The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-06-26
THE PLOT or A CHINESE PLAY.

Chun Sun was a young man, active, industrious and
pcrscveng at work. but very poor and barely able with
the most inccant toll to support his wife and aged moth
What worse than his poverty, his deceased
father had left him heavily in debt for borrowed moneys
which he had lost at play for In China though the
father never has to pay the debts o theson the son Is
always bound to pay the debts of the father and this
it appears when the father has left property
whatever. The creditor ia rich old man. named Chun
Quong Lung, and the play opens with his appearance
and demand upon the debtor for the money Chun Sun
replies that he has money and cannot pay The crcd
tor insists stamps fumes, raves, beats Chun Sun
the head with his FAM and carries at great rate to
all Of which the latter submits with the most patient and
Chnese-li like spirit The uproAr made by the Chinese
creditor becomes ut last great, that Chun Suns wife
and mother out of the house. the latter very in
frm and leaning upon staff As she approaches, Chun
Sun h struck blow by the enraged creditor and
in falling strikes his mother and she Is also thrown upon
the ground. As the old lady falls, the kind and
daughterin-law. rising in instant rush to her and
raise her upon her feet with the most pous socitude
Meanwhile the eyes Of the rich creditor fall upon the
debtor wife, and being struck by her beauty he propo
ses if the debtor will deliver mp the wifca lawful traf
c in China he will tear up the bond and cancel the
debt m
Chun Sun bears great reverence for the memory of his
father and though he dskes much to part with his be-
loved wife, he still considers it best to make known
her the proposition of the rich man. and ask her advice
She replies in choice Phrases the duties which
the child to the parent and the obligations he Is
under to pay the parent debt She says she is ready to
that she will hang herself soon possible after she
enters her masters house. stormy ensues
accompanied with the most unearthly but perhaps APP
proprise music, and at last Chun Sun signs the bill of
sale for his wife, and with sort of tragic despair throws
il into the creditor face. At the Time the old lady
mother hobbies to the front part of the stage and
tempts to throw herself hcadlong upon the audience
which that she attempts to cast herself from
precpice. She is prevented however by the son. who
though driven to despair still forgets not hsia duties
The rich man looks on the with wonder and ad
miration, and begins rejecting upon his wicked and
considerable practices how much suffering he has
ed and how much misery his transactions must have
spread in countless families But he still doubts that
virtue To be in others Of which he himself has little
none, and orders Chn Sun, If he has any words of
dearcnt TO speak to his wife before he parts with her
forever and to be In hurry, he is about to take
her away. tender follows, not heroic, perhaps
the famous parting between Hector aud andre
mache but much more teasful The rich man sits by
ard listens, untl entiroly with tho awakening
of his hitherto dormant feelings Of humanity he
the bill Of sale into thousand pieces and scattcs them
to the winds. Happy, he u supposed 10 cry, "happy
the father Of such child! Blessed the that can
call him son.. He then gives his story narrating
how that he ID rich in the possession Of wealth and wives
but he is growing old ard has children. The moral
ntcrludc finally closes with the adoption of the pious
and obcent by the rich man, Who earnest Of
his affections, at bestows upon him oncha OF his
immense wealth.