The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-07
IN CHINATOWN
| AFTER THE STORM.
A Woman Inauirer Seeks Intormas
ton an5 Is Bafflsd by
Celestial Retioenee

Nothing really happened in Chinatown
last Sunday night. There want any
raid, II was all a mistake. The Chinese
don't know a thing about Il. That is' Of
course except what they've read in the
papers.
Groups Of pigtails hattened Themselves
against walls, reading large red Chinese
laundry signs, but when the woman in
qulrer walked up 70 them and asked them
what Il was all about, they faced her with
little expressionless eyes.
Il dunno was the answer.
She invaded the precincts Of the HIP
Sing Tong. She had been there before
Very beautiful rooms they are after you
have climbed all the stairs; there IL hand
| some inlaid furniture and a glittering joss
outfit.
Il want 10 zee One Lung. the court inter
prefer she said, TO hear all about the
raid
She had met One Lung. He was very
polite He had promised her 70 let her go
to court with him some day and hear him
misinterpret
One Lung would be in in about an hour,
they told her
Cinnamon are very pleasant people 10
interview, she had discovered, when one
knew beforehand all about what they
| didn't want to tell She decided 70 wait,
A few little footed, round faced Chinese
strolled in They sat down in the beautiful
| chairs and looked at her. The one with
| the longest pistail got up and offered her
an infnitesimal cup Of tea from the basket
on the table. Another offered her scraps Of
conversation to pass away the time.
'Velly high cline, he said, which. in
terpreted, signihed, a long way up the
stairs 20 get here"
'Vellv.T she answered politely.
'Itll be vlelly blot this summer he
remarked casually, after a period of deep
| thought.
1t will,' she assented, and looked out
| Of the window a while.
! A Parkhurst detective strolled in. He
| took look at her, which she returned
He was soant Of hair and long Of nose. he
talked ably with Wang Lee, Two Lungs
and Lie Low.
what doing now?r he asked.
| They answered something that sounded
| a little like nothing but not much.
All the laundries are closed up now on
account Of this excitement, he explained
10 the reporter. business is at a stand
still. However,, he explained Iurther'
every excuse they get they close up.
They appeared to be taking their excite
ment very quietly. A few more Celestials
emerged from the hall and helped them
selves to tea. One smoked gently pipe
| with a very long handle and very small
The Parkhurst detective laid hands on
you are smoking too much, Ching Loo
he said.
a chair. Others sat in chairs. Some had
| their pigtails outside their caps, wound
| around delicately. Some had them wound
around inside. others trailed on the floor:
All were neatly clad as to the feet, white
stockings seeming to be most fashionable,
varied with brown now and then. From
| time 20 time they talked together. "
| sounded Ike a chant. The voices rose and
fell and ended abruptly.
At length, after an hour and a nan OF
waiting, One Lung. preceded grnndly by
about four, hove In sight. He stood be-
| for the woman inquirer.
what you want?' he asked.
Il want to hear about the raid, she
answered.
what raid'' wistfully
'The raid that occurred Sunday night.
He assumed look Of family remem-
bering;
Il In the plapers,' he concluded. THAT
ali. Read 'plapers. Ask plolice.
Tell me about it, insisted the woman,
sWas Il the Hop Sing Tong that peached
on the On LeonB Tong or what!
when pleOple play, the ones that lose
thley tell on the ones that win. On Deong
Tong tell on On Leong Tong. Ask Tom
Lee
Where il Mock Duck2' asked the woman
Mock Duck he nowhere. He gone,
Find Tom Lee. Ask him.
The headquarters Of Tom Lee, chief chef
Of the On Leong Tong Is at IS Mott street
Crowds surrounded the door They ap-
pea red to be cad for some reason Or other
The woman advanced. The moon faces
regarded her gravely.
II want TO zee Tom Lee she said.
Some boys gathered. They interpre ted
her remark The Celestials frowned.
sTum Lee they repeated vaguely,
sTom Leel Who Tom Leei'
you'd think they didn't have sense
enough TO pound sand TO look at them
volunteered one Of the boys, shut they
know as much as you do.
sTom Iee!' repeated the Celestials
Then brightly: sob, you mean Tom Leel'
YES. said the woman. tom Lee.
A tall Chinaman pushed his way through
10 the door. Il see IL Tom Lee here" he
told her, and vanished back Of the door
By and by he returned.
Tom Lee he gone TO Harlem he de-
clared and stood with a broad and deter
mined hack against the door.
The woman turned and walked sadly
up Mott street. II seemed useless to pur-
sue the subject further.