The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-01-11
A CHINESE FUNERAL.
What Fond Father Placed With the
Corpse i'm the Coffin.
Curious Death of a Laundryman's Daagh

Special Core Spondence OF the Evening Liglit.
NEw YORK, January 6.-Mr. and Mrs
Wah Sing and their two girl children, Fin
Oy, aged three and one-haIi years, and CHI
Lee, eighteen months, came to this city abou
a year and half ago. The baby girls wer
the FIRST Chinese children TO come to New
York, and their arrival was made the occasion
for general jubilee in Mott street, al which
there was tremendous consumption OF stew
that were aromatic with bay leaves, of rice
brandy, of wine of a thousand flowers, o
dried fish from China and of opium and cigars
all accompanied by the peculiar music tina
makes those who first hear it look in theil
cellars for imprisoned cats, or exclaim pro.
fanely against the conCident existence o.
children and collie. Wah Sing, having looked
| over the field of remuneratve' labor IN New
York, opened laundry in the basement OF
| 234 Sixth avenue. HIS wife, whose name sounds
to unframed western ears exceedingly hike
| Julia, was one of the three or four China~o-
men in the city, and proved such curiosity
to New Workers that her presence drew
crowds TO the laundry. Half of the number
who came because they had heard there was
A CHINESE WOMAN
in the shop mistook Wah Sing for her, but the
closely observant noted the trifiing difference
| between her trousers and those oil the China
men. They had seen and were much edited.
| In the meantime, as Wah Sing expressed II,
| the shop took in 'too muchee heap dollar. i"
The little children enjoyed good health until
| about four months ago, when Fung Oy caught
severe cold. She grew worse, and four
Chinese doctors were called in at different
times. The last physician summoned was
Cheu Keu Fong, OF 81 Mot street. He pre-
scribed for the child, out its condi'ion did not
| improve, and Thursday night she died in con-
vuisions.
Yesterday Cheu Ken Fong made out GER
tifcate and presented il 10 the deputy register
of vital statistics, DR.. Maggie, at the office OF
the board OF health. Cheu Ken Fong said
that he had been surgeon in the Chinese
navy. DR.. Nagle explained that, as he was
not registered, his certificate could not be
accepted, and the case was referred to the
coroners Office. Yesterday afternoon Coroner
Kennedy and his deputy, DIR. Conway, visited
the laundry. In the front room, which was
used as work room, were gathered dozen
Cinnamon, all talking at once. Coroner Ken
needy explained the object of his visit and
dShCu w bC SlioWii
Wah sing, the child's father, approached
the Coroner and said in broken English in
low tone; 1--WE poor Chinee; you no chargee
me muchee monee. The Cononer explained
that there was
NO CHARGE FOR HIS VISIT,
which, being rendered into Chinese, was
received by the whole party with a great and
audible sigh of relief The body OF the dead
child was in plain black coffin in the sleep
lng-room, and piece Of board which was
placed against the foot Of the coffin bore the
child'S name, age and account OF its mortal
sickness in artistically- finished tea caddy
characters. The little face, which was not
emaciated wore a peaceful expression. In
the coffin at the child's feet were heaped ali
the baby clothing and playthings that had
been hers in life. These will be buried with
the child. A white fan, covered with Chi
nsse symbols, lay on the Child's breast, and
several long slips OF paper were scattered on
the body near il. The father explained,
through an Interpreter, that the slips OF paper
represented bank notes, and were placed in
the coffin 10 insure the body welcome recep-
ton into the other world. These were uncOm-
monty like those slips, however, which the
Chinese scatter on the streets from
funeral cortege with the belief that
the devils, who are ever on the alert
TO capture soul between the
deathbed and the grave, must stop and read
each one, and so be delayed until the body is
lowered into the grave
OUT OF DEMON REACH.
The fan, the father said, was for good luck,
and the clothing and toys might be useful in
the grave. While DR.. Conway was examining
the body the mother stood at the mead of the
coffin with her other child Cha Lee, now
nearly three years old, in her arms. Wah
much older She was taller than the man,
and, though of masculine outline, was rather
good-looking The child, Cha Lee, was not
of the hue of must of her country people, but
pink and white and wholesome-looking Her
almond-shaped eyes were large and bright,
and she prattled prettily as she toyed with her
mothers hair. She appeared TO be a great
favorite with the men, and allowed Coroner
Kennedy to take her in her arms. The
Coroner granted death certificate, and little
Fung Oy will be buried in Evergreen Gene
terry to day. The funeral will be attended
by a large delegation from the Chinese colony,
and the usual ceremonies will be performed at
the grave. DIR. Conway said that it was not
surprising that the child should have contract
ed severe cold, living as it had for eighteen
months in damp, unhealthy basement, the
ceiling of which is just level with the side
walk.
A Presidential Visitor.
Senior Don Marco Arulius Soto, president
Of Honduras, c. A., in private letter 10 DIR.