Litchfield enquirer., 1874-09-10

-4t ing this article, the genesis of this Fera- cious history. Re cleared the ground of it's cucumber ing articles for space of about fifteen feet square, and then invited us all to walk | forward and again examine 1t. We dld so gravely; there. was nothing but the cement ed pavement below to be seen or felt. He then asked for the loan of handkerchief, and. as chanced to be nearest him, of fered mine He took it, and spread 1t l open upon the floor. Over this he spread large square of silk, and over this again large shawl nearly covering the space he had cleared. He then took a position at one of the points of this rectangle, and began a monotonous chant, rocking his body to and fro in time with the some what lugubrious air.
 ] We sat still and waited. Above the chant we could hear the striking of the l city clocks, and the occasional rattle of q cart in the street overhead. The absolute watchfulness and expectation, the dim mysterious half-ight of the cellar falling in a grewsome way upon the misshapen bulk of Chinese deity in the background. 8 faint smell of opium smoke mlnglng with spice, and the dreadful uncertainty of what we were really waiting for, sent an uncomfortable thrill down our backs, and made us look at each other with forced and unnatural smile. This feeling was heightened when Hop Sing slowly rose, and. without a word, pointed with his finger to the centre of the shawl.
 There was something beneath the shawl. Surely-and something that was not there before At first mere suggestion 1n re-
 lief, faint % outline; but gISsgiHHgs IHsrv m9Gs 9ce ment. The chant still continued, the perspiration began to roll from the sing er's face, gradually the hidden object took upon itself shape and bulk that raised the shawl in it's center some five or six inches. It was now unmistakably the outline of small but perfect human fig ure, with extended arms and legs. One or two of us turned pale, there was feel ing of general uneasiness, until the editor broke the silence by gibe that, poor as 1t was, was received with spontaneous en- thusiasm. Then the chant suddenly ceas- ed, Wang arose, and, with quick, dex- terous movement, stripped both shawl and silk away, and discovered, sleeping peacefully upon my handkerchief, a tiny Chinese baby,
 The applause and uproar which follow ed this revelation ought to have satisfied Wang, even if his audience was a small one; 1t was loud enough to awaken the baby-a pretty little boy about a year old. looking like Cupid cut out on sandal wood. He was wisked away almost as mysteriously as he appeared. When Hop Sing returned my handkerchief to me with boy, asked If the juggler was the father of the baby. ''No sabe" said the imperturbable Hop Sing, taking refuge in that Spanish form of non- -committalism so common in California.
 ''But does he have a new baby for every performance?' i asked. Perhaps; who knows?" ''But what will become of this one?' Whatever you choose, gentlemen" replied Hop Sing, with a courteous incli- nation, ''it was born here,-you are its godfathers."
 There were two characteristic peculiari- ties of any Californian assemblage in 1856; it was quick to take hint, and generous to the point of prodigality in it's response to any charitable appeal No matter how sordid or avaricious the indi- vidual, he could not resist the infection of sympathy. I doubled the points of my handkerchief into bag, dropped coin into 1t. and. without word, passes 1t to the Judge. He quietly added twenty dollar gold piece, and passed it to the next; when it was returned to me it con- tained over a hundred dollars. knotted the money in the handkerchief, and gave it to Hop Sing.
 "For the baby, from it's godfathers.
 ''But what name,'' said the Judge. There was running fire of "Erebus," "Nox," 'sPletus," 'sTerra Cotta," 'An- tesus," etc., etc, Finally the question was referred to our host.
 "Why not keep his own name?" he said quietly-"Wan Lee." And he did
 And thus was Wan Lee, on the night of Friday, the 9th of March. 1856. born into this veracious chronicle.
 The last form of ''The Northern Star for the 18th of July, 1856, the only daily had just gone to press, and at three A. M was putting aside my proofs and manu- scripts, preparatory to going home, when l discovered letter lying under some sheets of paper which must have over- looked. The envelope was considerably solled, it had no post-mark, but had no difficulty in recognizing the hand of my friend Hop Sing I opened it hurriedly, and read as follows:
 ''MY DEAR SIR: do not know wheth- CT the bearer will suit you, but unless the office of devil in your newspaper is 8 purely technical one, I think he has all the qualities required. He is very quick, active and intelligent; understands Eng fish better than he speaks it, and makes up for any defect by his habits of obser- vation and imitation. You have only to show him to do thing once, and he will repeat 1t, whether it is an offence or vir- tue. But you certainly know him al- ready; you are one of his god-fathers, for is he not Wan Lee, the reputed son of Whang the Conjurer, to whose perform ance l had the honor to introduce you? But perhaps, you have forgotten it.
 ''I shall send him with gang of coolies to Stockton, thence by express to your town. If you can use him there, you will do me favor, and probably save his life, which IS at present in great peril from the Christian and highly civilized race who attend the enlightened Schools in San Francisco.
 ''He has acquired some singular habits and customs from his experience of | Wang's profession, which he followed for some years, until he became too large to go in a hat, or be produced from his fa- ther's sleeve. The money you left with me has been expended on his education; he has gone through the Tri-iteral Class ics, but, I think, without much benefit. He knows but little of Confucius, and ab- solutely nothing of Mencius Owing to the negligence of his father, he associated, perhaps, too much with American child ren.
 ''I should have answered your letter be- fore, by post, but I thought that Wan Lee himself would be better messenger for this. 'Yours respectfully, Hop Sing"
 And this was the long-delayed answer to my letter to Hop Sing. But where was ''the bearer?" How was the letter deliv- cred? I summoned hastily the foreman, ; printers and ofice-boy, but without elic- iting anything; no one had seen the letter delivered, nor knew anything of the bear ; CT. A few days later had visit from my laundry-man, An Ri.
 ''You wantee dehhlls All ihghtee; me