Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-07-17
A Legend of F0o-ChOW.FOO.

| IN the ludIitilue city OF FOO-CnOW-fO 90
lived Man Lee and his wife, Win Loo,
with life and each other contented. One
| fair little girl, who was christened Wee
Fung by her wealthy old sponsor. the
merchant Woo Sung, the marital bond had
cemented.
On her they bestowed all the good of
| the day that books could impart or pro
| fessors convey: they taught her to sing
and they taught her to play; they taught
| her to dance and they taught her croquet;
to her slightest desires they could never
say nay
] In short, she had everything in the way
| of liberal education. Her feet were
| compressed in the smallest of shoes; her
face was a marvel of delicate hues; her
| name was a toast which no one could re-
fuse, and she became with the local muse
the regular inspiration. 500
And thus in learning and wit she grew,
| the belle and the beauty of Foo Chow Foo;
until in her thirteenth year, when papa
Man Lee thought it prudent that he
| should get her husband whenever he
could see the right kind of lover appear
| OF course she had suitors both young
and old; some for herself, and some for the
gold which they supposed she would in
herit; and some brought rich presents to
forward their suit, of jewels and satins,
CONNECTIONS and fruit, and splendid con-
veyances bearing their loot; while others
! came mOdestly trudging afoOt, with moth
| ing to urge but their merit
Along with the rest of the 1ove-smitten
throhg, was an amorous young fellow
whose name was All Pong-a poor little
| ilor's apprentice. What hope he could
Ia ssibly entertain against the rich gal
pots she had in her train, would seem a
most difficult task to Xplain-unless, like
some others who fall deep in love, his very
audaciy tended to prove that lie was quite
compOs mentis ( +. 4 n
But love is not easily turned aside, when
the prize to be gained is an opulent bride,
with figure of faultless perfection; and,
in spite Of the barriers that well might
appall a heart that loved less or loved not
at all, he gained the young lady's affection,
OF course it will readily be inferred
what terrible scene it was that occurred as
soon as the girls proud parents heard that
she was in love with tailor The mother
did weep, and the father he sWore that if
ever. she spoke to the wretch any more he
would have her confined to her room, and
the door consigned to the charge of
jailor
And poor little Fung, who could see
nothing wrong in giving her heart to
the gallant young Pong, almost made her
self sick, crying all day long and bewail- |
ing her innocent passion. And when the
young man would have pleaded his suit
with her pa, he received a most shocking
salute from the vigorous toe of the Man
Lee boot, in most unmanly fashion.
But in spite of most vigilant watchful- |
ness, the lovers had many stolen caress,
and this was the promise he gave to her:
tie would hasten away to some far-distant
land, get rich, and come back, and de-
mand her hand, and prove himself worthy
to have her
. A thousand leagues DER the great blue
sea Pong heard of the land Of the great
Yam Kee-a country of marvellous riches;
and thither, in one of the great steamships
her form in his heart and her name on
his lips-sailed the poor despised patcher
of breecheS
In the great Yam Kee land Pong tried a
new trade, and such was his skill and the
progress he made in the new way of life
he had chosen, he soon became head of
the firm" Pong & Lings, who washed the
community's linen and things at so much
per piece or per dozen.
The money came into the till very slow,
as Pong & Lings company had to wash
very low, on account of the great compe-
tition; but surely, though slowly, the little
pile grew; his hope was still strong and
his courage still true to the one great alb
sorbing ambition.
Thus acting obscurely his own little
part mid scOrn and cOntumely that cut
to his heart; enduring, likewise, not a few
licks at the hands of the cruel and barba-
rous hOrdes who inhabit the land, with no
end of hard words, for the sake of the
precious spondulicks;
And cheerfully toiling from morning
till night, he needed not time, except as in
its fight it bore him still near his desires
At last he sold OUT of the laundry con
Germ, and made preparations once more
to return to the land of his love and his
sires.
His passage secure and his plans all
complete, Pong elboHed his way through
the crowds on the street, toward the
steamer, equipped for the ocean-when
bark, a sweet face from the region above,
fell soft on his ear, like the accents of
love, and thrilled him with tender emotion
One glance at the window, one bound
on the chair, and almosts before the fair
Fung was aware, she was locked in the
arms Of her lover What rapturous glad
ness beamed out of their eyes, as they
Nept WIN eacn Otnef III Joyful surprise
their troubles all happily over!
And sad was the tale, and the picture
she drew of the life they had led her at
Foo how-Foo-full of infinite peril and
danger and how she was kidnapped and
dragged to the ship, and thrust in the
hold of the great Yam Kee ship, and borne
to the land of the stranger.
But little she dreampt, as she fretted
and pinned in the horrible dungeon where
she was confined, with the great pillows
laundering DER her, as she thought of the
loved ones they left far behind and the
infamous life to which she was consigned,
Of the joy that was waiting before her.
4 - $50 x x
In the beautiful city of Foo Chow Foo
where flowers perennial of every hue,
their OdOrs eternal are blending, live the
beautiful Fung and the faithful All Pong;
and sweet little crerub chirps all the
day long, giving proof that their love is
unending.
A POnderOus Slipper.
GEORGE has for some time past been
attentive to young lady whom he has