1930-04-30

THE LEGEND OF LIMEHOUSE.

4 LONDON'S CHINESE" QUARTER.

Then I thought I would ask some more questions. I went into a cigaretté atationer - candy hard-

many tons of

THE

morphine secreted In his 'attic; or, I might have been a Burke Thomas, not Edmund-dredging the dregs of Hfe for dramatic atmosphere. Ho seomed undecided whether to play down to one role or to play up to the other.

Just then, another Chinese camet

London, March 30, It seems remarkable haw legenda survive long after their causes have been either obliterat-ware shop and asked the manng-in, bright Jnd with ed Or exploded na fallacies. ing director where I could find There is the legend of the Sunny some Chinese. He was affable. Kiviera:,the legend that England's obliging, alcek, and informative. climate is endless succession❘ He led me outside and pointed of cold grey days of fog and back whence I came, drizzle; the legend that Fres Trade has-but we'll not go into that. Then there is the Legend of Limehouse.

You hat passed eet already, yes?" He indicated ચી corner fifty yards away. "De street, dere, you see, yes?"; Limehouse Causevny, und dat vay, Penny- fielts."

a merry

CHINA

MAIL.

"Listen," I Interrupted, "what about opium and all, that sort of thing?"

"Ach.". he flung his hands apart, "what shall I know? Lace noddings.

ese smoke, opium; we fight, Chin-

We trink beer; Chín

ese sleep; eef dero ees somedings wat dey like, eel's not my busi- ness, yes?"

There was more In this vein and I bade him farewell.

sparkle in his eye. He chimed plenantly into the conversation, and then carried it altogether. And then I got my real shock. The butcher went on carving, As I stepped out of his shop I chopping, and serving his Chinese came almost face to face with customers. I made a mental note one of the most notorious foreign- that the array of sharpened steelers who ever lived in the Far knives and carmine chopping East. I was dumbfounded for a block was an unpleasant back moment. If he recognised me he went several miles across

ground for an argument,

gave no sign. There was no mis- London Asterday to visit this in

Unarmed and Inquisitive. taking the catlike tread, the famous Spot, writes “O. D..R.” în

I thanked him and sauntered There was 1, alone, unarmed, sallow, expressionless face, the the North China Daily News. I back to the corner. As I neared inquisitive, in a butcher shop in black eyes, the stooping should- followed, instructions carefully it, two little urchins came tear. Limehouse, surrounded by wrinklers. The elegant black sult fami- | and reached the junction of ing around the corner. bumpeded-leathery faces, bendy, almond liar to Shanghai pavements was Whitechapel and Commercial into me, and ran off laughing. eyes peering nt me under the missing. In its place was a studi- Roads, near Aldgate. After the They looked like Chinese at first, brims of black felt hats, whisp. ously shubby suit. He walked magnificènce of the City I was but a second glance suggested a ed gutturals; a false step meant, alone, looking straight ahead. not prepared for the quick des strong probability of African ad- death: Ha Ha! mystery, intrigue. just as he walked the streets of cent into Stepney shoddiness. mixture. Then, white woman opium, dragons, fantan, Yellow Shanghai, Tientsin, and Peking. I The father East I went, the more same chasing after them.

Peril, chills down the spine--and for the past twenty-five years. foreiganamos I saw on Sign-

"If I get 'older yer," she up--Boy. page Thomas Burke! boards. Had the shops been shouted, pointing at one of them, Hollywood, I hear you calling! cleaner could easily have imm-", tike yer arrorat me knee; yer The lad with the sparkling eyes gined that I was in Warsaw, or little 'ound." She wore 2 pink told me all about Limehouse, on the Hermanostrasse. Berlin, dress, black cotton stockings, and checked his statements later by I alighted as my bus drew short, tawny hair, and brown alip- the manager of Charlie Brown's abreast of The Star of the East. pers. As I walked slowly down pub, a policeman, and a tobaccon- ald house disguised as A the Limehouse Causeway she re- ist. As we talked our cheerful Benares temple. Here, they told turned to her doorwny, not far dialogue was punctuated by many me, Limehouse commenced. So from the corner, and complained a dull, sickening thud, as the far the citizenry gave no aigns off to her husband, a Chinese, who butcher cleaved his way through changing *colour. Then I spotted seened amused at the episode. leg of pork. a policeman.

I like the London He was leaning against the wall. habbies. They have a way of fondling a little girl who was ob- directing you clearly in the few-viously his, and the woman's child. est posside words. I had full in- formation, but still I full he would give me a concise precis, easy to remember,

A Cubist Street-scape.

Well, I consoled myself, the world is a small place after all, but just the same I did, not want to feel that this sort of thing should be used to prove it. I did not like to associate him with Limehouse, one way or the other. I don't like to think about it.

Only in Theatres. But, to complete this story, the Comedy Theatre has a crook fared running at the moment, call- Before, ten year more, I learned "Old Numbera," and in it one ed, Limehouse was thriving tough lad says to another, "Let's Chinese district. That time must take him for a ride,,down Lime have got more one thousand Chin-house, the Chinese'll

get the ese stop this side. Business that blame, as usual," time goed; now no good. Plenty A few weeks ago, Beachcomber, Chinese go away. Just now may the shrewd paragraphist of the be got one hundred more. What Daily Express, had a jibe at the thing do? Oh. plenty Chinese do Limehouse legend. "Who is there who believes," and he cites suey, sell some curio, have little a dozen things from white girls chance. Some time boat come in opium dens to murder.

"Who from China side can do little busi- là there who

believes these ness, no so much. What side thinga?" He answers himself:--- Chinese go? Oh, have go ship,

"Nobody but Thomas Burke." go America, other place make more business. London too far from China, America more near,

more easy

I continued down the Cause- way, a lane no wider than Ezra Road, Shanghai, passing rows of What's Left of It.. ancient, single-fronted tenements, "Down there," he inclined his whose front doors and parlour head towards the West India windows were flush with the pave-laundry, make restaurant, chop Dock Rond, which branches, off atment. Some of the walls stood a tangent. He kept directing 1 upright, but most of them tilted traffic as he spoke. "On both after the manner of a cubist sides of the street. What's left street-scape. It was a street, but of it," he added.

the sign omitted, One group I walked about three blocks leaned back proudly like an without seeing anyone remotely affronted. dowager resenting an resembling, a Chinese. Then my insult, or in the act of giving gaze alighted on three characters, pue. In one window was a vase "Ta Fan Tien," sandwiched of derayed flowers, in another was tween the words, "Chinese Res a seribbled sign. "Poots good Re- taurant." Hat I warmed to the paring Cheap," in another was a chase; Limehouse at last! The placard. "Room to-let," and to Place I had known about for forth-just some touch that dis- twenty yearя The mysterious | tinguished them one from the fascinating, Inscrutably iniquitous other as a speck of dust might den of vicd The West Hongkdw, identify a pea in a basketful, of London.) The Louza of Lon 1. retraced my steps to the Dock don. My dreams (bad dreams) Rond and crossed into Penny- were about to come true!

fields, the obvious. Road names The brisk facade was painted a

in this country are more ethno- faded bine. The, window contain logical than geographical. Three ed a pair of "Mei Hua" blus doors up 1 eurne to a small butch vages, some chop sticks reating in er, shop bearing the sign "Fong cheap chinh rice bowls, ano- Kow," descriptive of the owner, shades of my childhood-an old not the merchandise. fashioned brass "cash" aword! wielding a cleaver, was the own- The doorway emitted the fumes of era short, wizened, scarred-fac lard, stew, and "chiang yu." 1ed Cantonese. Here, I had was getting the atmosphere In Chinese in his lair. earnest.

"Lo," he greeted me as I enter ed.

"How many

years you been here?", I asked him,

"Long time," he answered cau- tiously. For all he knew, I might have been a detective seeking the

I kept on walking, but the shops ance again resumed the for- mer drab sequence of pub, tobac- contat, junk cakes, boots, pub, butcher, junk, until I began to despair of seeing any Chinese.

| PROMISITED

STD OIL COT WHARF

Inside,

An Uninspiring Chlm. "Years ago," said a policeman, "Limehouse used to give us some trouble, mainly drunken seamen serapping in chop suey dumps, but nowadays it's one of the quietest spots in London."

"Yes," he answered when I wondered about the current legend, "I suppose they get it out of books. But, I'll tell you who does give us a whole sight more trouble than the Chinese ever gave 7 and he lowered his voice to a whisper. And because whispers are supposed to be secrets I won't tell.

"The alumming parties bring us a bit of business," said an inn- akeeper, "so let 'em 'ave their mov- ing pitcher Lime'ahse; it's good advertisin!"

"Good business people," said my tobacconist, as I bought a packet of cigarettes, "I ain't got no trouble mit dem; for me; wives dey do not, beat; cash dey pay always, day--”.

KWONG HIP LUNG'

· SUP AND WORKS

COSMOPOLITAN DOCK

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THE GREAT NORTHERN TELEGRAPH CO., LTD.,

OF DENMARK

The following unclaimed tele-. gram is lying at the office of the Great Northern Telegraph Com- pany (Limited) of Denmark:-

Chicago, Ill.

Gold, American Consul, from

E. V. JESSEN,"

Superintendent. Hong Kong, April 24, 1980.

THE EASTERN EXTENSION AUSTRALASIA & CHINA TELEGRAPH CO., LTD.

The following unclaimed tele grams are lying at the E. E Telegraph Co. office, Hong Kong:-

Erdmann, from Weltevreden. Kahman, Repulse Bay, from Hamburg.

STONECUTTERS ISLAND

YAURATI

BAY

TAUMATI

SHELTER

"QUARANTINE

ANCHORAGE

DANGEROUS GOODS.

ANCHORAGE

MAGNETIC

82, ổn ổn ổn ổn Ô

MIRAL, FAIRWAY

On!

MAH OF

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22 is

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Superintendent. Hong Kong, April 24, 1930.

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FOOL PROOF

TROUBLE

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SHEAFFER'S

PENS AND PENCILS”

Sole Distributors:-

THE SUN CO., LTD.

JUST RECEIVED AND FOR SALE

Fine Assortment of LOOSE-LEAF

STAMP ALBUMS

with spring back and patent stops from $2 to $22 ench.

GRACA & CO., Dealers' in Postage Stamps, Post Cards, Garden Seeds, Toys, etc., etc.

10, WYNDHAM STREET, P.O. Bax No. 620. HONG KONG.

WORKS

HUNGHOM

KASHMIR

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 1930. BUSINESS DIRECTORY

AT THE NEW SILK STORE.

CUT

PRICE

SALE.

TAJMAHAL SILK STORE,

5. Wyndham St. Opp. China Mail.

THE

BOOKBINDING.

NEWSPAPER

PRISE LTD.

-ENTER-

for Superior Binding

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SA, Wyndham Street, Tel. C22.

BOOTS & SHOES,

Pair

Leather Sola Canvas Shoes ...$ 4.50 Crepe Rubber Sole Canvas Shock 3.5.00 Crepe Rubber Buckskin Shoes $10.00

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SO ORDER NOW YOUR SUMMER SUITS SILK SHIRTS AND PYJAMAS

AND KEEP COOL

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7, Daddell St.

(opp. Gospel Ilall).

Tel. C. 3056 Auto 23058

Black or Brown Shoes from $0.00 HAIR DRESSERS & BOOKSELLERS Black or Brown Boots from $8.00

Children's Boots or Shoes from $ 2.00

Beat styles, most complete stock of all sizes. Repairing a specialty, WONG SIU WOON

21, Pottinger St. Phone C. 1474

DENTIST.

HARRY FONG, Dentist,

1st floor, No. 74, Queen's Rond Central. Tel. C. No. 1255.

TANG YUK, DENTIST Successor to

the late SIEN TING," 14, D'Aguilar Street, TERMS VERY MODERATE Consultation Free.

ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES.

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72, Queen's Road, Central Tel. C.8270.

ENGINEERS, & SHIPBUILDERS, W.S. BAILEY & CO., LTD.,

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Call Flag "L" Sole Agents for Kelvin Motors.

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LADIES' AND GENTLEMEN'S HAIR DRESSING SALOON. Expert Barbers Moderate Charges

LEE YEE,

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No. 12, D'Agullar Street.

(opposite Queen's Theatre),

OPTICIAN.

THE HONG KONG OPTICAL

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'Phone 2232.

65, Queen's Road Central.

THE

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