'Moses, though contracted a labourer in the mines, mani never to go below ground. he was employed as a sweeper, a during this time he not only learn smattering of Kaffir, but some' English, from a one-legged ex-' eddier. "His great opportunity came one day when the owner of the mine paid a visit and there were no interpreters handy. Moses' was im-Pounded as interpreter; and the a let-left by the own giving him an "office" Job wi an increase of two pounds a month in his pay, With the Job went the name of Moses. He enquired very carefully about this name, as he w afraid there might be a catch in His suspicions were however allayed when he found that "Mo a very great missionary, who was successful that he became known the Agent of God; and to this day when you ask the reason of certain things, the answer is God ordered it and'Moses did it'" This appealed to him as such an excellent augury that on his return to China the caused a younger brother to be ~ealled Aaron, Im his new job he had much spare time, which his trading instinct turned to account. He used to go to the nearest town, where he bought five shilling watches. 'These hie sold to the Inbourers in the min for a pound apiece, half down and the rest on credit. Besides this money made out of his fellow ves," he did a little dealing in bicycles. At the end of his three years' contract, he was offered a Job to stay on, He was only however, and had already a cumulated a fortune of nearly $4,000. The temptatic China with this was too grest.
His. grievous mistake was not stay in South Africa and turn his capital to account there, So soon reached China, his family took hhis money from him, and eventually it was dissipated by a brother, who thereafter, not having the "face" to meet Moses again, emigrated to Manchuria, Moses' himself started. Work as a "boy" in foreign service.
While he was working for foreigners, there was one year a great comet. This comet, ssid Moses, he had seen before in South Africa. When he returned: to. China, the comet left South Africa to start round the world in the opposite "direction, so that they did not meet again fo: a long-time. The behaviour of the comet, like that of #0 many foreigners, became when it reached China. Both the foreign and the Chinese press reported prophecies that the world would end at four o'clock in' the morning of a certain day. The night before, Moves providently entertained himself with 003 food, wine and the theatre. He did not return home until three in. the morning. Being: very. tired, the decided to await the end of the world lying dowl.
"Moses Is Canny The nex: thing he knew 1 irate mistress was waking him. What time is it?" he asked. "After seven, and why are you not ab work yet?" "After seven yesterday or to-morrow?" asked Moses a lille pulled. "To-day of course" "But I thought," said Moses, "that the world was to end: at four o'clock!" Well, it is long past the time and the world has not ended." "But you and 1/' said Moses cautiously, might both be spirits. If you would please cough once or twice, it would be proof enough for. me to start work."
Later Moses worked for a while boy on the Mukden express, Manchurian opium was then fetehing very high prices in Tientsin, The trem staff were making easy money "by packing the steam heating pipes full of opium. Although he was not long enough in the job to be admitted to the opium ring, he saved $200 from his tips in Jess than two months, when he was called back +0 his family by the sickness and death of his two little sons, He came into the service of my father some eight or nine years ago and when my father. went home he who had a cousin who had been in Chefoo, for securing American citizenship by working @s cook on an American gun, boat. When however, he heard that We proposed some wanderings on dry land, he elected to follow the family fortunes, We had not been long in the North-west when we heard one conversation coming from the kitchen. The other servants were seeing how much Moses would believe about Mongolia, He took it all quite calmly, but when they had finished he cleared his throat and begat "When I was in South Africa.
After his recital the lights went out in the kitchen and a great peace brooded over the courtyard.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.