We were discussing "slim" practices and the prevalence of the basic
desire to get something for nothing.
"If honesty," said one of the company, "is truly the best policy, then
there is a surfeit of the worst politician."
"Yes," said another, "and not only in the West. I assure you, speaking
as the director of an insurance concern in Shanghai, that you have no
monopoly in inventive chicanery. Insurance people must always be on
their guard, but never more so than among the guileless Celestials. I
can give you a case in point. Not long ago we received a visit from
the wife of one of our policy-holders, saying that her husband was
dead and claiming the money.
"'Certainly,' we said, 'the payment will be made, but only after the
usual investigations,' and sent her back to her village. It is not
that we were more suspicious of her than of anyone else, but such
formalities are essential. In this case they turned out to be
peculiarly necessary, for her husband was no more dead than you are.
"When she got back to him and explained that there is always 'a catch
somewhere' in the insurance business, he took alarm. A prosecution
might be awkward, and at any cost must be evaded. He therefore
played a masterly card by writing the company a personal letter of
explanation, which he pretended was despatched before his wife's
return. The original is in Chinese, but I have an English translation
in my pocket-book."
The pursuit of odd examples of the epistolary art being one of the
principal occupations of my life, I secured a copy of the document,
which in English runs thus:--
"_To the ---- Insurance Company_, _Shanghai_.
"DEAR SIR,--When I died of a disease that came on suddenly an
intelligent doctor was at once asked for. He forced some fluid
into my mouth and made some injection on my body. He thus
succeeded in bringing me to life again.
"The beneficiary came to your place yesterday. What did she say?
Everything will be discussed after her return.
"Kindly give me your valuable assistance and reply by post.
"Yours faithfully, TSIN KOH."
* * * * *