The morning call., 1890-09-01
MONG0LIAN WILES.
Varney Gaskill Falls Prey to
a Designing Heathen.

Deputy Surveyor of the Port of San
Fran cisco, Varney W. Gaskill, was tearing
his beautiful blonde mustache in despair
Friday afternoon, and refused to be com-
fOrted, even when a gorgeous lily Of the
valley was placed upon his desk by one of
the many ladies who admire his military
form.
The cause of his lamentations was the
fact that he, Varney w. Gaskill, had
allowed a slippery Mongol TO escape from
his custody into which the laws of the
United States had consigned him for safe
keeping. The Chinaman was one of those
who had come from the far Orient in the
steamer Oceanic, and were waiting to pass
through the hopper of Commissioner Nc
Allister's habeas corpus mill.
But the willy Mongol, hearing of Judge
Hoffman'S sudden activity in calling halt
On the methods of that friend OF the in
swarming Tartaric hordes, and meditating
upon the increasing cost and uncertainty of
the writ route into Uncle Sans dOminions,
concluded TO take shorter cut; hence the
handsome Varney despair.
The thing happAne In this way: 1t is
the custom when 'Bockwah Doe" richards
is questioning the Cinnamon in the recently
arrived steamers to have table placed on
the deck of the vessel away from the smells
of the steerage where the Cinnamon dwell,
and the Chinese are marched up to this
table and put through the inquisitorial
catechism. After each one is questioned
he is allowed to wander over 4 certain por-
ton of the deck, always, how ever. under
the watching eye Of some Of Varney's
guards.
Last Friday this process was going on and
the Cinnamon were being watched by none
o Their than the eye of the superb Narney
himself, assisted, of course, by several OF his
henchmen.
Varney noticed sleepy-looking MOngol
standing near the ships side locking down
upon the crowd of his countrymen on the
dock below. He was one of those who had
just passed through DOC" richards cross
examination. There was something in the
CLEAN of the mans eye which caused the
watcbfu Varney to suspect him of some sort
of mischief, anu he determined to order him
below.
Before he could put the determination into
effect some one claimed his attention. 1t was
only for moment, but when the conscien-
tious Deputy Surveyor again turned hs lace
toward the ships side he gave cry OF dis
may and sprang to the bulwarkS.
The sleepy-looking Mongol was gone.
NarEey looked down upon the crowd be-
low, but alas! Cinnamon are SO very much
alike, and he only saw sea of grinnng faces,
not enc of which he could recognize. They
were all laughing at him-at him, the repre-
sentative of the Government OF the United
States, and the sight made him furious.
How did the man get down? 1t seemed i'm
possible for any one to drop that distance
without a broken leg, but he saw no lippinE
ChiI.aunan in that thropg Perhaps it was a
mistake; perhaps the man had mingled with
his c0untrymen in the toat. He would ascer-
tain the fact at once.
The Chinese were quickly herded into the
Storage and counted. Despair! One was
missing. Again the count was gone through
with. but the tally was unmistakably one
short.
Narney called to his men to follow, and
rushed down among the crowd Of CeleStlals
ON the deck. With 1everish haste he peered
in all their faces, but he could not recognize
his man. He pushed his splendid silk hat
far back upon his head and pressed his
hand 10 his hot brow. There was nothing
to be done but 90 and report the escape.
Slowly and sadly he Travelled back to the
Custom-hOuse and, calling his superior in
command, Paris kilburn, into the private
office of Collector Phelps. he fell upon his
knees before the two potentates and con-
fessed his fault with lamentations and tears.
The two men forgave him, and then the
power OF the Federal Government was in
Voked to keep the matter from the newSpa-
pers. Strict injunctiOns of secrecy were
placed upon all on the boat but, unfortu-
nately for their plans, they could not muzle
the Chinaman who escaped, and so the story
ont