The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-15
THE CHKIsTMAs OFF GUM CHING.
A True story of Chinatown-Hovv a
Little Acknowledged Girl First En-
tered the Gates of Happiness.
Ry Jessie Juliet Knox.

Fun Ching was little Chinese girl
who lived in America. She had no way
of Knowing that she lived in America
though as she never saw any of the
country and was kept in her home in
Chinatown. As she was unfortunate
enough to be girl she had never been
permitted to go anywhere, except to
play on the street in front of her ia
Tiers store Sometimes when playing
thus she had seen little American girls
drive by in carriages with their mamas
and they seemed to be having so much
fun that little Gum Ching would look
sad after they had passed and would
say to her brother, Gum Lee, II wish
was Mclean little girl"
1t was Christmas day, but this meant
nothing to little Gum Ching, for the
Chinese do not celebrate Christmas.
They have all their good times dur
ing the week OF the China New Year.
Now it CHANGED that the little brother
Gum Lee, had been attending the mis-
sion and learning to read, and Gum
Ching and heard him say that they
were going to have a Christmas tree
at the mission that very night.
What can a Christmas tree be?"
thought the little Chinese girl.
o, IL she could only go, but how
could she, when she had never been
out of Chinatown and there might be
all sorts Of ugly things waiting to
catch her as she passed. She could see
the mission from their upstairs win
dow and she wondered vaguely II
any of the little American girls who
had passed in their carriages would
be there. She said to herself, Even
IL they should punish me when l get
home, IL would be better to risk It,,
because after the punishment was over
I would have something nice to think
Of" Well the dark came at
last. Gum Ching had never been out
in the dark. She never knew before
that II was quite so black, but she had
made up her mind to go, let come what
might.
Now Gum Ching did not have any
mama, and IL was lonely for her at
home, with no one but just her Ho
Chun (father,) and the little brother,
who was always off playing with some
boys. After she had eaten her
supper of rice she saw Ho Chun lie
down TO smoke his long opium pipe
and she knew then that he would not
awaken until the morning.
So she slipped out and toddled on,
in her little Chinese sandals, in the
direction OF the light which streamed
from the windows OF the mission. She
was looking up at the sky, and Just
saying: II wonder what those pretty
sparkling things are up there, / would
like TO have one" when suddenly she
heard a mighty roar. and right through
the blackness of the night came a great
demon OF fire, snorting and putting
and screaming, and coming right to-
ward the poor, little trembling Gum
Ching. She feared to move. and so.
stood quite still, until the big giant
had passed, and vanished again into
the darkness OF the night. .
II was only train of cars,
but Gum Ching did not know.
She was only girl. Onward
she started again-brave little soul
and soon she had reached the mission.
No one would ever know what a ter
rible undertaking this was. for a little
girl from China. The door was
open, and a soft radiance streamed out
and 1T up the tlmld form Of little Gum
Ching, as she stood on the step. IN
the dark. and the cold. She could hear
confused murmur OF happy voices.
and just as she was hesitating whether
she could venture in. or turn and fly
back to her lonely home again, a
kind hand clasped hers, and woman
tender voice said: "Why come right