The Complete Works of Artemus Ward (HTML edition)Ward, Artemus
General
The Complete Works of Artemus Ward (HTML edition)
Ward, Artemus
American wit and humor
I "compromise," and go to the Chinese theatre, thinking perhaps there
can be no great harm in listening to worldly sentiments when expressed
in a language I don't understand.
The Chinaman at the door takes my ticket with the remark, "Ki hi-hi ki!
Shoolah!"
And I tell him that on the whole I think he is right.
The Chinese play is "continued," like a Ledger story, from night to
night. It commences with the birth of the hero or heroine, which
interesting event occurs publicly on the stage; and then follows him or
her down to the grave, where it cheerfully ends.
Sometimes a Chinese play lasts six months. The play I am speaking of
had been going on for about two months. The heroine had grown up into
womanhood, and was on the point, as I inferred, of being married to
a young Chinaman in spangled pantaloons and a long black tail. The
bride's father comes in with his arms full of tea-chests, and bestows
them, with his blessing, upon the happy couple. As this play is to run
four months longer, however, and as my time is limited, I go away at the
close of the second act, while the orchestra is performing an overture
on gongs and one-stringed fiddles.
The door-keeper again says, "Ki hi-hi ki! Shoolah!" adding, this time
however, "Chow-wow." I agree with him in regard to the ki hi and hi ki,
but tell him I don't feel altogether certain about the chow-wow.
To Stockton from San Francisco.
Stockton is a beautiful town, that has ceased to think of becoming a
very large place, and has quietly settled down into a state of serene
prosperity. I have my boots repaired here by an artist who informs me
that he studied in the penitentiary; and I visit the lunatic asylum,
where I encounter a vivacious maniac who invites me to ride in a chariot
drawn by eight lions and a rhinoceros.
John Phoenix was once stationed at Stockton, and put his mother aboard
the San Francisco boat one morning with the sparkling remark, "Dear
mother, be virtuous and you will be happy!" _______________ Forward to
Sacramento--which is the capital of the State, and a very nice old town.
They had a flood here some years ago, during which several blocks of
buildings sailed out of town and had never been heard from since. A
Chinaman concluded to leave in a wash tub, and actually set sail in
one of those fragile barks. A drowning man hailed him piteously, thus:
"Throw me a rope, oh throw me a rope!" To which the Chinaman excitedly
cried, "No have got--how can do?" and went on, on with the howling
current. He was never seen more; but a few weeks after his tail was
found by some Sabbath-school children in the north part of the State.
_______________ I go to the mountain towns. The sensational mining days
are over, but I find the people jolly and hospitable nevertheless.
At Nevada I am called upon, shortly after my arrival, by an athletic
scarlet-faced man, who politely says his name is Blaze.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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