Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-08-27
CHINAMEN'S WIVES.
Many Celestial Laundrymen Welded
to White Women In Philadelphia.


Many Celestial Laundrymen Welded
TO White Women In Philadelphia.
It mas come to be a saying, accord
ing to The Times, of Philadelphia,
that when Chinaman arrives In that
city with the mention of going into
business all he requires is q room, q
washtub, stove, two fiat irons, and q
wife. The wife, says the paper quot
ed, is considered as much Of a necessity
as any other article Of the house, and
she is generally chosen with more of
an eye to business than to love. A
Chinaman is particular to get q.
healthy wife, and q woman with fair
knowledge o. washing and ironing is
preferable, but it is not imperative
that she should know all about the
business. She can soon be taught.
Health and strength are the first
requisites. After these the rest will
follow. Five years ago the prejudice
was SO strong against Cinnamon that
they could not get women 10 marry
them, but pref JUDGE has gradually died
away till now q Chinaman can get a
wife, as one said recently, Alice
saInee as a Mclean man" In g few
instances they have secured young
and pretty wives, but more often they
have chosen companions less beautl~
full than Helen of Troy.
zee Lee, who keeps q laundry on
Market street, In West Philadelphia,
was one Of the first Celestials to get
married here. More than four years
ago he married a pretty, rosy-cheeked
German girl, and q very handsome
3-year~0ld boy is the result OF the
union. The father and child are IA
mlllar TO the frequent riders on the
Market street cars. The child is al
ways handsomely dressed, and it at
tracts attention whenever it appears
on the street. Mrs. zee Lee is never
seen on the street with her husband,
but she sometimes takes the little bow
out with her. She always appears
elegantly dressed, and it is said that
she and her lord live very agreeably
together. Mr.. Lee is Supposed to be
worth a considerable amount of
money.
John Foy is another Americanized
Chinaman who has married q white
wife. John keeps laundrey on Third
street, above Girard avenue, and his
wife Mary Is one of his most faithful
assistants, They were married two
years ago, ana, with the exception OF
the few little incidents that give spice
to the lives Of most couples, they have
lived happily. She was a blushing
widow when Mr.. Foy gained her
heart. She is g good washer and iron
Ell, and she makes herself useful to
her husband.
Sing Wing two years ago fell
violently IN love with a dusky damsel
OF Middle alley. She was not pretty,
neither did she possess Luretia's fond
ness for household industry. But for
all that Sing Wing wen her after q
few days Of wooing. They were mar
ried by Rev. DR. B. T. Tanner. who
was 81 that time editor of The Chris
tan Recorder. The morning of the
wedding the bride and groom walked
from the brides home to the reverend
colored editors office on Pine street,
below Seventh. The bride wore q
handsome dress Of nuns yelling, with
vel and orange blossoms. Mr.. Sing
wore for the first time trousers, coat
and vest Of a cut not in favor in his
own country. He also wore a high
silk hal, lavender kid gloves, and q
white silk necktie. The unusual
spectacle Of Chinaman dressed IN
that style, together with q blushing
bride hanging on his arm, drew a
great crowd Of men, women, and chll-
dren 10 the scene, and it was with
great difficulty the loving couple made
their way to the minister's office.
After they were made one, The groom
took his wife to their home IN Middle
alley, and, and hastily donning his ma
tive custom, he returned to his Iaun~
dry, where he worked for the rest Of
the Gay.
Joe Kee is another Celestial who is
married to a cOlored woman. He mar
ried her three years ago. when he
opened his laundry on Sixth street,
near South. She was a very pretty
woman, tall and graceful. with a
wealth Of coal-black hair. Her COM
plexion was near that of her kus>
bands, and she could pass for a Chi
nese woman very easily. She is said
GS 70 DIS pfOuU CI uof uuSUaDu as he Is
Of her, and their lives move on as
merrily as marriage bell.
War Hung Chung, who is said to
be the only naturaiized Chinese citizen
IN the city, is married to white
woman. She is said to be his second
white wife. The first died three or
four years ago Mr.. Chung is pros~
uerOus tea merchant. and his family
surroundings are elegant and refined.
Sam Sing, on Passyunk avenue,
above Eight street, has an Irish wife,
whom be married more thar year
ago, and his friend Now Lee, just
around the corner. on Eight street.
below Wharton, has a wife from
Italy. The families visit each other,
and there is quite a colony Of them
when they all meet.
Chune t ,ne of Seventh street he