New-York tribune., 1911-01-29

into We talked. therefore. without re-
straint, and made scant endeavor TO curo
my curiosity.
The play upset all my preconceived IDEAS
Of the "stoical' Chinese gambler, IDEAS
gained for the most part from books OF III
watching coole lremen on the steamers
hazarding a few cents on fantan vi
"hi-lo." At times the players, especially
when the game seemed going against therh'
would rise from their seats and slam DOWN
unsatisfactory dominos with crash thac
shook the floor and sent the scales nylhs
from the back Of the gold and silver dragon
that squirmed about the lacquered table.
Onlv the proprietor and the other two old
conservatives" preserved the traditional
impassibility OF their race, and Doubtless
their coolness was assumed largely 10
"keep pace" before the hated foreigners
The wagers were made with ivory disks
not unlike our poker chips, and the neaNi-
est play seemed TO be in the form OF slde
bets between the various gamesters'
Many of the art treasures ABOUT the
room were real antiques, the captain eA-
plained, surprising in value and interest
ANYTHING in the vice-regal famen. lhaI
Jade sceptre had come TO the grandfather
Of the present proprietor from famous
Tartar general as the pledge Of gambling
debt which was never redeemed. Ihat
bronze phoenix, with his feathers so crusted
with verdigris, came from Shenshl ana
dated back a couple Of thousand years.
That bowl Of carved red lacquer was OF the
time of the Mings, and that glass covered
paintlng was a priceless thing from the
, Han period. That carved ivory Buddha'
yellow with age was brought
That's all very interesting, captain cut
in T.. impatiently, butt had seen
the interrogation hanging on his lips since
we entered, and must confess 10 having
been bitten with no small amount OF curios-
ity on the subject myself who in the
deuce are the girls?'
The captain laughed. They are slaves
he replied no, not concuoines They
have hardly the standing Of concubines'
in that they are usually of lower origin
than secondary wives, and children born
to any of them would have no place In
mans family. Yet some OF these girls
here have more influence with their mas
ters than all of their wives combined, Tor
among them are several that would be
-anked among the most beautiful women
OF any class in Canton.
They are what you might call the
creme de la creme of all the slave girls
/ of China. and some Of them couldn't be
bought-that one with the large, wide
set eyes. who is singing to herself over
there. for instance-for a good many
thousand taels But they are slaves
nevertheless: slaves to be bought ana
sold one of them changed hands earlier
in the evening, and, if the play keeps up
! at the rate IL is going now. ii is not un-
! likely that one or two more of them may
I find new masters before they are fin
ished The Cantonese gambler keeps his
ravorite slave as dernier resort. Just as
/ the fellows 1T Yale used 10 stake their
watches or the furniture Of their rooms
when all their money and credit were
gone
Presently a poy came in with several
bottles of champagne and package OF
, foreign pastry, for which lie evidently had
been dispatched upon our arrival. We
politely protested our preference for sam
shu. fukien and watermelon seeds. only
10 be tumultuously oyerruled by our So
licitous hosts, who insisted that they, at
least must he permitted 10 drink our
health in our national beverage" So
We volunteered TO do ourselves the honor
Of pledging them in samshu, and let the
boy go ahead with the gold capped bottles
The wine must have been given a good
shake-up on the way. for il eapt for liberty
at the first pink Of a severed wire with
a force that nearly sent the surprised boy
over backward and quite blinded him with
flying spray. The lads discontinue. and
the scarcely less comical efforts Of our
well disposed hosts TO capture the elusive
bubbles after the wine had been poured.
produced the first signs OF real interest In
the scornful beauties on the divans. The
boldest of them even went so far as 10
steal a sip from the glass which one OF
the "old conservatives evidently her mas
ter-had shifted at and contemptuously set
down. and the look of nexpressible sur
prise and disgust which leIpt TO her face
as she spat the prickly liquid out upon
the floor set her companions OF into peals
OF real girlish laughter
This episode thawed the naughty mnxes
somewhat. and after we had drunk 10 the
good luck Of all the games;srs in samshu
and returned with the captain TO the bal
cOny to talk pirates. couple OF them
lounged over and began taking stock Of
our apparel and belongings. our heavy
shoes excited wonder and our silk socks
interest. but apparent disapproyal on the
score OF quality, the material IN our pongee
suits seemed 10 please but the cut and
workmanship got frowned at T.'s cun
links OF first chop Japanese cloisonne were
dismissed with contemptuous grunts. ana
a new jade scarfpin in which he had taken
especial pride up tO that moment provoked
smiles OF pity for one who could be pre-
vailed upon TO buy such trash.
Ny enjoyment OF T's discontinue was
shortllved. however. Tor my silver ciga-
rette ease. decorated with dragon In
heavy repoussa and the crossed flags OF
China and the United States-a souvenir OF
the yice-regal dlnner-met with such favor