Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-16
PIGEON ENGLISH.
Wong Lee, an Intelligent Denver Celestial,
Spins Yarns to a Reporter.

Wong Lee is quite an intelligent
Chinaman, but not without some SUI
perstitions of his race. He speaks En-
glish indifferently, but manages to
make himself understood. He can
also read English so as to understand
it passably well, and what he can't
understand he gets some friend to in
terpret for him. Wong was much in
terested in the trial of the Anarchists,
and was enthusiastically wild the day
of their execution. In conversation
with NeUS reporter the other day,
Wong said:
s.Velly glad to see 'em swing Nell
can Highbinder, Chicago"
s'Do you mean the Anarchists"
Eyes; allie same bad like Chinaman
Highlander"
do the Highbinders use bombs?"
'Long time ago, not now, Chinaman
make bombs long befo' Mclean man
make bombs. You know it? So one
time long ago Flenchman come to
China. Chinaman tell Flenchman 90
back. Flenchman not 60 back. China
man lite Flenchman letter say you no
go back Chnaman kill. Not cut him
off head but blow up. Flenchman
laugh, say Chinaman not fight, China
man woman. Flenchman 90 out on
plain-6,000. Chinaman get him heap
bamboo stick big as leg. Fill him
with bloW-up and bullicks. Stick him
in fuse, and belly him in ground.
Next day Chinaman say we now ready
TO fight. Come on. Flenchman come
on. Get him light on ground between
Chinaman and FIenchman had been
night befo' Big Chinaman captain
tell him 60 back, but he not 90 back.
Bang! Boom! When wind blow him
smoke away, no mo- Flenchman, allie
gone"
When Wong told this story he was
as excited and wrought up as any
amateur elocunonist. AS he seemed
to be in humor for telling stories he
was allowed to go on.
''Flenchman can't whip Chinaman,"
he said. "Chinaman might whip
Flenchman il he 90 to Flance, but
Chinaman don't want to 90 to FIance
Flenchman come to China once mo-
Chinaman hab his boss out on plain.
Chinaman hab his boss tlained to
come and feed him when lie ling
bell. Feed him on one kind oh meal;
and boss got nothing else, but come
fast when you ling a bell. Chinaman
let coo boss out on plain. Build him
bic stable hold all boss Make him
wide, do just so boss lun in, den hang
big knives ova' do Flenchman take
all GOO boss and put big captains on
him. Chinaman get on top stable and
ling bell. Flenchman can't hold him,
lun so fast to the stable to get him
meal. Hoss lie 90 in stable. Bic
knife cut off Flenchman's head. Head
he fall, one on dis side, one on dat
side. All Flenchmans dead. Bic cap
tains. Den Chinaman let lest Flench-
man 90 home. No want to kill him
all. Kill big captains.
You know how Chinam&n tell when
partner cheat?' asked Wong, changing
the subject.
''No, ! do not"
"Chinaman so in with partner,
maybe cousin. At end oh year both
must 90 TO joss house and tell joss all
about him. If Chinaman lie, big snake
come down flom tlee in joss house and
bite him and Chinaman die. Some
time both Chinaman die. Both cheat
Some time Chinaman tink his partner
cheat and he say to partner get in boat
and 60 acloss libber. If Chinaman
cheat when he get in middle of libber,
big ting, 70 legs, bite him mouth"
Wong here had to go into panto-
mime to describe what he meant.
Turtle, suggested the reporter.
YES, OATS him, answered Wong.
He snap Chinaman and Chinaman
die f"
''How is it when you cheat white
man?"
mo sin cheat Mclean man. Must
not tell Mclean man what anything
cost, can't sell him. No snake bite,
no ting snap. But you come down
my cousin Jim's house some time he
tell you mo- stolies dan | can. Jim
speak and lite good Mclean"
Wong explained before taking his
departure, however, a curious custom
among the Chinese. He said that
when one contracted a debt and did
not pay il his children and children's
children to the fourth generation were
responsible for it. He said that some.
times hard-heartcd creditor would
exact his pound Of flesh, and he had
heard Of the last of debt Of 500 be-
ing paid 100 years after it was con.
tracted. DenCor Nei0s.
ssas-