The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1904-03-16
MARRIAGE OF WONG WA FOS
THE TRUE STORY OF A STOLEN BRIDE.
--3-+| S.s%-
j. H. EMERY.
BY j. II. EMERY.

HSSc Nuiuen are porn simply 20 lie
friends" Few of those brought to
America occupy higher position.
with no hand in the shaping of their
destiny, they usually accept the inevi.
table withoCs question, at Is our an.
Gent custom, it is our Chinese way"
Two weeks later Wong brought his
heather sweetheart and placed her in
my care. She was bright and attrac.
tive, spoke and read English fairly
well, and seemed perfectly at home in
her new surroundings. she listened
with Difference to all | had to say, but
absolutely refused to be married In
Chinese costume. Her plum colored
tunlc and wide-fowing trousers must
be exchanged for American clothes;
only her jade stone earrings and silver
tipped bamboo bracelets were retained,
together with the ieweled darts that
held back her purp,eblacli hair.
Close questioning convinced me that
this was true love match-no bargain
and sale. rs l had feared, such as is
common on the Pacific Coast. All
they asked was American protection
and freedom from molestation.
With painstaking care, matrimonial
responsibilities, moral and legal, were
explained, and minister engaged, who
helped Wong secure his license. The
ceremony was set for half-past two,
and the young couple departed to Sc
cure suitable garments.
With amused impatience the clergy
man and few invited guests waited
till 3 p. IN. for the chief actors. At last
they appeared. in full conventional
dress, gray kid gloves and fashionable
hats, the poor little bride struggling
painfully with her unaccustomed
skirts.
Without further preliminary. these
two members of an alien race were
made one. what God has joined
together let no man put asunder."
Then came an unexpected hitch. In
the marriage certificate INA 10y" was
the name given the bride by the clerk
of the court. To this she objected, say.
Ing, my name not SO. my Sunday
school teacher say right name ANNA"
and Anna only would she sign.
Nainly the newly married pair
searched for n respectable boarding
place among the whites. No one would
take the Chinese pair. lodgings were
| secured, however. in the American part
of the town, and they settled down to
housekeeping.
At this juncture l was suddenly
called East. Before leaving / took
| Wong and his wife to church. and be-
spoke the kindly interest OF the Ladies'
Missionary Society in their behalf. |
| also impressed upon them that the min.
lister would bcfriend them in case of
need. Then, secure in the thought that
| these two heather at the door would
be we'll cared for by workers I'm the
hidden field" l took my departure.
Six weeks later l returned to find
that the Chinese bride had been
claimed by a Chinese Free Mason of
Butte, rs his friend and chattel. valued
at $500. and spirited away, while her
husband had seemingly been swept
from the face of the earth. as not the
faintcst trace of his whereabouts could
be found.
Chinatown. though racked TO the
centre, blindly smiled Mt the inquistlve
reporters, and refused all explanations.
My own anxious inquiries among my
Chinese friend, We're met with polite
evaslons or abiect apologies. I'VE alice
solly Wong make Miss Ellery SO much
trouble. He steal him WIFE" TO my
Indignant protests that Ma 10y was
lawfully married and should be pro-
tcctCd by the courts. they answered:
wong know better than 20 to court.
Wong go to law. no win alice lite. he
pay cost You help Wong win, then
Chinese paper say, 'One thousand dol,
lars for some one stick n knife in
Wong You not know what Chinese
paper say. No one kill for one thou.
sand. paper say, Two thousand, three
thousand Some night Wong die. No
one know, Flee Mason pay, Six Com
pany pay. Wong Flee Mason. Nh 10y
b'lOng to Flee Mason. Wong steal him
wife, tell much big lie. Vclly bad"
Somewhere I'm Butte Montana, n
swect-faced wife. worse than widowed,
drags out her hopeless days in degra,
cation and shame. while her marriage
certificate is filed away by the clerk
of the court.
Sufficiently enlightened TO understand
that America was the home of the free,
where no slavery could exist. these
simple-minded children had sought un,
der protection of our laws TO evade
Chinese customs. Ma 10y the chattel
had run away from bondage, believing
that In this Christian land she would
be permitted to lead n clean. virtuous
life ms the wife OF Wong Wa Foy.
What could | do? What could any
one do single handed with the sword
Of Damocles hanging by a hair over
their heads?
mo doubt Wong was killed." said
the minister, to which the editor added
Its hot stuff for Il story. Write II mp
Have 1t illustrated in colors. New
York Evening Post.