Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-03
SOCIETY ONE OF MOST UNIQUE
IN COUNTRY
Members Assume Chinese Names and
Don Oriental Garb on all Off,
eial oeeaslons-First Initia-
ton Held


Pin Nu Yen, from the Chinese.
This unique organization starts out
with small but select membership.
In time 1t will no doubt rival some of
the best known female fraternities in
the land, through its peculiarly pic
turesque inception, If nothing else.
Everything in Chinese-except the
members. They are required to as
sumo Chinese names and don the
Oriental garb, however, when partici-
pating in any of the organizations
social or other functions. Indeed,
they will be known to each other on
all occasions by their Tong names.
The directors of Tong Pin Nu Yen,
known as the Circle of Ora gons, are:
Miss Frances Tuttle (F'ran Sing Tut,
Miss Edna Mckay mo Kay Suey),
Miss Myrtle Brown (Sam Luck Mid,
Miss Alma White (Peg Som MOI. Miss
Tuttle is high chief mogul, Miss Nc
Kay chief mogul, Miss Brown keeper
of the royal ak, and Miss White high
chief leveler, the latter two meaning
secretary and treasurer, respectively.
The First Initiation.
The Tong held its first initiation Fri
day night at the home of Miss White,
230 South Johnson street. Miss Alice
Moore of 507 West Adams street was
the society.
1t was trying ordeal for Miss
Moore, but she survived and appeared
none the worse for her experience. Of
course. she didn't like the idea of
boarding a street car blindfolded and
riding through the city attired in
mandarin kimono. But such was the
decree of the high chief mogul and her
royal associates composing the Circle
of Dragons, and she had to obey the
command.
Miss Moore was escorted from her
home to a dance in the fashionable
residence portion of South Main street,
after which she was taken to Miss
Whites, where the real fun took place.
Decorations peculiar to the far east
were used entirely in the shrine room
of the house where the candidate was
initiated into the secret mysteries of the
Oriental circle.
Chinese lanterns entwned with the
emblematic dragon marked the ap-
proach to the chamber of revelation,
while the walls of the room We're dotted
with crimson colored sheets of paper,
whereon, in Asatic popularity, had
been written Chinese " hieroglyphics."
Each of these ink marked slips sug-
gested the favorite slogans and maxims
of the mandarins and the members nf
the inner house of the walled city.
The atmosphere of the house was per-
meated with the soothing fragrance of
incense, while in the shrine room punk
was burned at the base of the Great
Joss"
Each of the young women appeared
in Chinese costume
Real Fun in Hay Loft.
In the hay loft of the stable back of
the Whites residence was where the
went along smoothly until the lights
went out and the commotion that fol-
lowed was something fierce.
It's the highbinders," shouted one
young woman, in dire distress, while
the others were making for pole lead
ing through loft hole to the ground.
The young women reached the house
in perfect safety and then sat down to
a table filled with good things to eat
II was nearly o'clock in the morning
when they wound up with the Tong
ceremonies.
According to the members the Tong
was organized for the purpose of pro-
noting the Terpsichorean art, sociabil-
ity amongst its members and a closer
fraternity.
In few weeks a Chinese dance will
be given, at which all of the guests will
be compelled to appear in Oriental cos
tunes. All of the dances will be re-
named to conform with Oriental names.
The founder of the society in all prob
ability will be the master of ceremonies
on this occasion.
The novel scheme of forming Tong
originated with Attorney Wallace w.
Widemans who advised with the young
women relative to the affair.
Mr.. Wideman several years ago
visited the principal cities of China and
CLEANED much valuable information ra-
garding the workings Of mandarin or
ganlzations.
There are no societies in China de-
voted to women, therefore the idea of
the Tong Pin Nu Yen Is entirely
original.
The constitution of the Tong, the
name of the society, the rechristening
OF the members with Chinese names
and the names of the officers were sug-.
gested and prepared by the attorney.
A few years ago, after the fall of
Peking. Mr.. Wdeman was presented
with two bronze idols taken from the
walled city by Edward Keen, the we'll
known newspaper correspondent who