The San Francisco call., 1897-06-27

One day-oh, it was quite late in the even
ing, but not quite dark, as l was going
home, man came mp behind and caught
hold of me by the shoulders and attempted
to hurry me away.
Il screamed and resisted and a police
man came and the man was arrested.
When he was tried they sent him 10 the
penitentiary. My father would have got
into trouble, but his cousins hurried him
out here to San Francisco. These Chinese,
who are his relatives, have been sure they
could sooner or later get a big sum of
money for me, and so they have kept on
giving him mouey. and that is what the
family has lived upon"
What made you decide to leave
inally?' l asked, wondering what depths
of misery this poor child had been forced
to suffer.
"My mother had my picture taken and
took it down through Chinatown showing
it 10 the different men and searching for
the one who would pay the most for me.
Finally they decided on this man-the
secretary of their big society. Nv mother
took me down 10 show me to him. He
had heard of the trouble in Chicago and
he was a little afraid. He asked me how
l thought we would get along together. l
didn't think we would get along at all,
but didn't dare tell him so. She smiled,
showing two rows of beautiful teeth
But after my mother put me into that
house | began 10 get more frightened for
fear they would put me some place where
1 couldn't get word to my friends at all.
She told me they would kill me if 1 made
any trouble, and l think she wanted to
show her power over me, and that is the
reason she took my clothes away and left
me in that strange house.
Then l got out and told Miss Lake
about it, and she told Mr.. Holbrook. They
had some officers come and take me away
an d bring me here"
And you are glad to be here2'
How could l help it?' she exclaimed.
They are so kind to me. don't think
there Is any one in the world so good as
| Miss Lake" She said this enthusiastic
| cally. Il wouldn't have any one else for
my guardian. | know she will take care
that do right"
And she was trusting this young wo.
man in preference to mother-trustipg
to be saved from her mother that she
might do right. What kind of a woman
uld she be to have done all this
/ "At home" she said, cit is so crowded.
! We live in a family house in Prospect
| place. These houses do not have doors
! but are curtained off, and, oh you havs
no idea OF the mum bers-sometimes tif-
teen live in one small room, and there are
so many children everywhere. 1t is noisy
and dirty and Well,' she said, as we
rose to go. Prospect place is net like this"
maze of dirty alleys flied with mot.
| ley crowd of men and women and chill
dren. We went down one street and up
another and around corners until our
heads swan. There are as many bad
odors in Chinatown as there were in
ancient Rome. You find new and mora
unusual one every time you turn a corner.
( And there are more strange places and
uncanny faces than one has time to think
about.
Prospect place is unsuitably named.
1t IS not cleanlier-it is not as cleanly-as
the worst part of Chinatown. It's build
ings we're once of some pretension, hut
can boast of nothing save hIIh.
'Lee2 Therel" And worthy Celes.
tial pointed out Il door few feet from US.
My escort pushed It open and we looked
in. There were dark, bare stairs leading
| 10 buo upper SbOIyi dhN SlAS MUS dH1
halls about u.s. 10 the right a door stood
open, and heard the sound of voices.
As we stood there a little ragged urchin
ran to the door and peered out at US
and shouted out vile names.
woman's voice answered him and the
child's face disappeared to be replaced By
hers.
There were eyes cruel and cunning-the
cunning OF the baser sort, which amount:
to peculiar klnd OF brutality. He
mouth had sinister expi ession, witt
llps-oh, how can one describe a lace il
which not even The animal has a placer
And this was the mother of that girl,
Without word, but with a feeling O
horror l turned away
And heard her laugh as we closed tn
ooor' JEAN MoRRIA