, 1900-02-10
DOOM Of SING LOW
MERCHANT OF MADRE DE dos
WHO DESERTED FAY LEE
FOR FELIPA.
A Chinese Tale With a Moral-Sons Of
the Silver Land Didn't Do a Thing
to Him BLACK Smoke and
Ancient Cognac Did the Rest.

Twenty years ago Sing Low had been
a thin, meek Chinese coolie, toiling in
the rice fields of the Soo-Chow pro-
vince, relates the la Francisco Argo-
naut. Insufficiently clad and INSULT
GENTLY fed, he had many times been
weary Of life, and but for the vows of
his secret society forbidding would have
put a summary end to it-a double
quantity Of opium in the pipe is an easy
way! But Sing Low had p%ersevered and
starved until one day there was an exo-
dus of many of his own society (now
renamed "Sons of the Silver Land') to
the western coast Of Mexico. With
them %journeyed Sing Low and his new
ly married wife, Fay Lee, for there
was demand for Chinese colonists, and
the promoters told it loudly that there
was plenty of money to be made in the
"silver land" For once the truth had
been spoken by a promoter! Had you
ten years after the exodus known the
Chinatown of Madre de Dios and the
restaurant and tea place" of Sing Low
you would better appreciate the fact.
For the Chinese colonists had made
unto themselves a place Of their W in
the western part Of the city, out beyond
the marshes; many narrow streets
were filled with the shops of the Chi
nese, who were nc longer colonists, but
f%ull-aedged citizens.
In the very center OF the Chinese
civilization, and fronting a view of
hot. blue gulf water, Sing Lows
name was blazoned in gaudy Chinese
script over a tea shop INT opium den,
while uptown, where Mexicans and
mining men most did congregate, an
other building. made OF yellow adobe
and pine boards, bore the legend:
Chinese Restaurant Of Sing Low:
American Pies" In front Of this res
t~aurant generally sat Sing Low, but
not the Sing Low of the Soo-Chow rice
felds-far from it. This was a very
fat and important Sing Low, in full
and flowing Chinese garments, pigtaif
neatly wound about a sleek and shin
ing head, and silk-shod feet thrust in
to Tapping embroidered slippers. A
large gold American watch dangled
from his sash, and yellow Mexican dia-
monds glittered on his pudgy fingers
truly had Sing Low, head OF the "Sons
of the Silver Land" %prospered and
waxed fat in a far land.
Inside the restaurant many Chinese
walters and cooks, rushed about, serv-
ing all sorts Of conditions of men at
the manta covered tables. For Madre
de Dios was a steamer town, whence
hides and sivler and bullion were ship
ped to Lower California and aver San
Francisco, and many men of many
sorts ate chill con carne, and tortillas
and American pies" in the restaurant
Of Sing Low. There were dirty greas-
ers and staggering bearmed Mexicans,
who drank bottles upon bottles of fiery
mescal, and calm, deliberate mining
Americans, who consumed untold num-
bers Of pies and American canned
beans, while Sing Low smiled from
afar, with a keen eye upon collections.
For twenty years he had saved and
toiled, but another year would see the
end. Then, with Fay Lee, who was
now old and fat, and the 20, 0 Mexi-
can dollars that they had made he
would go to San Francisco. Back to
China? No! Fay Lee had once timid-
ly proposed it-for she had no chill
dren, and her heart was sick for her
native land-but Sing Low said a de-
cided mo" He had not yet forgotten
the rice fields. And, besides, in these
American lands eyen a coolie of low
birth could be as mighty as a manda-
rim; he, Sing Low, had been of no i'm
port in China, nor would even his $780,
600 make him a mighty man there. In
other words. better to reign in hell
than to serve in heaven, or ones native
land.
To all of which poor Fay Lee had to
consent, Of course, Sing Low being a
husband Of no small persuasive power,
particularly when aided with a bam-
boo stick. And he hesitated not to
chestise the wife Of his bosom when
occasion needed, for did not even the
laws of the Christians say: Wives,
obey your husbands in the Lord ?" Not
that 1t often became necessary to i'm
press this fact upon Fay Lee, for she
loved the fat, ,pompous Sing Low now,
In the midst of his prosperity, even as
she had once loved humble Sing Low
OF the rice fields. 1t is the way of
many women. And, though there were
few friends. and no children for her to
caress with, affection, she was content
to live the life that her husband babe,
embroiderins his costly garments and
waiting on him as though she were his
bonded slave. instead Of his wife. And
during the long hours that he spent in
the opium house or in the secret lodge
Of 1.-The "Sons OF the Silver Land" she
cohsoled herself with many cups Of IA
and admiring thoughts Of the brave
figure that her honorable lord" was ut
that moment Of surety making as
the head oi his society. Poor Fay Lee!
Itsay -poor Fay Lee with a purpose
as you will fnd, For. even A the