The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-07-21
lCopyright. 19oS. by wv. r. Hearst.l

NGopyIlSHt, lJOo, Wy w. n. 1lSahSll
Gee Hi owned a profitable vegetable
garden neal Los Angeles. and q Gus
toners whose tables for years had
known no vegetables but those supplied
by him. Moreover. he was an exem-
plary Chinaman. He often shook his
head over the troubles of his other
countrymen INC proudly called atten-
ton to his own spotless career, which
had not u ripple in h peacefulness of
the years Of his s%ojourn In America.
AS to why he was always so blessed
Mclean. Me dress Mclean. Cut off
him queue. Me mindee veg'ahle; no
locke trouble" was Gees reply.
When little Ong Wang was left an
orphan at 9 years old, Gee Hi adopted
him with all the legal forms required
by American law.
The small Ong's father had been a
cook In a downtown restaurant, where
the queer little child attracted a great
deal Of attention, and became quite
friendly with many of the customers,
hus acquiring a better understanding
Of the American language than his
father.
1t was the Americanisms of his
speech that won the admiration Of Gee
ri while carrying vegetables into the
restaurant kitchen. and later opened
the door Of his affection to the Or
phan.
Ong frequently accompanied his new
father in the vegetable wagon, arousinS
interest all along the route, and when
he was occasionally left at home to
work in the garden, motherly women
Gees delight, who would murmur as he
drove on.
"Ah, ah! He good Mclean"
One Of Gees best customers was Mrs.
Ashbury, the detectives wife.
She was also a teacher in the Chi
nese mission. but so far her e%ndeavors
in Gees behalf had been useless. He
would not go to the mission.
The Chinese child, however, aroused
her missionary zeal more strongly thar
the older Cinnamon, and h begged
GEE to allow him to remain and play
with her little son, Willie, which he did
many times. Willie was we'll pleased
with his new playfellow, and they a
great fun together. but weeks passed
and Ong did not attend h mission
Sunday school.
Detective AShbury was at nome later
thar usual one morning, and happened
to be on the back porch when Gee n
his adopted son came with the
vegetables. Odd, indeed, was their APP
%pearance. The child's fat young face
above his grotesaue clothing was a
SStAtA hiotl1 tSS N9oAN 60 ny
ferred to dress him like American chill
dren, but Ong's father had asked that
his child be clothed according to the
Chinese custom and wear a queue, at
least until he became a man.
Gee KRIS appearance almost bafiied
description. He was short and stout,
and was proud in the possession of a
sparse muStache.
His leatlery face was a network of a
thousand wrinkles. with a deep chan
mel above the right eye, which might
have been a mammoth wrinkle or a
scar from the long. t~wo-handled sword
that plays it's part among the murder
Gus secret societies of China. Age was
prowess before such a face. 1t was not
youthful certainly, hut it might have
been anywhere from 80 to $50 years old.
The detective regarded the duet with
ar amused smile, which soon changed
to keen interest.
We'll, john" he asked, "have o a
twin brother living down on the
dumps"
Gee HI talked Mclean" but "twin
brother vas a new word to him. SO he
only looked at his questioner with an
infantile smile and did not reply.
His name is Gee, not john" cor
rected Mr.. Ashbury. who strongly OBJ
jected to the appellation Of john or
Charlie to any II all Cinnamon.
L pC6 yOu1 pd1NOIl, 0CCy odid IlS
detective, laughing, but isn't Jim
Dumps a relative OF yours? I would
almost say hat you We're the same
man"
"Gee has no brother" Ong volun-
teered for him. Y
While Mrs. Ashbnry gave the order
for vegetables. the detective studied the
face of the Chinaman.
"a most remarkable resemblance" he
said, as Gee carried the vegetables in
to the kitchen. IF it were not for that
scar over the eye I should say he was
the Chinaman that lives in a little
shanty down on the dumps as is con-
stantly quaTrelling with an old white
man, who is also ~encroaching upon the
city dumps"
Little Ong Wang was an attentive
listener. but all of Gees faculties were
required in the vegetable transaction,
and he understood nothing tina the de-
tective had said.
Friday afternoon OF the same week
Gee was drivin' home in a very cheer
full state of mind. Sales had been
large Of late. When a short distance
from his neat gardens and small house,
Ong Wang stepped out from q patch of
tall sweet corn and called in the shrill
%staccato of his native language.
Gee stopped to help him into the wag-
on, but before he had started up the
IlOISe, Glu dll1lOSl before ONS naQ made
him understand what had happened, q
policeman, followed by a big black
wagon. turned out of the road that led
to Gees shanty, and walked straight
to the spot where Gee and his little
companion were chattering like birds.
Gee was so badly frightened that he
forgot all that he had ever known of
the American language, until the magic
word murder" was spoken.
me no Murder. Me good Mclean.
See. cut off him queue. Me good Nell
can"
"oh, come long here" said the po-
liceman. "You murdered the old miser.
Newman, that lived down on the
dumps. There cannot be W. such fun
ny looking Cinnamon as you, SO come
along peacefully"
The policeman did not wait for tbs
peaceful compliance. but strongly as
sisted h terrified Chinaman, who
could only repeat:
ME no murder. Me good Mclean.
Mclean"
ong Wang sat alone in the wagon
after his benefactor had been uncere-
moniously transferred to the patrol
He was too thoroughly oriental to
q, ,