Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-07-04
BEAUTY IN A BOX.
Chinese Love that did not Run Smooth
Shipping an Oriental Belle as Bag
Virginia New Chronicle.
a=Cs

Shipping an Oriental Belle as Bag
gage.
Virginia New Chronicle.
When the lightning express train from
this city reached Reno last evening the
baggage was at once transferred from
the Virginia and Truckee Railroad
Company cars to those Of the Central
Pacific Railroad Company. which stood
on the track III front of Chamberlains
Hotel. A wooden box, sixteen inches
high, thirty-two long, and twenty-five
wide, which had been checked to Reno,
remained on the Virginia and Truckee
car until the baggage had been loaded
on the Central Pacific train. when the
railroad hands returned, and, no one
appearing to claim the box, it was care
lessly thrown on q truck and taken to
the baggage-rOOm of the Virginia and
Truckee Railroad Company. There it
was transferred to the care of A. ].
Hartley, station baggage-master Of the
Central Pacific Railroad at Reno, who
stood it up on end and rolled it out to
the Central Pacific baggage-room, about
100 feet away. There the box (which
had been banged about IN the way for
which baggage-smashers are noted the
world over was thrown on the scales
and its weight ascertained to be 1872
pounds The box having been stood
on end on the scales, it was rolled off
carelessly into corner, and the bag
gage-master turned to leave the room.
AS he did so he heard a faint moan
proceeding from the box. Thinking he
must be mistaken he listened for mo-
ment and heard another moan. This
led him to examine the box more
closely than before. He saw two round
holes about three-fourths of an inch in
diameter on one side, and two similar
holes at each end, while on another side,
on which there were no holes, chips of
wood about a fourth of an inch thick
had been inserted, evidently to keep
the cover from closing tight Upon as
certaining these facts, Mr.. Hartley no
longer doubted that the box contained
human being. Hartley at once open
ed the box, when he ascertained that
the contents consisted of a very pretty
young Chinese woman IN an lnsenslble
condition in consequence of her having
been stood on her head while the box
was being banged about the depot. She
had q blanket with her, which was
spread on the floor, and she was put
upon it, when the cool air soon revived
her, but she refused to answer any
questions. The door Of the baggage
room having been left open to admit
fresh air, a Chinaman walked in. As
soon as the woman set eyes on him her
face became Wreathed in smiles, and
she stepped forward as if to throw her.
self in his arms. The Chinaman, how
over, took step backward, and uttered
a Chinese word, which was interpreted
by those present as Il warning. 1t was
evident that the two present under
stood each other, and attempts were
made to engage them IN conversation,
but they met with no success. All
Jack, the Chinese interpreter, was sent
for, when the woman and man told
him their story without restraint. The
woman said she was not yet Is years
old, and was brought from China year
ago. A few months ago she came to
this city, and became enamored of All
Kim, the young Celestial with her, who
tried to purchase her freedom from the
agent Of the Sam Sing Company in this
city. The agent demanded $500 cash
for the girl, however, and her lover be-
ing unable to pay that sum, she agreed
that she should be boxed up and ship
ped i'll the manner detailed above, I'M
known to the Sam Sing Company's
agent. Her destination was Auburn.
CAL, where one of her uncles owns a
small store, and the Chinaman wanted
the box checked to that place, but the
Virginia and Truckee employees refused
to check beyond the end Of their line,
and when the train reached Reno the
lover was not sufficiently up to the GUS
toms of the road to have tho box re-
checked. This explanation, which was
made by All Jack on behalf of All Kim
and All 4Oum, the young woman, was
deemed satisfactory, and the westbound
overland train having arrived, they
proceeded on their way to Auburn, in
the smoking-car. A. Meekins, the bag
gage master at the depot in this city,
says that the box was brought to the de-
pct last evening by two Chinaman just
as the train was about to go. He put
check No. 80 upon it, and handed it
up to the tain baggage-man, the China
man watching every move, and request
ing the baggage-man to put it Dis way,
sabbew The box came from the Sam
Sing wash-house on South c. street, near
the Divide.