Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-09-01
THE GIRL MARKET.
a Scene in China An Episode OF Chi
pese Emf grafton to America.

| a Scene in China--An Episode OF Chi
pese Emf grafton to America,
Russell" writes from Hong Kong as
| follows: II saw the sale OF family last
/ week for debt, while the husband and tath
er was IN California; and, perhaps | can
! do no better than TO tell you about it,
/ There were five childlen-three girls aud
two boys. We had passed them three times
in our chairs during the day, as they stood
/ beside the road, dressed in tnei, holiday
attire of black. The silence they observed
/ whenever any person passed, and their
! downcast looks created c1flously on our
part to know their business there. Arr
! Hung, our waiter, was called up aud asked
the cause of this littlep parade. why, said
he, the girls, and, perhaps, the whole fam
lily are tor sale We stopped our chairs,
and stepped out to have talk with them,
using Arr Hung as an interpreter.
The mother was wrinkled and gray, and
hung her head, as if she was afraid to look
us in the face. But the children, with the
exception of the oldest girl, looked cheer
full, and were quite pleased with their holi-
day attire The OLDEST girl'was sixteen,
and Oldest boy fifteen, who said the gruH
old broker who had the party in charge.
and who seemed quite anxious TO dispose
OF his wares. After agreat deal OF quiz
zing and evasiye answers, the broker told
US that the husband and father was IN Cali
fornia, aud bad neglected to pay his note
given for his passage, and that his family
were now offered for sale to pay his debt.
He hoped to be able to pay the debt with
the sale of the two oldest girls. But as yet
he had received no offers. He said that
the family became security voluntarily, ana
he never knew case where they did not
voluntarily offer themselves for sale If the
note they secured was not paid.
In reply to our questions he said that
when customer bought child or person,
the person was at once made the owner OF
the child, body and soul. No Chlnaman
would dispute the purchasers right to do
Whatsoever he pleased with the human be-
ing he had paid for. The boys would
make good servants, he said and in the
course of few years be worth a fortune
to the owner. The girls would make good
farmers" or nurses as they are called III
America. He would showas their physlcai
beauty-would make them sing and play
tricks if we thought ofbuying. How much
would we give? The oldest girl he would
sci, for $500: the next one tor 5000, and
tie little six year old for $50. The boys
he could not sell until the girls were dis
posed Of We thought the price too high.
The market WAS glulted with saleable girls,
and be must not think of getting over 500
for the oldest ard handsomest. while for
the little one he must not expect over $40.
He sneered at that and said that Eng
lishmen always talked IN that way when
they wanted to buy. While we were talk
ing, party OF blue robed Chinese aristo-
Gratis came up and began to inspect the
family. They opened the mouth of the
Oldest girl, raped on her white teeth 10
gee if they were sound, pulled open her
dress, thumped her ribs, laughed at her
little feet, told her to show them the trink-
cts which the fond mother had given her
as parting gift. All the while the sales
man kept up a constant jabber, which We
took no interest. Time pressing, we pass
ed on, leaving the parties disputlng abou!
the price, and discussing about the prob
abilities Of their running away If taken to
Hong Kong.
After making our call, we returned the
same day to ascertain the result otthe sale.
ONLY the mother and her boys were left.
The debt was only $500, and $50 OF it still
remained unpaid. | have often been told
nv residents in China that the parents
would as coon sell their children as COW
or a pig. And had begun to believe that
such was the case upon passing the group
the first time Bnt the scene had changed.
The girls were gone, and now boy mast
. 90 also. The mother sat in the dirt Will
hers arms around the youngest, waillng IN
most piteous manner, and IS Arr HUNG
6 said cursing the men that sold her hus'
band ticket to America at $500, which
cost them but $40. The broker at listless
" by smoking his pire and twirling his
cane. looking as if it Was the smallest mat
ter of business with HIM.
' The boys were crying and seemed very
. much afraid OF us, now 1t was certain tha
I one of them must 90. But we passed Oh
: and left them in their misery, we n5ve
r knew whether the boy was sold to chlld
less man to be treated as son, 10 For
. tnguese to be carried to the West Indle
{ under a nominal contract, or to native
land owner to DE his slave. But that OBJ
S of them was sold into seryltude to
the sum Of $3.50, there car b.
' no doubt. The girls were doubt
J less purchased for the yllest pur
= poses unless they had the rare luck to fol
|. into the hands of some native in search O
j, a legitimate wife. l am told that the Pre-
!. of girls has gone up within few months
a owing, perhaps, to the fact that less num
Der OF 6migrants have forfeited their bon
a in California than WAS the case six month
) ago. ! was shown four bright pump
: rosy appearing girls yesterday, who yer
a purchased less than a year ago Cthe Who'll
G iob for $50 Now they sell readily 10
s $500 each.