The San Francisco call., 1899-04-09

gentle zephyr over the earth and across
the water and filled the sails of vessel
bound for San Francisco and brought
a son of China to her rescue.
Loui Yong was the most uneasy pas
senger on that belated ship, for he was
coming in search of Yuen Ho, who had
been his little playmate in the far-off
province of Kwang-Tung.
Nearly sixteen years before she
had been born in a village not far
from Hongkong and her days were
those of happiness, for she spent them
playing with her sister.
These were days of innocent joy, and
bright colored butterflies and funny
little dolls made up her world Of pleas
ure.
Then Loui Yong joined them in play
and the affection of childhood at last
became a closer bond; she was his
promised wife.
While Loui Yong was away at school
Yuen Ho and her sister were suddenly
made orphans.
In true American fashion the inheri-
tance soon dwindled away and the two
little girls were left without home,
preys to the willy agents who thrive on
the market of human chattels and find
victims in Hongkong.
Yuen Ho was just fourteen years old
to the day when a wicked old woman
told her of California the wonderful
land of perpetual sunshine and riches
untold; of the Eden where Chinese
women were scarce and rich husbands
were easily Secured-huSbandS who
obeyed their wives in all things, and If
she wished to return from there to the
Flowery kingdom, oh. it would be quite
the easiest thing. 1t would be but hers
to ask and his wish to obey. They
could come back to China and live ever
n,.fn +a1 CrAln
And SO pretty, ignorant Double Good
took chance on matrimony in the
Orient of the West.
There was no light in the East, but
there would be light in the West.
A pao of rice is better than a tou of
rice and Loui Yong was not there to
advise her.
She was measured and stood just
four feet and five inches high and COM
ing through a market where the Chi
nese woman is valued in the ratio of
inches to dollars she was sold for $3.50.
Nearly two years ago the steamer
City of Peking carried seven other slave
girls besides Yuen Ho from the port Of
Hongkong.
Wondering, chattering children they
were, whose futures were bright with
the anticipation Of happiness and gold
just over the great ocean.
Before the vessel touched this wharf,
however, they knew that life held for
them a worthless store.
But to whom could they appeal?
Heaven. they thought, was too high
to hear their prayers and the devil was
too cruel. They were warned against
the Christian missions before they en-
tered this port, of the awful treatment
of the Chinese girls should they fall In
the hands of the white barbarians. that
they would be frightfully treated and
eventually killed. They were still young
and life had not yet begun, so they
promised to obey the shemonster who
brought them here, and to avoid the
white barbarians, and particularly the
Christian missions
Yuen Ho was taken from the City OF
Peking and deposited in the black little
den which she had called home for the
past two years.
This den was the house of Wan Kee.
But the yellow -visaged old woman
who paid $4,000 for her is Sing Yee.
She saw in the girls beauty bar
gain, a prize, and with the genuine
Mongolian sagacity she took rigorous
measures to keep it.
From her cruel, physical treatment
the girl is still suffering. Her body is
blue with the marks of the old hag's
fists.
Sing Yees list of unprintable crimes
would shame the most vicious inmate
of San Quentin.
And pretty Yuen Ho was bound to
her for period of five years for the
sum of $4,000.
1t was a desperate undertaking to
sever these bonds; but Cupid managed
the whole siege with a skill all his own.
AS soon as Loui Yong In his far-off
home in China was informed that his
promised wife had been sold into slav-
cry In San Francisco, he rested neither
night nor day until he had secured pas
sage on q sailing ship bound for Amer
lea.
He came on a sailing vessel for the
simple reason that he wished to save
his money in order to search, If need
be, one year among the mysterious