The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-17
CHILDREN OF THE CHINESE.


Joaquin Miller Talks About tho Little
oelOstIais-Anectionat Creatures.
To one who has seen all tho world, there
Is not SO much that Is picturesque In the
Chinese colony here; and could not
Luthtully indorso nearly all that enthui'
astiC tourists say OF either their shrewd'
ness or interest In any way. For example,
aS lack Of comIn0n sense's 'sthey havo
marble and stone seats In one Of their big
stores here, to accommodate customers.
Tho best aud biggest OF these stone seats
have marble backs, Enough to paralyzo
the spine Of q white mRn-even China
man, should thlnk-ln flvemInutes. And
could go through the colony here oil
day aud pick out dozens Of like exhibi-
tions OF a low order Of common sense.
Some color is to be found here, and that
Is relief to tho eye which has to put up
with the mournful dress Of the average
American, after residence In Mexico.
But 1t Is not very picturesque. The pig
tail Is simply repulsivc. And n Christian
Chinaman who had his hair cut is hardly
more attractive. His coarse, thick Tartar
hair is perhaps ut Its best whom closely
Shaven and tied up In q cue, after all. Az
for the rolling, lolllng, lazy and hideously
helpless Chinese women, know Of no OBJ
ject to which you can safely apply that
much used and much abused word, dis
gusting, as to ono Of these pitlful and to-
tally inane creatures.
The one real and uninterrupted delight
here Is the Chinese children. They arc not
very numerous; but they arc bright, Won
derlully full OF fun, and very beautifully
dressed. There Is q confusion OF sex, how
ever Did ever tell you that Mexican
boy baby puts on his little pantaloons tho
day he is born and wears them right along'
Well, the babies Of both sexes here seem
to do that, so far as can tlnd out,
1t Is worth while any day to climb tho
hill into the heart Of San Francisco, aud
half way te tho top, to SEQ these children
run aud tumble and laugh and play in
their peculiar and highly tolored clothes,
Just like other children. They have not
much room, but they are chock full of
heart and light spirits, and make the most
Of what nttlo room they have in their mar
row streets. Like little donkey or u lit
tie darky, the Chinaman Is ut his best, 80
far as personal levity goes, whom he Is
very small.
No trouble seems to come this way for
those klttenish little heathens, these curl
Gus little citizens, tumbllng around under
tho legs OF their sedato sircs up hero on
the pleasant hill overlooking the glorious
bay and all the battle ships. The boycott
and the Chinese question are terms which
l reckon they have never heard. And
whatever may bo tied up for thcm in their
uncertain future, lot them shout out tho
spirit OF play that is In them now to the
full. Care will come soon enough to our
colored citizens OF Aslatic descent
The Chinese parent Is the most affection.
ate ever saw among all the nations of
the earth. And this may be In part be-
cause the children are not numerous hore;
but 1t is no guess work to say that 1t Is
largely because the child reveres the
parent. To SEQ little fellow quit his play
suddenly and run and lay his little red or
yellow silk head up against his adorlng
father, as no stands on the sidewalk
watching him, Is funny, II not affecting,
Joaquin Miller in Chicago Times.