The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-19
A CHINESE ROMANCE.
Struggled Yellow Girls From Victoria
welded In New York.

New York Times.
The fact was bulletined by the health
department on Friday last that two purely
Chinese marriages-that is, where both
the contracting parties in each case were
pure Chinese--had been solemnized by a
Christian minister in this city and that
both marriages had been properly recorded
according to law. As these were the first
marriages of the kind in this city, great
deal of interest was excited as to the con-
tracing parties, but the officials OF the
health department refused to give any in
formation about the marriages. Threats
of dismissal were made against any person
in the service of the department who gave
any information.
Despite all these silly precautions it has
been learned that the returns OF the mar
riages referred TO were hled with DIR. Maggie,
the registrar of vital statistics, by the Rev.
q. X. Bouton, superintendent of the Five
Points Mission, at 63 Park street, clergy
man of the Methodist Episcopal persuas-
ion. who had performed the marriage cere-
monies The contracting parties were
Chew Gin. who is prosperous grocer at II
Mott street, and Shang fong, Gninese
woman. % years old. and Chew Jim, the
proprietor of a laundry on Eighth avenue,
and Ling Fong, aged % native OF Can
ton. Both the couples are living at IL
Mott street, Chew Gin and his wife in the
rear of that building and Chew Jun and
his bride on the second floor OF the front
house.
The women left their homes in Canton
about six wears ago. and went to Victoria.
II. C.. where they met their spouses Ihey
were married there in the prevailing CHI
nese fashion. All that is necessary, ac-
cording to this custom, is first 10 Obtain the
consent of their parents TO the marriage;
this once obtained, any respectaoie person
could perform the marriage ceremony IN
the case of the two women, Shang tong
and Ling Fong, they obtained the neces-
sary permission, and then Chinese mer-
chant in Victoria performed the marriage
ceremony. Chew Gin and Chew Jim lett
British Columbia some time after their
marriage. leaving their wives behind, and
Went 10 San Francisco, and thence came to
this city. Here they prospered, ana oe-
termined to send for their wives.
This was a risky and expensive under.
taking, but the women nnally succeeded
in GLIDING the vigilance OF the custom
house guards and crossed the frontier
dressed in male attire. This attire they
continued 10 wear throughout the entire
tourney until they rejoined their husbands
here On arriving here they were placed
i'm charge of an ancient CHINESE person
named Kun You, at 10 Mott street, VINO
became their chaperon. The arrival OF the
women was kept great SStitt IA
town. 1t was. however, determined by
The happy husbands, as a further
nrotection to their wives and 10
avoid the interference of the authorl-
ties who are inclined TO look with
snsnicion on Chinese women brought 70
Ais civ. TO have themselves remarked IN
American fashion. Mrs. Moy Stone, the
nrettv Irish wife of a Chinese grocer living
r. - Mott street. was taken into the conf
Sence Of the husbands and she undertook
the TASK of securing the clergyman. she
called on the Rev. Mr.. Bouton and explain
81 the matter to him. The clergyman,
Who is a missionary much respected IN the
ne;shborhood, had been called upon on
,nes9v occasions TO unite Cinnamon and
White women, and 70 baptize the offspring
of snch marriages. but this was the hrst
fine that he had been asked 10 soiemnlze
a marriage between two native chinese.
ON Wednesday last he went to the house
ar T. Mott street. where he found both
sounles in waiting. He ascertained that
thew could ali understand and speak Eng
iish and he united them in marriage ac-
cor,iinc to the custom OF the NethooiSt
church. The contracting parties mace
the responses in good pigeon English.
After the ceremony there was a great loih-
6eation among the friends of the brides
and bridegrooms-
rAoNenx 4 Narflu