I been here so long, and go to school so much, that I understand the English more better than China. Very funny that! When my cousin, at the wash-house, send me the letter to come take dinner with he, he have to write it in English, and the lady I work for, she laugh very much.
I get one letter this morning. (My American name Charley). Here the letter:
"Mr. Chily, you Please come to Kum Lee this evening to take dinder, because Lee chong go to home China this week. Ah Do and Ah Sing all come in to if soon as you can good by Wong Voo."
I know plenty stories about on home China. You ever hear about Kong foo-too?—American call him Confucius—he very great man.
Maybe you like, I tell you one story. He live about two, three thousand year ago, yes! sure! He travel every city, teach Chinaman—that very good.
One city he no came—that Canton—one very big place inside three big walls. Kong-foo-too, or Confucius, he come to Canton, and try to come in the gate—very big gate.
One little boy there seven years old. I think that little boy too smart. He making play of a little city, and building three little walls around it, all the same like Canton. He took up too much room, and talk too smart, so that Confucius cannot get in.
He watch him a little while, then he say, "I guess Canton all right; this boy can teach Canton. I go some other place." That very bad! Next year that boy died—very strange that! So Canton never get any teaching, not from boy, not from Kong-foo-too. I think not very good for little boy to be too smart.—St. Nicholas.