Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-03-01
TRUTH STRAB GER THAN FICTION.
Written for the RgeoRp.UMoN.l


UNION will undoubtedly remember rather
large.sizsd Chinamsn who, during the
months of October and November last,
called at nearly all of the houses of our
well-to.do citizens for the purpose, as he
claimed, of securing washing for the new
laundry of Song Ching Pee, of which he
was proprietor. Scarcely house, whose
outside appearance suggested wealth and
comfort to ito inmates, escaped him, and
many a lady has felt herself insulted by
the persistency which Song Pee manifested
in his endeavors to gain admission into the
house, as well as by his manner of peeping
and squirting into the rooms, as if to pen
citrate with The eye each room and view all
human occupants. The Chinese univer-
sally condemned him, and by their ejacu-
lations OF " Him no sabe he ale same
Mclean man" caused many with whom he
came In contact TO look upon him with more
or less suspicion. Where Songs quarters
were no one knew, and the Chief of Police
who had been posted in regard to his queer
conduct and tine probability of his being a
sneak thief, as well as an impostor, was
unable to locate him as to his sleeping
apartments. Very suddenly he disap-
peared from the streets, and those people
whose houses ne had visited so frequently
felt relieved and happy in the thought
that Song Ching Pee had departed from our
fair city. NOT so, however, for on ac-
count OF an increase in business at the
State House Hotel a vacancy is created for
a general roustabout" to sweep and
clean rooms, halls, ETC., and Song Ching
Pee being the first applicant, ia duly in
stalled in the position. The writer has on
several occasions caught him in his room
looking over and through the many books
scattered about the room promiscuously,
and on being accosted as to the reason
therefor, the reply invariably was, Me
heap like, ale same you, and away he
would scampsr as fast as he could. His
desire seemed TO be to see, but not be seen !;
to hear, but net be heard the hotel pro-
prietor once reurimanded him for listening
to songs and music which were being per-
formed in the parlcr, Song Pee being on the
outside in the hall. The object of that
listening and manifest desire to see but not
be seen, will be shown. In the meantime
let US turn backward.
In the summer of 1882 there was en-
ployed as book keeper by a mercantile
house in San Francisco one Thomas C.
Pomeroy, by birth an Englishman, but
resident of the United States for many
years. The vacation of thirty days usually
allowed the book-keeper had been spent
the previous year at Bartlett Springs, and
the coming one was to be passed at Paso de
Robes, where, on August II, 1882, we
find him duly located as a guest at that
popular summer resort. Among the many
sojourners at the springs was an aged and
intirm gentleman known as Judge Roberts,
of Philadelphia, accompanied by most
beautiful and lovely young lady, Viola, his
daughter. Pomeroy had often heard of
Glove at fret sight, but little did he think
thst he himself would prove practical
demonstration of the same nevertheless
such were the facts, for ere one week had
passed he found himself madly, desperately
in love with Miss Roberts. On ascertain
ing that his love was reciprocated, no time
was lost in assuring himself of the proba-
bility of union Of
Two souls with but single thought
Two hearts that beat as one.
Not wishing to act rashly, and with a
desire to first gain the consent of the aged
parent, he was interviewed; but in place OF
his consent being given young Pomeroy
was ordered from his presence with an
additional admonition to not dare even to
speak OF the lady as an acquaintance,
= 30 ~
of his alteration, mutual understanding
was arrived a. and conclusion formed that
the only way Of severing the cords Of en-
tanglement which encircled them would be
an elopement. The same is hastily ar.
ranged, and tae early train from Soledad
finds them as passengers bound for San
Francisco
That " the course Of true love never did
run smooth" is again verified, for the wires
are brought into requisition, and the City
Marshal of Salinas intercepts them in
their flight, returning the girl to her stern
father and falling the lover for an attempt
at abduction.
Fearing a second attempt might be more
successful and result in the loss to him of
his only child, the father plans for an i'm
mediate return to his Eastern home, which
is reached after a lapse of nine days. Bat
the long and tiresome journey across the
continent, together with the great nervous
strain which the old gentleman has been
subjected to Tor 60 many days and nights,
prove too much for his weak and intirm
constitution 10 withstand, and ere one
week had passed after their return, all
that was once mortal of Judge Henry Rob.
erts was laid away to rest in the cold,
cold ground at the Olive Cemetery.
Bereft of parental protection, an orphan
in sll the sense that word implies. the
thoughts of Miss Roberts naturally drifted
away towards the golden shores of the
grand Pacific, to the prison cell which con.
tanned her lover, the last lingering touch of
whose fingers filed her heart with su.
preme ecstacy. Being the only heir no
complications arose as to the adjudication
of her fathers vast estate, and with its
final settlement and conversion into coin,
we find her westward bound, arriving in
San Francisco on November ,, 1882.
Upon inquiry at the Front street house,
where Pomeroy had been employed as
book-keeper, she was informed that having
remained absent for more than thirty
days beyond the time allotted him
as vacation, and 70 word having
been received from him in the mean
time, the vacancy had been filled. Pome-
roy was no longer in their employ, nor did
they know even of his whereabouts. Per-
sonal search failing to reveal his address,
an advertisement was inserted in two city
papers as follows
VNHoMAS PoMERoY. OR ANY PERSON KNOW
4 ing his address, viii confer favor by address
ing VIOLA" care Baldwin Hotel.
Though inserted for thirty consecutive
times in two principal morning papers, no
fond message came to dispel sad thoughts,
or give one faint ray of hope that her lover
might ever return to her.
The better to enjoy the holidays one of
Sacrame1to's wealthy and most refined
ladies had gone to Saa Francisco, stopping
at the Baldwin. Being an ex.Philsdel-
phisn, snd hearing the name OF Miss Rob-
erts from Philadelphia, curiosity arose in
the mind of our Sacramento lady to know
if the Miss Roberts OF the Baldwin was
the Miss Roberts of her acquaintance. An
introduction was had. followed by a mu