The Yellow and White Agony. 345 



the drawing-room. Lam Sam preceded them all, and with 

 beaming smiles came forward to shake hands, and then made way 

 for his wife and child, who were laden with pots of ginger, 

 cumquets, packets of special tea, huge paper parcels of lychee nuts, 

 and .a pair of Chinese shoes, a little red flannel wadded waistcoat, 

 a green silk overcoat, and a curious little Chinese head-dress. All 

 these garments, excepting the shoes, having been made by Mrs. Lam 

 Sam for my baby. " We thank you velly much, you velly good friend, 

 we have brought you little presents, if you like any more will you 

 say so ? " Gee then handed round sherry and cake, and suggested 

 that I should bring in the baby. The visitors all stood solemnly 

 round gazing at it, then Lam Sam, raising his glass, said, " Good 

 luck to the son, I hope one day he will be big man, and take on 

 father's business. I hope one day he will be a big judge." The 

 sequence was not clear, but the judgeship was evidently considered 

 the result of success to which any profession might lead. 



When the Chinese new year came round, and Gee, like every 

 other Chinese servant in the town, departed to the Chinese quarter 

 to enjoy a few days' holiday, he deserted us for a whole week, 

 returning to us only once during that time, to enquire after the 

 baby, and hold up his hands in holy horror at the mess and muddle 

 the charwoman was creating in his realm. Then came invitations 

 from Lam Sam and his wife. Would we go to the theatre with 

 them ; my husband was to be given a good supper and champagne 

 and good cigars if he would honour Lam Sam by going to his 

 house. I was invited to go to Mrs. Lam Sam and have wine and 

 cakes, and then we were all to go to the theatre, where he had 

 taken a box for us. This invitation was delivered to us through 

 the telephone by Gee, from Lam's store, and I do not know 

 anything funnier than pigeon English coming through the 

 telephone. As I knew the Chinese theatres to be frightfully dull 

 and lengthy performances, and I was only just recovering from an 

 attack of bronchitis, I had to refuse this alluring programme. Then 

 through the telephone came exclamations of disappointment, and a 

 great chattering in Chinese. Then Gee called out : " You wrap up, 



