The Afro-American advance., 1900-04-28

disgrace with the lottery people. The
gambling fever had for years been IN
his blood-and Toy Lung Lee had Of
fered him hundred dollars. cash down,
I'm good. hard silver dollars. for Ghona.
There had been some wayering, for
what most abandoned Of men does not
love his only iaughter? Hut. after all,
as old Carlos reasoned. what had juan
Jimenez! Not money enough even TO
pay for one try at the colorado y ne
groi Not one centayoi As son.in-
law he would be undesirable. While.
on the contrary. with $t00 cash and
prosperous To5 Lee to call upon oeen-
sionally for credit, what could not a
nnn do?
In Mexico, the say ing or mandate Of
"A father generally goes For which
reason. after much expostnlation, tear4
and prayers. with even petitions to In
Virgen, Chona finally became the un-
willing and unlovinR bride of Toy Lee.
ms per the rites of he Romish church.
This old Carlos. drunk on tequila. re-
morse, and the Jingle OF the unwonted
hundred silver dollars in his pocket,
had insisted upon.
UnhapBily married. II is toss-up
whether woman will solace herself
with religion Irritation. During
the FIRST three months Of her married
life, Chona inclined TO the former.
Given absolute carte blanche by her
adoring husband. most Of her time was
spent In prostration and alteration be-
fore the Virgin; later on (becanse pray
ers for your husbands death are not
always heard and answered by Ia Vir-
gem Chona wBxed decidedly irreli-
gious. Her rosary WIS neglected. her
prayer-book tossed scornfully into the
dry bed Of the i.io Grnnde. her sober
church tnpalo and mantilla were be-
slowed upon an old servant, and her
old Irritation started up again, In even
more than its former force, with her
cx-lover, Juan Jimenez.
Being merely woman. Chona soon
wearied Of her husbands indulgeDces.
What cared she, after all, for Amer
lean roeklng.chairs, American organ
pianos. or even Amerlean-made dresses.
at which even the gringos laughed as
she passed by In the street. What
pleasure did these things give herr
Rather, far. her old black skirt and
mantilla. shabby MS they were. with n
rose nj her throat and another In her
hair. as she went TO meet Juan vii h
his guitar, and his lovc-lit eyes, and
rollicking tenor voice. What mHttered
money and fine houses. aud fine clothes
rs compared with love, and music and
words that thrilled and echoed; the
bewitchinR m0onshine of Mexican
night, where great stars blazed up
from southern seas and the Southern
Cross swung low overhead. the frag
rance OF heavily perfumed flowers Of
tropical lands. far away from the
dusty, adobe countries that border the
Rio Grande2 better TO have this for
a short while only. even " after 1t
comes the purgatory that is meted
out To thieves and sinful wives by In
VirRen and Dlos who, after all, never
listen To the prayers of heart broken
women.
In which frame OF mind as you will
agree, Chonn. the wife of Toy Lung
Lee. was far from what her husband
could have wished. Not that he knew
ar even suspected poor little mani
Happy In the thought that his beloved
wife had oil that the heart OF woman
could wish for, and I'm the running of
his Mcxican.Amrricau restaurant. Toy
Lung Lee was happier than most men
ever get to he. In this not always joy
full world sooner would Toy have
doubted his own senses. or the length
of his precious pig.tall. than the truth
aud faith OF his wife Chona, Everyone
else, of course, saw how matters were.
and one evening, just ms supper was
being prepared, Jim Sing, the cousin
of Toy Lung Lee. unfolded to the lat
ter his wlfc's unfalthfulness or indis-
erect behavior ms you like TO call It..
whereupon Toy Lee smote viciously
the face Of his kinsman. and retired, In
white fury. from the restaurant. II
would soon be time for Chona TO come
home from her fathers. for she vis-
tied old Carlos every afternoon. and
then matters should he Strengthened
out with her.
Now. whether or not Juan Jiminex
was Chona's companion on her return
from old Carlos house that night, no
one knows. Certain Il II that Toy Lee
lmpatlently awaited her somewhat de-
lnyed arrival. after which he proceed.
ed To bestow upon her, with the aid of
bamboo cane. such a beating as
Chona had never heard or dreamed oi
before. Toys Chinese wife In Can.
ton had known them, but no matter }
For even worm viii turn. and Toy
lee. In spite of his infatuation for his
pretty Mexican wife, was not quite a
worm.
At the end OF one day Chona's re.
pentancc had been profound; at the
end of two days she had persuaded the
distressed Toy Ice that his charges
had been entirely unfounded; at the
end OF three days she had been re.
leased from durauce vile. and Toy
Lung Lee. With a rejoicing heart was
preparing u supper that would have
made Ia water the hearts and mouths
of both Mexican aud American Gus,
toners alike. For not only had Chona
sworn that she cared for no man hut
her husband, that she had never cared
for anyone but her husband, and never
would care for anyone hut her husband
not only this. but she had actually