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the ram in the first sentence was as far as any man had ever heard him
get； concerning it。 He always maundered off； interminably； from one
thing to another； till his whisky got the best of him and he fell asleep。
What the thing was that happened to him and his grandfather's old ram is
a dark mystery to this day； for nobody has ever yet found out。
CHAPTER LIV。
Of course there was a large Chinese population in Virginiait is the
case with every town and city on the Pacific coast。 They are a harmless
race when white men either let them alone or treat them no worse than
dogs； in fact they are almost entirely harmless anyhow； for they seldom
think of resenting the vilest insults or the cruelest injuries。 They are
quiet； peaceable； tractable； free from drunkenness； and they are as
industrious as the day is long。 A disorderly Chinaman is rare； and a
lazy one does not exist。 So long as a Chinaman has strength to use his
hands he needs no support from anybody； white men often complain of want
of work； but a Chinaman offers no such complaint； he always manages to
find something to do。 He is a great convenience to everybodyeven to
the worst class of white men； for he bears the most of their sins；
suffering fines for their petty thefts； imprisonment for their robberies；
and death for their murders。 Any white man can swear a Chinaman's life
away in the courts； but no Chinaman can testify against a white man。
Ours is the 〃land of the free〃nobody denies thatnobody challenges it。
＇Maybe it is because we won't let other people testify。＇ As I write； news
comes that in broad daylight in San Francisco； some boys have stoned an
inoffensive Chinaman to death； and that although a large crowd witnessed
the shameful deed； no one interfered。
There are seventy thousand （and possibly one hundred thousand） Chinamen
on the Pacific coast。 There were about a thousand in Virginia。 They
were penned into a 〃Chinese quarter〃a thing which they do not
particularly object to； as they are fond of herding together。 Their
buildings were of wood； usually only one story high； and set thickly
together along streets scarcely wide enough for a wagon to pass through。
Their quarter was a little removed from the rest of the town。 The chief
employment of Chinamen in towns is to wash clothing。 They always send a
bill； like this below； pinned to the clothes。 It is mere ceremony； for
it does not enlighten the customer much。 Their price for washing was
2。50 per dozenrather cheaper than white people could afford to wash
for at that time。 A very common sign on the Chinese houses was： 〃See
Yup； Washer and Ironer〃； 〃Hong Wo； Washer〃； 〃Sam Sing & Ah Hop； Washing。〃
The house servants； cooks； etc。； in California and Nevada； were chiefly
Chinamen。 There were few white servants and no Chinawomen so employed。
Chinamen make good house servants； being quick； obedient； patient； quick
to learn and tirelessly industrious。 They do not need to be taught a
thing twice； as a general thing。 They are imitative。 If a Chinaman were
to see his master break up a centre table； in a passion； and kindle a
fire with it； that Chinaman would be likely to resort to the furniture
for fuel forever afterward。
All Chinamen can read； write and cipher with easy facilitypity but all
our petted voters could。 In California they rent little patches of
ground and do a deal of gardening。 They will raise surprising crops of
vegetables on a sand pile。 They waste nothing。 What is rubbish to a
Christian； a Chinaman carefully preserves and makes useful in one way or
another。 He gathers up all the old oyster and sardine cans that white
people throw away； and procures marketable tin and solder from them by
melting。 He gathers up old bones and turns them into manure。
In California he gets a living out of old mining claims that white men
have abandoned as exhausted and worthlessand then the officers come
down on him once a month with an exorbitant swindle to which the
legislature has given the broad； general name of 〃foreign〃 mining tax；
but it is usually inflicted on no foreigners but Chinamen。 This swindle
has in some cases been repeated once or twice on the same victim in the
course of the same monthbut the public treasury was no additionally
enriched by it； probably。
Chinamen hold their dead in great reverencethey worship their departed
ancestors； in fact。 Hence； in China； a man's front yard； back yard； or
any other part of his premises； is made his family burying ground； in
order that he may visit the graves at any and all times。 Therefore that
huge empire is one mighty cemetery； it is ridged and wringled from its
centre to its circumference with gravesand inasmuch as every foot of
ground must be made to do its utmost； in China； lest the swarming
population suffer for food； the very graves are cultivated and yield a
harvest； custom holding this to be no dishonor to the dead。 Since the
departed are held in such worshipful reverence； a Chinaman cannot bear
that any indignity be offered the places where they sleep。
Mr。 Burlingame said that herein lay China's bitter opposition to
railroads； a road could not be built anywhere in the empire without
disturbing the graves of their ancestors or friends。
A Chinaman hardly believes he could enjoy the hereafter except his body
lay in his beloved China； also； he desires to receive； himself； after
death； that worship with which he has honored his dead that preceded him。
Therefore； if he visits a foreign country； he makes arrangements to have
his bones returned to China in case he dies； if he hires to go to a
foreign country on a labor contract； there is always a stipulation that
his body shall be taken back to China if he dies； if the government sells
a gang of Coolies to a foreigner for the usual five…year term； it is
specified in the contract that their bodies shall be restored to China in
case of death。 On the Pacific coast the Chinamen all belong to one or
another of several great companies or organizations； and these companies
keep track of their members； register their names； and ship their bodies
home when they die。 The See Yup Company is held to be the largest of
these。 The Ning Yeong Company is next； and numbers eighteen thousand
members on the coast。 Its headquarters are at San Francisco； where it
has a costly temple； several great officers （one of whom keeps regal
state in seclusion and cannot be approached by common humanity）； and a
numerous priesthood。 In it I was shown a register of its members； with
the dead and the date of their shipment to China duly marked。 Every ship
that sails from San Francisco carries away a heavy freight of Chinese
corpsesor did； at least； until the legislature； with an ingenious
refinement of Christian cruelty； forbade the shipments； as a neat
underhanded way of deterring Chinese immigration。 The bill was offered；
whether it passed or not。 It is my impression that it passed。 There was
another billit became a lawcompelling every incoming Chinaman to be
vaccinated on the wharf and pay a duly appointed quack （no decent doctor
would defile himself with such legalized robbery） ten dollars for it。
As few importers of Chinese would want to go to an expense like that； the
law…makers thought this would be another heavy blow to Chinese
immigration。
What the Chinese quarter of Virginia was likeor； indeed； what the
Chinese quarter of any Pacific coast town was and is likemay be
gathered from this item which I printed in the Enterprise while reporting
for that paper：
CHINATOWN。Accompanied by a fellow reporter； we made a trip through
our Chinese quarter the other night。 The Chinese have built their
portion of the city to suit themselves； and as they keep neither
carriages nor wagons； their streets are not wide enough； as a
general thing； to admit of the passage of vehicles。 At ten o'clock
at night the Chinaman may be seen in all his glory。 In every little
cooped…up； dingy cavern of a hut； faint with the odor of burning
Josh…lights and with nothing to see the gloom by save the sickly；
guttering tallow candle； were two or three yellow； long…ta