Page:Scribner's Monthly, Volume 12 (May–October 1876).djvu/745

Rh housekeeping with them not a state of entire confidence. It is quite a question whether or not to put things under lock and key. If trusted, they seem to put themselves somewhat upon honor, not to allow, at all events, any large amounts to be abstracted. This, and the fact that no drudgery of locking can really prevent theft, determines most housekeepers, we think, in favor of open closets. Whether this ingrained habit of pilfering is at once eradicated in those who accept Christianity, we do not know; but we have been told by returned missionaries that they have to settle the same question, with about the same solution.

We are often reminded of the old geography which used to tell us that the Chinese are a very vain people. They come here with a secret sense of superiority to us all as barbarians, and a secret contempt for women in particular as inferior beings, which makes it hard for them to submit to the control of the mistress of a family. Therefore they become "uppish" quite as readily as other servants. Company came unexpectedly to lunch, and Doo slammed and banged forth his vexations in the most approved Irish fashion. "Why you no tell me they come?"

Reflecting with extreme satisfaction that we owed him a little money, we said:

"Doo! you too much talkee! Be good boy; get lunch, heap good!"

Doo subsided; his lunch was "heap- good," and his manner heap-sulky, likewise.

They readily learn to cook, and some of them excel in the art. In the laundry and as waiters they are also good. Chamber-work they do not take to, and they are as ready to slight it as other servants. As we have before intimated, much of their value depends on the way they were taught, by whoever taught them first.

There is one thing which probably would never enter the mind of Eastern people, in connection with Chinese servants, but which is true everywhere in California among those who employ them. No matter how good a Chinaman may be, ladies never leave their children with them, especially little girls. On first coming here, we frequently met a very lovely lady who always was accompanied by two little girls, eight and four years of age. If she were out, riding or walking, making a call or spending the day, the little girls were always with her. We asked why she was always so encumbered?

"Oh! she has only a Chinaman, and she could not leave her children with him."

"But, why not? Is he not a converted Chinaman?" for we happened to have heard that he had joined the church.

"Yes; but she does not like to leave them; she always takes them with her."

A lady was here from the country.

"Why so short a visit?"

"Oh, we have only a Chinaman, and my husband cannot leave the children, you know, and I must go home and relieve him."

"Has that excellent Chinaman left you?"

"Oh no; we have him yet; but we never leave the children (three girls and a boy) one single minute alone. If my husband goes out to take a walk while I am gone, he has to take them all with him, so you can see what bondage he is in during my absence."

And this is the general feeling. In dealing with them we are dealing with an unknown quantity, and no one thinks of trusting them as we trust our own, or the negro race.

It is a curious chapter of history to hear housekeepers who employ Chinese, compare experiences. We met a lady not long since who has a Chinaman of the superior kind, one who is partner in a wash-house, and of the sort known among themselves as a "Boss." Another has one who is part owner of a Chinese drug-store. We ourselves have at present a capitalist who is a money-lender, and exacts three per cent a month from his impecunious countrymen. For they are keenly alive to all methods of money-making, and are, oh! such hard masters!

The "Boss" Chinaman gradually extended his prerogatives, until he went to bed in the day-time (an indulgence they highly prize), and was often absent for hours together, looking after his wash-house. He was discharged several times, but always continued to stay, for he was a good cook; but at last patience was exhausted and he was once more discharged, with the information that this time he must go. So he left. No good Chinaman could be found to fill his place; there was a plenty of them, as there is always, but our friend tried one incompetent, untrained, destructive being after another, until she had tried twenty, and was, as she herself expressed it, "nearly dead." Good cooking was a special necessity in the family, and for certain reasons only Chinese servants were wanted. At last