirled it to the command »” be any stopped her, had anybody desired to do so. The blockade waslifted and the trainm. thereafter ran without interraption. oe A Tender-Mearted Travecier. From iLife. ody could have