The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-05

from the general world and almost from
the 1enzens of Chinatown by the tOrtuous
and dark passages a person has to traverse
to reach her
The old woman sits almost night and day
on rickety old ebony chair of Chinese
construction, and about her gambol her two
score feline pets.
The room, judging from its approach,
must be below the level of the earth. Its
damp walls and cellar-iike mustiness, with
its coating of filth from floor to ceiling,
give ample evidence that the scavenger
has not ventured within its hallOwed pre-
cincts. Some idea of its filth may be under
stood when il is stated the opposite walls
are not much over six feet from each other,
and the cats are not allowed outside.
Cats of all ages. sizes and descriptions
crowd each other within the narrow limits
or gamhol on the Old womans lap and
shoulders.
All the cats are sleek and fat, and show
ample evidence of good care.
Pieces Of meat are scattered about the
floor and animals in different parts OF the
room are growing and chewing away at
chunks of it.
The old woman, as she sits among her
cats, is nearly bent double, and her features,
as far as they can be discerGed in the dim
glow OF an opium lamp on a rude shelf in
one corner of the room, are pIncted and
haggard. The skin on her face is wrinkled
and hangs like parchment from her high
cheek bones; her hair. almost grav. has ey-
identity not. been introduced to any other
comb except that OF a cats claws for years,
her garments hang about her bony frame In
tatters, but the sixty years of humanity
reigns queen in her little domain.
who you? Where you from?" the old
woman asked, anXiously, when CALL
renorter entered her room.
VfDnn "a Q fhronyh fha do0r
some OF the cats arched their backs and
bTistled uD their tails IN defiance.
a satisfactory explanation to the woman
and quietlng command 10 the cats restored
harmony.
The old woman Mt once began TO beg.
saving she was very poor, and few nlckels
soon l0Osened her tongue.
She explained that she became blind
about twenty years ago, and friends gave
her couple Of kittens TO amuse her tedious
hours. She acquired a great fondneSs for
the kittens, and they and their offspring
have been her best friends ever since. In
her old age her few relatives and friends
have deserted her and left her to drag out
her existence as best she could.
She claims 10 have been sixteen years in
America before she became blind, which
would make the date OF her arrival here the
year 1857. She says, and substantiates 1t in
very good English. that she was the first
Chinese woman TO arrive in San Francisco.
Hung Moy claims TO have been very we'll
TODD at one time. but lottery and fan-tan
swept all her savings away.
When she was prosperous she wore the
gaTb OF American ladies. but the Chinese
costume seemed TO be more preferable in
her poverty and she resumed it.
The cats crowded around the old woman
as she talked and turning to them she spoke
for a few minutes to them in as soothing a
tone as it was possible for the Chinese Ian
guage TO allow. The cats seemed 10 under
stand il, as they purred about In delight at
having attracted The attention Of the mis-
tTess from the visitor.
My cats no like company. only like me.
Each one know his name. Me can no see
him, but he know when / call"
She called three or four cats into her lap
one after another to demonstrate how we'll
she and the cats understood each other.
II was beyond American endurance 10 re-
main in the room any great length of slime,
and as the reporter picked his way out
through the crooked tunnels the old woman
croaked after him, "GOod-by, hope you
have fortune. Come again"