New-York tribune., 1911-01-29
A SLAVE GIRL OF CANTON.
irsfantiY and


that its discoverer annexed II instantly ano
transferred II for safekeeping TO the
slack Of her grdle. A bright purple neck
tie was only saved from a similar fats
through the fortunate fact that the young
person who pounced upon 1t had not
sailors sapency in the matter OF untyins
knots. A stiff collar would have saved my
neck a bit during her efforts 10 make mo
ever-tightening stranger come on by pull
ing with all her might upon one end OF IT,
but I managed to slip it up enough 70 gee
breath after she had transferred her at
tention to solving the mystery OF the pat
ent catch on Ts fraternity pin.
Several more OF the young yultures came
crowding in at the prospect OF such unique
plunder, one OF them-a dark. slender, VIII
lowy creature, with more than passing
suggestion Of the East Indian Nautch girl
lurking in face and hgure-dexterously
twirling a folded fan upon the ends Of her
first three fingers. The trick is as elusive
Is battling TO execute as il is fascinating
to watch. and in minute all or us-the
captain included-had our fans out and
were trying 10 make our blunt clumsy
fingers go through the movements OF the
deft taper ones.
Five minutes, or ten. or maybe fifteen. or
even more We practsed the elusive little
trick under the tutelage OF our now thor
oughly interested instructors, and T. had
/ Just come in for a chorus of commendstory
''Yahs" for jiggering his sheaf OF ivory
/ through a whole $50 degrees of revolution
without allowing it to fall to the floor
when there came a sharp imprecation or
| disappointment from the tatle, followed by
the crash Of dominos and tile shiyering OF
broken glass. Hurrying out Of our balcony
corner. we were just in time to see one OF
the "old conservatives" jump TO his feet
glare angriy at where we stood in the
archway. bow jerkily 10 those about him
and stalk stiffly off down the hallway 10
the stairs. still iinging curses over hts
shoulder
All seemed rather put out at the old fei-
lows precipitate actions. which the cap
tain after a few moments inquiry, H.
| formed us were due 10 the circumstance OF
his having lost all his money and the dark
girl with the fan-twirlIng trick in addition.
He didn't mind the money so much, for
| he'll squeeze from his district In month
more than all his losses amount TO- but it
cut him pretty hard 70 part with the girl,
and especially 10 Taotao l. over there,
who has tried I'm every way 70 get her for
the last three years. He thinks, by tho
way. that you fellows brought him his III
luck That last thing he shouted back was
that he hoped you'd both die OF plague
and me with you-before you come TO see
him play any more"
Shortly the click OF the dominos resumed.
and the girls, gathering about the careless,
dark beauty who had just changed mas
ters, forgot in tho excitement again 10 take
I'D our education in fan twirling. Taotat
L. cast occasional sidelong glances OF
satisfaction in the direction OF his new
acquisition, but addressed her no word.
The girl gave him not so much as a look.
but presently seated herself on a divan.
leaned her elbows on her knees and her
chin in her hands and broke into a squeak
ing chant which was no more of an index
to her feelings than the expression OF her
impassve face. Was it pean of rejoicing
or the sob OF a broken heart? The captain
said il was only song, and that probably
she would have sung il anyway.
7. and 1 judged the moment for our
withdrawal proptious, and after making
our bows OF ceremony, piloted by the cap
tain and tho returned student, picked our
way down tho long fights Of brass stairs
and threaded the labyrinths 70 the Sameen
bridge.
Since this strange experience In the Cam
ton restaurant my observations aud ques-
tionngs IN various parts of the country
have lie Il perfectly clear that, imperial
edicts 10 the contrary Notwithstanding,
slavery may be said 70 exist to-day Ia
China, both north and south. So persistent
is the system that 1t extends even 10 Hong
Kong and Macao, and instances are on
record OF girls being held in bondage for
years in San Francisco without their hav-
ing made any attempt to accomplish their
liberty.
The substance Cf the last edict was that
slaves OF either sex could gain their liberty
by making application 10 the nearest pre-
fectural yamen: but where years OF British
rule in Hong Kong have failed 10 eradicate
/ the practice ii may readily be seen how
muck OF a dead letter such a ruling would
prove in china proper. where. as a matter
OF fact. save in isolated instances where
missionaries have brought personal infiu-
ence 10 bear, no attention whatever is paid
to H.
A. Dyer Ball, the Cantonese authority.
has pointed out slavery appears TO bc al
NEST the normal condition OF the inhab-
itar,s Of a country where rights OF the in
dividual as an individual are unknown
and where the conservation and perpetua-
ton OF the family are the aims OF human
society To this is due some OF the buying
and selling OF human beings a. chattels.
for should no son be born to "A man he
often purchases one from poor parents and
adopts him as his own.
H. the early days OF the empire slaves
were principally drawn from prisoners OF
war as in other primitive countries, and
later it became the custom to give TO gov
ernment officers slaves the wives, chill
dren ard relatives OF the most naxrant
Continued ON dfth nara