, 1888-11-01


Leon Ah Dam, senior member Of the firm
of Wo Kee company, Chinese general inn
porters, Of member eight Mott street.
The young lady Is only l6. and is without
doubt the prettiest Chinese girl now in the
city. Her sudden debut will undoubtedly
be the envy of handsome Mrs Sim, the
former belle OF Mott street, who will now
be obliged to take back seat before her
prettier arrival. News Mrs. Dam has
not in the whole, Of the United States.
They could not have been longer than one
and half inches by half an inch In width
from any side. They were encased in neat
and beautifully wrought red satin low
shoes. Mr.. Dam, the happy husband, is
the richest Chinese merchant now in New
York and owns several buildings in Chi.
natown. His erm is the oldest of the kind
now In this city, having begun business on
Park street in 1869, and amassed fortune
of over $780, 900. is increasing in wealth
even more rapidly now, Nearly one'half
OF the entire his mercantile community
having now their second or third wives
here with them now. II is said that in
comparatively short while all of the bal
ance of them will have their wives here.
"The only fault with these Chinese hus-
bands are that they shut their pretty wives
up in close quarters and never allow them
to take the fresh air.
They say their neighbors would laugh
at them If they were to air their wives like
"WoNe CHIN Foo"
In sudden convulsion of admiration.
which momentary view of Mrs. Dam
stirred up in the bosom OF the editor, he
forgot to explain the case.
Mr.. Dam, or as he has for many years
been known, Wo kee, made a short visit
to China few years ago. 1t was on this
occasion he probably met the dusky
maiden whose lovliness has prostrated the
young men of Mott street. Mr.. Dam did
not breathe word about sweet rambles in
the poppy fields, Not knowing the tune,
Girl Left Behind Me-" He went on
with his business affairs in the same old
fashion.
MRS. DAM CAUSES A FLUTTER.
II was on Friday afternoon that Il coach
arrived in front of Mr.. Dams store.
When the door was opened there issued
from it the daintiest and sweetest little
China woman that ever was. She was a
fragile girl, and as graceful as a young
fawn. Her large dark eyes were shaded
by long, sweeping, soft lashes, and roses
burned in her cheeks. Between the full,
red lips could be seen teeth of snowy
whiteness.
Beautiful as sweet
And young ms beautiful! aud soft as young!
And gay 0s soft aud innocent as gay
She was clothed in richly embroidered
silk. and cunning little skirts of crimson
and green fell just below her knees. A
crowd gather ed on the sidewalk and when
Mrs. Dams face was seen there was a
great sensation. Cinnamon rushed from
all directions in wild haste to see the
pretty young queen of Mr.. Dams heart.
AS she left the coach Mrs. Dam had to
lean upon a swell Chinese servant girl.
The brides feet were so small and pointed
that she could not walk without assistance.
to the rooms over the store, where she Is
at present.
THE BRIDE HID FROM SIGHT.
Ever since then Mr.. Dam has been in
an agony of shyness. All the jolly young
bucks of Mott street and all the staid mar
ried men have been cracking jokes at him.
At last he hid himself away. When q
Herald reporter asked permission to look
upon the luscious beauty of Mrs. Dam he
was greeted with large and mysterious
smile. He then learned that no China
man will allow his wife to be seen by any
but members of his own family. Mrs.
Dam will remain in her rooms from this
time on, and no one will be permitted to
look at her except when feast ia given
about a month hence, when she will be al
lowed to come into the banquet hall, bow
to her husbands friends and re-
ceive presents from them. Wong
Chin Foo says that it is
not good form to offer present to bride
under such circumstances unless the pres
ent is at least of the value of 1926. When
the post-nuptial feast is given there will
be high jinks, and the guests are expected
40 L.. Il, tL.,l 1f L,,..l &c
a thousand flowers. The Chinese editor
Mrs. Dam is 40 years old, which will
be in 1912, If she lives, she may then go
out into the streets just as the women OF
other nationalities do.
The only other small footed Chinese
woman in New York is the wife of Mr..
Sim, who has three children. Wong
Chin Foo asked Mr.. Sinn to take the
Herald reporter around to No. 8 Mott
street and try to get him an audience with
the fascinating young bride. MIR. Sim
simply laughed at the proposal.
CHINESE PoLYeAMY IN NEW YORK.
1t may not be generally understood, but
it is q fact that the richest Cinnamon in
New York have several wives each.
Pol!ygamy is permitted by the laws of
China. There is a regular marriage GER
wife. but the only formal thing
about taking possession of any subsequent
spouse is the payment of liberal sum of
money to her parents. 1t 10 the general
idea in Mott street that Mr.. Dam spaid o
large amount for his bride. All the rich
Cinnamon in the city have brought their
wives out from China. The poor ones have
to remain single or marry white women.
Wong Chin Foo has wife and child in
China. His wife has little feet and has to
be supported when she walks. The editor
says that he has beer converted to the
American theory Of big feet.---New York
World.