The Osceola times., 1879-04-19
are unconsciously spirited away through
other avenues, and
THE SECRET SIGNALS

J THE SECRET SIGNALS
that gave warning OF your spprosch
cause sudden transformation in the
ground plan OF the Establishment. You
were fooled, my good sir, and in the
most ingenious fashion. Gambling and
opium-smoking are the ruling ps--ieps
among the Chinese. A co)lie sill p,e 1
any thing and everv thing o obtain
means with which 10 indulge in these
infatuating games OF chance. There are
many games played publicly, at the
restaurants and in the retiring e-rooms OF
the mercantile establishments. Not
only cards, dice and dominoes are com
mon, but sticks, straws, brass rings, ETC.,
are thrown in heaps upon the table, and
the fate of the player hangs literally
upon breath. "Tan," or "Fun.tap, .
literally meaning "the funds spread
out, is a popular game, resembling faro
Among the boat people in China II is
the custom to spread a Tan LAYOUT,
printed on hide, while a placard sn,
Dounces To-day We spread the hide
This sign Is not in!requent in the streets
of the Chinese quarter. There are more
than a hundred establishments under
the eyes of the police, some of them
employing private specials and ying
tor the privilege of secretly breaking
the law Of the land. These bsunts are
seldom raided by the officers of justice,
for 1t is almost
IMPOSSIBLE TO STORM THE BARRIERS
in season to catch the criminals In the
very act. To-day you approach one
gambling-house by this door; tomorrow
the inner passages are mysterious ly
changed, and it Is impossible to track
them without being frequently misled,
and meanwhile the alarm is sounded
throughout the building, and very speed>
lily every trace of guilt has disappeared.
The lottery is another temptation. Most
OF the very numerous warehouses are
said to be agencies for the sale OF lottery
tickets. Eater one OF the pawn shops
licensed by the city authorities, and cast
your eye over the motley collection OF
unredeemed articles. There are pistols
of every pattern and almost every age,
the MAORI OF them loaded daggers in
infinite variety, including the ingenious
fan-stiletto, which, wnen sheathed, may
be carried in the hand without arousing
suspicion, for it bears an exact reseni-
blsnce to a closed tan; entire suits OF
clothing, beds, bedding tea, sugar, clocks,
ornaments--someo OF them possibly looked
for in vain by the white patrons o. Obi.
nese cheap labor-everything in fact,
save only
THE PRECIOUS QUtUE,
without which no Chinsmsn may hope
| for honor in this life or salvation in the
next, The numerous customers who
keep the pswnshops crowded with
pledges are probably most of them vic.
tins Of the gsmbling.tsbls or the opium
habit. I ey come from every house that
employs them; your domestic is impa.
tient of all delays and hastens through
his work in order that he may indulge
his darling sin. Follow him some night
and zee him at the play house or the
clubhouse, the gambling hell the opium
den or at the window OF her whose paint
and tinssl dazzle and confound him. You
may have observed that he seldom stops
within doors when 1t Is not absolutely
Necessary fer him to do 30. You pay
him small wage and congratulate your
self upon obtaining help at 10 reasonable
figure. His nightly diversions must
soon deplete his purse; whence come his
revenues? Look again at the pawn.
shops; search for the articles missiog at
home. There is doubtless much petty
thieving among the Cool domestics
There are, OF course, exceptions 20 Lne
rule, but rs a class, tne hOase laoJrels
CAN NOT BE TRUSTED
with impunity. They are olannish these
Mongolians; they feed the hungry aud
clothe the naked at your expense. They
have their friends out OF work among the
masses that swarm In the heart of the
Chinese quarter. Small ~ the room may
be, crowded as it is, every cubic inch OF
il must be paid for. When Chinaman
pGrchsses real estate, he does dream OF
improving it; he hopeycombs the dwell
ipgs and multiplies its capacities by ten
In dormitory eight feet square, without
| light or air, a dozsn men will sleep with
a resignation that has every appearance
of being bred in the bone. The Globe
Hotel, corner OF Jackson and Dupont
streets, which was built to accommodate
200 guests, is now occupied by 500 Chi.
nese, Another building, but little
larger, shelters 1900; but it would be
no satire were the proprietors of those
ests blishments to hang out the placaid
which is the pride OF all managers:
Standing room only" But for his
opium dream, what lite would the
coole lead Let us peer into the charmed
circle OF smokers and watch them as
they suck poetry and poison from their
flute like pipes.