Smyrna times., 1870-03-16
MiSceIIU n e o us.
Chinese Women in California.
BY SIDNEY ANDREWS.

Once upon a time, JuleSburg, out in the
northeast corner of Coorado-or did they
finally decide that it was in Nebraska ?-was a
town OF two thousand inhabitants. Now it is
miserable way-Station on the Union Pacific
Railway, three hundred and seventy five miles
from Omaha, with population Of one hundred
| -Ot SO little consequence that the traveller
scarcely notices its existence; but in its day,
| only two years ago, ii had a telegraph office
and kept the reading public we'll informed as
to its peculiar life Of brawls aud robberies and
stabbingS and street fights and sudden mur-
ders. ltincuded three hundred women among
Its lnhabltantS-nOt women Of doubtful or easy
virtue, but women who had had no virtue at
all except that of being able to hold their own
in a gambling-hell row and bar-room pistol
fight Ii a Chinaman had been put down there
to study the American women, what report
must he have made to his cOuntrymen at
home? Nay, if lie were put down to-day at Pro-
moutory to make the same study, what would
be his conclusion? He is brought up to chari-
ty Of thoug ht and speech but, with the largest
liberation, he couldn' speak well Of her if he
f had judged her then at Julesburg or last fall at
PromontOry Shall we judge the Chinese wo-
;, man by what we see in California? We de-
mand that he Shall put himself in our place ;
may he not also demand that We put ourselves
10 his place?
mostly disgrace to their country and if medi-
cal men and police officers with whom l talked
J. are to be credited, this fact is due in no small
degree to white men now or heretofore living
to in that city. When j ohm Smith, a wild young
man from New York, got to the Pacific coast
he met TAI Loo, just from the Chinese steamer
the silver and the passions of these two anC
and their fellows have made the Chinese wO
man of California what she is; and, if the bal
l,,,o L. Il Il. i lAI-
:. say that Smith is in no position to throw stones
at Tai LOo's glass house.
A few of the married men have their wive
and children with them; more families cam,
over last year than in all the other years sine
or Chinese immigration began. 1t is undOubted
ly true that in China the woman is regarded a
he an inferior, and travellers tell us that custom
spj keeps her secluded, and prevents her from hav
he ing any hart in affairs outside her home. LIE
Of Of hope that one result of the intercourse be
a. tween that country and ours may be to give tn
" Chinese higher opinion of woman characte
and capabilities. In going about in what
may designate as the middle class of Califol
of MIA Chinese, | saw the inside of four homes
so so and four married women with their children
EAR In general, the Chinese women are not large
3D. than our girls Of fourteen or fifteen; those O
hRs the town have a somewhat brazen look, bu
md are more modest when on the streets tha
a1. n white women of the same class the marie
nc ones were retiring, difhdent, bright-eyed, an
oy. pleasanIfaced.
One afternoon | dNpped into Chimes
Woodcarvers shop and had some talk with hil
ith about his business. He was a chatty an
MY smiling young man, speaking my language wit
5 of great difficulty, and seemed quite pleased
.ty. sn have me examine and praise his really fin
> Of work. ] asked him if he was married, an
ac. 1T when he told me he had "wifee and one he,
nm NENUVo ID 60, Al. IL
] to boy. lie looked at me sharply for an instan
Sc and then disappeared into the room back of
ort shop. Presently he returned, and beckone
the me to the door, bowed low as | came up, stoC
cen cen aside for me to pass, and then followed me il
ion L found " he" to be yOungster of three or fol
eSt eot years, toddling about the floor, chattering
for himself and his mother. and not in the lea
afraid Of the stranger He was quaint lit
chap, and his father was evidently very pro,
to of him. The mother stood with her eyes
!, IN the floor when l entered, and looked up b
and once while | remained. That was when sa
4 Of to the father, " Nice boy-nice boy" whi
d IN words, suppose, lie repeated in Chinese, al
jsn- then his wife glanced quickly at me with
b., pleased expression in her face The room W
st not over eight or nine feet square; there we
!. % three or four stools, plain table, the child
and bed of folded blankets, two or three shelves
pas pas, bind curtain, and the usual scrolls of red
year per on the walls.
Sld rcad One evening we looked into jewelers. sto
nsot He was handsome fellow, spoke Engli
the readily, had his showcases wellflIed wi
5tIss 4 iss American and foreign Watches and silver,
notions, and on his workbench was as compl,
n set of irst-class tools as l ever saw in a
g.. jewelers. shop. He had learned his trade
rofA china, seemed perfectly at home In 1t, and S;
es OF ba h,d al tho tuork ba oould do-c,,,;4, :.
That hO n"u aii INV WI "S Sooiu Wv -qhllc VI
'csn- half Of it coming from others than his O
1iaeo Gs countrymen. lie sold an alarm-clock of c.
'ctOF nectcut make while he talked, and remark
rts Of that his people had to get up early in
p 2e",f Of morning. and liked this kind right mucf
As we stood by the counter, child pattei
- out from the back room, and the mans "
- with babe in her arms Immediately follow
} on She dropped her eyes on seeing us, bu; pas
behind the case and spoke with her husba