The Inter Ocean from Chicago, Illinois • Page 31

2 -4 4-. X. THE WILES OF 'QUONG WONG. (Copy rlslrt. 1909.

by-W. In Great Brtta.ln.W fEdltdr'a Note Reno, who haa written' there rmlnlscence of hla early experiences In the West, romti of a family of pioneers and Banters and related to Major Reno of Carter maiaacre fame. Hla earlier yara were spent In the turmoil of frontier life In Arizona, where he Was for aonie time deputy aherlff and later Vatted States deputy mitrshal. Tucson. Hla efforts In enforcing tha Chlneee exrlurioa act on the Mfxleaa border have been hlahly comanecded by the Washington au-thoritle and reccar.lzed.-D- the Hlrhblr.dt-r.

who J. laced price of on hla bead, which atanda oday. Of late eara he haa arid a hlahlr re-rpocaible pneition with one of the lanreat bank protective aasociatlone la) tha Called ttea. and aa superintendent of lta aeeret aervtca he baa eats hitched an er.Wabte record ef succeaa In runtiln down bank bonr'ars. Theae atorlea are confined to hla earlier experiences In the Wrst.

the scenea of whlrh are laid In- Artsona and New Uexlar near the Mexican border frontier." -hlch. recent years, waa wild and lawleasand where the typical bad of plonetr days made bla -last fOSTLT all Chinamen look alike to me." said- Jim sheriff of Red- lands. ''Some are last -a trifle uglier than but take 'cm on the whole, there's, a mighty strong; family resemblance between them, and they ain't what you would call i a 'handsome type of family either not a-ltbout at raining the type That, may be so' as far as you and I are concerned," I responded, "but after all. it's hardly fair to set our' Tie ws up as the only correct ones. If we were In China now the -chances-are that the natives would look us as mighty punk specimens of humanity, ideas' of beauty vary in the different countries like the very devil, Jim." "Well.

I'll hold to my own Idea of what Is rood look I or." returned Baldy in- "and that same idea don't cover the face of a yellow Chink, not by any manner of means." The foregoing conversation took place in my office at Tucson. Baldwin having, as he expressed it. "dropped In to pay a little visit to Uncle Sam," as represented by my humble self: Whenever be came to town he never missed, the opportunity of spending an hour or two' in my company. appearance on the scene was always welcomed by me. for amusements are none too varied In Arizona, and Baldy, as the boys called him, was an entertaining companion.

His reminiscences of life on the frontier were legion In number and he had been an active participant In more exciting episodes in the territory than to the lot of one man in a thousand. "Don't Imagine that I'm noising any brief for Chinamen in general," I said. "Etc since the Chinese exclusion act went into force they have caused me too much trouble to make me hall fellow well met with, any of fthe confounded heathens. But at that, Baldy. it Isn't fair to Judge-the natloo-ea a whole by the specimens we? get over here.

Old travelers in the Orient tell me that l'ts surprising what fine looking chaps some of the Chinks In the Interior are. Those that come here belong to the coolie class, little undersized fellows, who aren't of much account mentally or physically." "Tiere may be something in that." commented the sheriff grudgingly. "I remember one Chink I ran into who was a heap smarter than any other of hia countrymen that 1 ever saw. He used to work aa cook tor urady at the Biua Moon mine. Brady naa an Das or irouDie with cooks, and the fellow he had there before the Chink was probably the worst of the bunch.

Brady picked him up at Phoenix, where he bad gone to buy some supplies. He was a tall, raw-boned chap about 45 years old. dark enough for a greaser, and with a long under up inn nung aown like a motherless colt He goes up to Brady and says: 'I heard tell down to the 3Y Diamond ranch that they was wantin' a cook up to the Blue. Moon mine, so I Just pulled my freight to strike the Job. Know if It's tor "Why, says Brady.

'I'm manager of the Blue Moon. Can you cookr says the chap, 'I can cook. If you ain't too particular. I ain't fond of cook-In', but I can do It. I can fry beef, make a tolerable callyratus biscuit and a mtddlln' fair pie outen most anything.

But I ain't enjoyed cookln' much since I reformed. I used to be as bad as any of 'em. but I got religion with a fellow I was herdin' sheep four years says Brady. I guess we can give you a trial. I've got some more business to attend to before I start back to the mine so If you hang around hre for a spell I'll meet you in a couple of hours.

What mlsht your name so 'They christened me Gustavus Maine says the chap, 'but them as knows me always calls me the Don. Why I dunao; there ain't to foreign blood, in -m 'All right. says Brady, laughin'-t2k4Ucar'of yourutlt and I'll see you later When Brady came back he found that the new cook had been takin' care of himself In a regular rip-snortln kind of way. He waa as drunk as a lord, and If it wasn't that they ITre vd'Verate hapd for a cook at the dbTe.c?1,.ed off right there. llow.ei ho ake chance on him hoisted him into his saddle, and tbey started off.

For the first two miles they went slow. Then, as the Don grew a bit more sober and began sitting his horse steadier, they broke Into a trot and were ridin' along very nice when, makin' a sudden turn in the road around the point of mesa, they came across herd of burros, driven by three Mexicans. tWf 2T nd old A ey passed them by the old fellow saluted very respect- "Tvn i as. senores T5ey DJd Da8 the Mexicans only a few Bracy UP 'Did you see that greaser makin' faces at He insulted two white men. aqdT' goin to rebuke l.llBrh0r'rJ?r"1?,C?n,d mak -top kim the Don whips out his six-shooter and Hires straight at the old Mexican.

It was a chance shot, of cdurse. but It hit the mark and down went the old man and the burro' The Don was just steadying himself to take another shot, at the party, when Brady grabbed hla bridle, laid his quirt over the horse's back, and they went fiyln' down the road and out of sight around a turn. It turned out -afterwards tbst the burro was hit. but the old man waa unhurt, except for fright he got. day tha Don was very down In the mouth over the bad break he made, and he look the tongue lashin Brady gave him as meek aa a lamb.

Now that he was sober he turned out to be a very quiet sort of chap. tne the Blue Moon learned to like him. Ho had a queer way of throwing off Scripture texts in hla talk that amused every one, and while he wasn't of much account as a cook, still no one cared to find fault with him. 'Them, biscuits have got considerable aallyratus In 'em. I guess? he used to say when be laid a pan of heavy, yellow lumps of dough on the table, 'but It seems to take a heap of it to operate this flour.

Fear ye not death ye won't mind it with a little) raw nlon and plenty of salt. "He had been at the Blue Moon about two months, and Brady stood for him all right: 'AslODg aa the cusa keeps sober hesults he said. Then one fine day this Quong Wong heathen showed up. Nobody knew where he came. from, but be was first seen around the cook's shanty chattering away with Don.

That was early In the morning, and at the noon hour the lads began chaffing Don about his new pal. 'That's all says he. 'Whenever I sees a chance to win over a heatben soul I'm the boy to go after it. I'm goin' to convert that heathen and give him religion, same aa I've got myself." "Along about 4 o'clock Bill Chambers told the rest of the gang that he had peeked into, the shanty and see Don and the Chinaman drinkin' something out of a bottle. Ed Martin allowed that was a lie.

because he didn't believe tbst the Don would lower himself by makin' that free with a Chink: but the words wasn't out of bis mouth when they hear a mad yelling, and Don comes capering out of the shanty, flourishing his gun and taking snap shots at the atmosphere. The boya ducked for cover, not knowing but that Don might take a fancy to shooting at some ot them, same as ne naa at to oio Mexican. Presently they see him makfe a bee line for the building where the horses was, and-soon he comes out lesding the old plug he came to the Blue Moon on, mounts Into the saddle and away with him. Nobody tried to Inter fere, and Brady, botng away at the time. didn't hear of the affair until later on-that afternoon.

Then he wanted to know what became of the Chink, and one of -the boys goes to the shanty and finds him sitting there alone. Whatever Don had been- drink ing, it didn't look as If the Chinaman had hit op the stun to any extent, ror ne was aa sober as a Judga, The boya brought him to Brady, who began aaklng him questions as to how he came there and what he was after. The Chink was a much bigger man than the general run of his kind, and spoke pretty good English, too. But all that Brady could get out of him was that he could do American cooking and thought he might be able to get a Job helping the cook. says Brady, 'I don't know but what you're rsponsible for getting Don off on this tear.

You look like a foxy reptile. But. anyway, we've got to have some one to dish up the food, and a Chink can-'t be much worse than a drunken lunatic. You can take hold and let us see what you can do. Maybe Donll show up "But thaf Just what Don failed to do.

He ccver even came back to get the trifle, of wagea duo him. and nobody knows to this day where he made tracks to. Meanwhile tive Chink got' the Job and. made good." He could certainly cook some, and the Blue Moon boys learned to enjoy the beat kind of feedrn. Still, they didn't take- to the new cook, which I suppose) was natural enough, for no man in this section of tha country Is over and above fond of that At the same time there wasn't any liberties taken with htm.

for somehow. Chink, though he waa. he gave you the impression of belag a man that it would be wise to leave alone. There's iom people that nature. seems to have put a danger stamp on, and) that's how it waa with this Quong Wong.

I saw him one day when I dropped In to the camp to see Brady- on some business, and I couldn't help but notice the. queer gleam In hla Httle pig 'I ain't stuck on your new ear I to 'Mostly them kind of people are harmleaa enough except when they get to wing the hatchet en each other, but that chap haa got something bad hid. under all his quiet ways. Td bet my head he's one of the high muck In a Tong society, or something of that kind, and Is Just lying low here account of somebody he's butchered up Los ADgxricw or Frisco says "but that ain't none; of my business. All I know Is that be la a lightning cook and could make) a fine stew out of old shoes if he had Walt till you taste some of the stuff he serves up and you won't care If he belonged to all the Tongs from here to China.

I'll admit that he has some odd fancies, though. He keeps a big rattlesnake for a pet in that shanty where he aleeps that seems to know him like a dog does his "'How can you telir I asked. "Well. It waa like says Brady. 'You see, he doesn't sleep In the bunkhouse 1 with the rest of the gang.

I guesaed that the boya wouldn't care about having a Chink put In with them, and so to keep things peaceful I rigged him up a place In an old shanty where he could be by himself. One night I Lwaa passing by there, when I heard a kind of queer whistling music and looked in tne aoor. There was Mr. Wong squatting on the floor with a kind of flute In his mouth, playing away like fun. and right In front of him was a four foot rattler awaying his yellow-barred body In circles from aide to side In time with the music.

It made my hair stand straight on my head for a moment, it waa such an unexpected eight. Wong heard me gasp. looked up and atopped playing. The instant he did so the rattler stopped swaying and. remained with half Its body erect, and poised In the air as If stiffened to stone.

The Chink made a motion with his flute, and It dropped like a flash and gilded away into a narrow wooden box that lay. in a corner of the shanty. Wong didn't seem In the leaat disturbed over my visit. When I hinted that I didn't quite approve of such dangerous pets around tne premises he merely grinned, and assured me that he had the anake under perfect con trol, and it would never -leave the sbanty unless he permitted It. Of course.

I didn't care to press the matter any further, aa the mink la the only decent cook that I have had around here for the last two years, and If he wanta to play with poison snakes that'a his own said I. it'a all a matter of taste, but I think I'd sooner put up with a little bum cooking than have 'that Chink around me. I ain't atuck on anake charmers of any nationality. I found that Brady hadn't exaggerated any when he praised the Chink's cooking. He sure turned out a satisfactory supper for ns that night, and I left there feeling more charitable to his little anake charming atunts tnan I would have supposed possible.

Still it wasn't long before I was to hear of a racket at the Blue Moon that made me fancy that my original ideas about Mr. Wong's amusements were the. correct ones. "As I said before, the gang didn't cotton Tery kindly to the Chink, for all that be was such, an extra fine chuck provider. There was a fellow named Jim Blackburn In particular who had it in for never let a chance go by of making him feel It.

And one night Blackburn and a couple of his pals -who. had been hitting up 'the whisky bottle pretty free made up their minds to pay Wong a visit and haze him a little knew nothing about the snake, for Brady bad kept fait mouth shut regarding" the Chink's pet. not wishing to make him any more unpopular than he was. I always believed to this day that. Wong In some way got -wise to their kind intentions.

At any rate, when his three conspiring neighbors stole up to his thanty qulety In the dark, Wong was lying snugly wrapped in a blanket on the far side cf the building. He explained afterward that he was bothered by the heat and lay down outside for the purpose of keeping rJ "Blackburn was In the lead, pushed open the door of the and stole In with his pals close behind him. He called Wong by name, but there was no answer. Then one of them struck a match and lit a lantern they carried. Tbey looked around, but the shanty was empty.

said Blackburn, 'the blasted Chink ain't here. Wonder what he's got bidden away In thet box? "He went over to the box that lay in tho corner and raised the lid. The next minute the head of the snake darted out. rattling like mad, and Blackburn gave a frightful 'I'm a dead man. boys, he yelled; 'the snake's bitten "One of hia pals turned his gun loose and blew the head off the rattler, and then they began pouring whisky Into Blackburn to try and save his llfe Lucky for him, he had been well filled up with the stuff before be ever came in the shanty, or It would have been all day with him.

Even as It was it wss touch and go with him, and he only cheated the coroner by the closest kind of a shave. "Tou can imagine that this Incident didn't telp toward making Wong any more of a favorite with the crowd. At that there was some of them said Blackburn only got what he deserved, and Brady, who Is a very obstinate kind of a cuss when he gets his mind made up. said right out that the Chink wasn't to blame. I took a different view of the affair, for I figured that the yellow man Just naturally laid a trap for them fellows.

But Brady was boss of the Blue Moos, and It wasn't really any of my business, so long as there hadn't been any fatal "About-eight weeks after this the Blue Moon was robbed, and robbed by some one who knew the lay of the land around there, for they got away with a bunch of bullion at night in a fashion that would have been well nigh Impossible for strangers who wouldn't have Just known where to put their hands on the stuff. "This wss my business, all right, and I lost ne time in grabbing Mr. Quong Wong, who, I felt sure, was mixed up In the deal. But not a word could we get out of that heathen that would help us any. He simply stood pat and declared his Innocence.

What riled me more than anything else was the stsnd that-Brady took. He ssld I was prejudiced against the -Chink, and that-there wasn't an atom of evidence to connect him with the robbery. In the long run I was obliged to let the yellow reptile go; and If POWER OF THE ROMANCE ROSE OF i NELLIE CUSTIS AT MOUNT VERNON TILL sending forth the lovely fragrance pa of Its flowers to gladden the passerby. Itbough it has seen more than a cen tury of a charmed life, the "Nellie Custls" rosebush at Mount Vernon, famed for Its potency In securing husbands for the unwed-ded. Is as beautiful today as when George Washington himself set it out in his garden and gave It the name of his fascinating stepdaughter.

To the remotest hamlet that has ever furnished a Mount Vernon tourist the fame ot the magic rosebush haa gone and the marriages attributed to Its mysterious Influence would make the reputation of any "shatcben" or Jewish marriage broker pale. Many a "marrying parson' who boasts of the number of ceremonies he has performed owes more to the bumble little rosebush on the shores of the Potomac than he dreams of. The present generation of Washlngtonlan's have somewhat neglected the rosebush, leaving their sightseeing friend from afar to reap the rewards' which are supposed to be the Inevitable result ot preserving a sprig plucked from It, and the census records show that there are 11,000 more unmarried women than unmarried men In the District of Columbia. Yet the efficacy of even one leaf from the bush named for one ot the most beautiful of Virgin la'a daughters Is vouched for by a number ot Washington matrons, as well as by many women in other cities. As an aid to Hymen the bush has no rival In the minds of Virginians, and among older Wash-ingtonlans there are many who still cherish for it a sentimental toundness, regarding it as the kindly fairy of their happiness.

Time was when no girl who visited Mount Vernon waa content to depart without a leaf of the "Nellie Custls" safely stowed away In her pocketbook or wrapped In her handkerchief. Some of these willln' feminine Bark-uses treated the leaves after the manner of four-leaved clover, and bashfully tucked them Into their shoe tops. Nothing but the roses themselves would satisfy exacting damsels, tor their white-petaled sweetnese was certain to hsve the effect of Inspiring some Prince Charming with love for the possessor within the following year. Lucky, Indeed, was the girl jou'll believe me. the first thing that Brady did waa to put him back as cook at the mine.

And we didn't get any trace of the robbers, either. Aa- for Wong, he stayed on at th Blue Moon for several months and then quit, saying that he was going to 'Frisco to live." "Didn't yen ever hear anything more about him?" I queried, aa Baldwin finished his tale. "Not me, said the sheriff, rising -and strolling over to the window; "and what's more, I don't care If I never saw his ngly face He made me look like a tool once and suffering snakes. Reno. come here." I Joined him at the window, and he pointed to the figure ot an unusually tall Chinaman who waa passing on the opposite side of the -v- "There's the Identical cuss I wss telling you about." be said, excitedly.

"Now what Is he up to here in Tucson?" I looked, and Indulged In a whistle Of surr prise. I exclaimed, "that Is a well-known Chinese merchant and gambler, who haa been located here tor the past six months. He Is named Quong Wong, all-right enough, but those Chink names are so much alike that I never thought of him when you were telling me your A mighty smart Celestial, too. If all they aay about him is true." who could successfully elude, the watchful eye of the gardener and carry off In triumph one ot the flowers so toon to be followed by orange blossoms. The wiles used by some of these lovelorn little vandals, would have done credit to a skilled second story man.

Baals Oae Hewelred Yeera Ola. --In the last tew years, however, the faith is the pretty old legend hat somewhat died out among' the younger generation. Whether It be that skepticism follows the trolley as the Constitution' does the flag, or that the bachelor maids of the present think too little of matrimony to cherish any sentimental stories ot white and proposals, there Is far less eagerness now to find the bush of fable. There ia nothing in the appearance of the bush which has' created such havoc In romantic young hearta to awe the onlooker. It Is set close to one of the main walks of the little, old, formal garden which was considered one of the places of the estate In the days ot the great American General's residence there.

The bush Is near the greenhouses and not far from the old slave quarters. It is not more than eight feet high, and still bears Its pretty white clusters aa freely aa ever, although It Is 100 years old. F. A. Whelan, the gardener at Mount Vernon, la authority for the old age of the tradition which ascribes such wonderful potency to this particular bush.

rose." said Mr. Whelan. "Is said to have been aet out by George Washington himself. There were two bushes of this same variety, noisettes. In the garden.

One of these General Washington named for his mother, Mary Wash ington, and the other tor bis wile daughter, Nellie Custls. I have never heard any question- raiaed about the authenticity of tbe story -that he planted both of the bushes. Just how 'the tradition of the efficacy ot the 'Nellie. Cuetia' as a love charm originated I can't say. but It Is certainly very The negroes on the place used to loiter around It while courting, because they believed tbey would soon be allowed to marry, through lta influence." Whenever there was a dance or picnic in the neighborhood, aay the old timers, every young wench about the vicinity wanted to go armed with a sprig of the white rose, for each of them believed that once she got on good terms with the "Nellie Custls" bo .11,1,1 "Well." growled Baldwin, disgustedly, "It don't make any difference to me now.

The Blue Moon robbery ia ancient history, and I couldn't get the goods on him then it ain't likely I'd stand much chance at this stage of the game. I only wish he'd do something that 'ud get the federal government after him and land the skunk In the pen." "Stranger things have happened." I laughed. "We'll hope tor the best, Baldy. Three days later I received a telegram from Los Angeles which caused me to look upon myself In the light, of an Inspired prophet. It contained instructions from Attorney General Knox to place nnder arrest one Quong Wong, on a charge of aiding and abetting the unlawful entry of certain ot his countrymen Into the United States.

I hastened to the store where Mr. Wong dealt In the commodities of his native land only -to find the bird flown. Evidently some of his numerous friends had obtained Information of his Indictment by the federal court and rfn tlm nralDr I went to Lo Angeles and Interviewed rrnlted states Marshal Osborne, and was sworn In aa special deputy for the south dis trict of California, under oramary circunr atancea mv authority only covered the terrl tory of Arlxona. and the secret service men were of the opinion that my quarry had taken rafnv in iha Lab Anaeles Chinatown. As I colored swain could resist her.

Every warm evening saw dusky couples sneaking around Mount and colored wallflowera tramped milea to get one ot the matchless 'pbelecc1' 'There la good ground for the belief that tbe legend la nearly aa old as the rosebush Itself. A Virginia matron of the old scnooi, one ot those- to whom the bush will ever be dear, told the writer that charming Nellie Custls herself is said to have worn one ot the white rosea In her bosom when her future husband. Major Lewis, proposed to her. "My grandmother," said this lady, "used to tell me that the bush was a great favorite with Nellie Custis. She tended it assiduously and used to place her chair near it when she read and sewed.

The white roses which It produced were her favorite flowers. Perhaps it was only because the knew they became her that she so frequently wore them, but they came to be associated with her. -I have somewhere seen a portrait of her with a white rose nestling among the lacea of her frock, and I for one would gladly believe that It WM one of the blossoms from tbe Identical bush. "My grandmother also used to tell me that Nellie wore one of these roses when Mr. Lewis won her eonsent to bis suit for her hand.

Tradition further says that the took a cutting of the bush with her when she left her home at Mount Vernon to sro to her husband's estate at Arlington. Tbe veneration she had to tbe rose evidently Impressed the superstitious negroes, and lta fame grew with every generation." Even emancipation failed to shake the confidence of the negroes in tbe powers of the bush which came to be shared by all the residents ot that section. Tourists were the next to become converts to the faith of the posy. Boarding school misses' from Virginia and Maryland, school-ma'ams from New England and the college girls from the'middle West the frivolous lit tle and the seriously ambitious blue stocking, pretty girls and the very who wore long dresses to look grown-up, and the aomewhat passe, who wore short dresses to look young all succumbed to that spirit ot romance which springs eternal in the feminine breast. Raaiaaee st Mattle MltehelL The romance of Mattle Mitchell, now the Duchess de la Rochefoucauld, tbe beat known beauty of the Washington of twenty years 80.

additional Impetus to the rote hush wss aware that Wong knew me by sight. It was necessary to proceed with extreme cap tion, the more so as, from what Baldwin had told me, the man ot whom I waa In search was gifted with talents of no mean order. Accordingly, a Chinaman named LemTong, employed in the United States secret service emigration department, was sent for and or- dered to place himself at my disposal. Lem was to report to me at the Third street en- trance of the Holland Beck hotel at 2 p. m.

I was to wear a white ribbon In my left buttonhole as a means of Identification. Prompt ly at 2 o'clock a Chinaman clad In American garments and wearing a Fedora hat made hia appearance. As be passed me he raised hla hat, the signal agreed upon. I walked Into the hotel lobby and entered the elevator, followed by the celestial stranger. Entering my.

room I closed the door, and my assistant produced hla credentials from the secret service department. I then told him what wss wanted, and he Inauired if I knew what the suspects's family name It Is an In- variable rule with Chinamen residing la America to go under different names from those by which they are known in their own country. I said I would wire a Chinaman In Tucson with whom I was acquainted and try to ob- tain the desired information. In the mean- time Lem Tong arranged to do a little scout- -lng on his own account in Chinatown, and we parted with the understanding that he wan to meet me at 6 o'clock on the following afternoon. When' he again reported he In formed me that he had discovered our man' family name to be Wong On.

I had not yet received a reply to my tele- gram to Tuseon, and until I did. I would not authorize Lem Tong to go ahead with Ms) search. This wss merely a precaution oa my part because I did not know Lem. and could not be sure whether he would play me false. Despite the fact that be was em ployed by the secret service department waa advisable to move slowly.

The Occiden-. tsi can never quite fathom the subtle thoughts of the wily Oriental mind, and man of Qoung Wong's wealth and Influence among his owa countrymen might possibly be able to win my celestial assistant's fs vor by means ot a Consequently I told Lem to meet me the following morning when I -would decide -definitely what steps we would take in the matter. But that night my doubts were set et rest by the receipt of a telegram from Tuseon declaring the family name of myi suspect to be Wong On. Leo's Information being thus confirmed I started bim on the trail, and having assumed the ordinary garb of hia countrymen he plunged Into the wind- tng ways of Early the next morning Lem appeared before me amlling triumphantly. His quest had been a successful one, and he was able to report that the much sought for Qoung Wong could be found on the third floor of a build-tng at 817 Clay street, San Francisco, la room IS, living with a Chinaman named Alt Ben.

To understand properly what a rapid piece ct detective work this was on the part ol Lem Tong. It must be remembered tbst there are over 8,000 celestials In Los Angeles-Chinatown, all of them aa like as two peas, and bound by the oatba of -their respective tongs to hinder by every means in their power the arrest of a criminal. I lost no time In wiring the local bureau of emigration at San Francisco, giving a detailed description of Qoung Wong and ordering his The federal authorities do -not allow grass to grow under their feet when" engaged on Uncle Sam 'a business, and two hours later I received a message which, read: "Have Qoung Wong In custody; come and get him." I left at once for San Francisco, a trip of 480 miles, and oa the following night Mr. Weng waa delivered into my hands. On the return Journey I endeavored to draw my prisoner Into a discussion of the Blue Moon', robbery, but without avail.

Whenever the conversation took this turn he immediately forgot his English and assumed a look of stupidity that would have due credit to a hopeless Imbecile. None the less, I feitcon- yinced that Mr. Wong could. If be chose. throw light on the subject.

He was undoubt edly the best-educated Chinaman that It was ever my fortune to meet, and I fancy that at one time he must have been a person ot considerable consequence in the Celestial empire. I have always found Chinamen to be most tractable prisoners. The oriental belief In the all powerful decrees of Fate, which they deem it useless to resist, prevents them effectually from taking the desperate chances for escspe which a white mart might avail himself of when In the tolls. Qoung Wong proved to be no exception to the rule, but with the. memory ot Baldwin's snake story still fresh In my mind, I was disposed to keep a wary eye on bim.

i As a matter of fact I carried my caution so far aa to compel him to wear handcuffs rrom -(he moment I took him Into custody until 1 Handed him safely -In the lock-up, a precau- tlon I would -never nave oi employing where an ordinary specimen ot his race was concerned. In due course of time Qoung Wong was tried, convicted and aen-tenced to the' penitentiary for a term of three years a climax to his ambitious career which proved a source of intense satisfaction, to my redoubtable friend. Sheriff Jim Baldwin. Next Week "Red Mason's Rival." fetishism." Miss Mitchell, the daughter of the late Senator Mitchell of Oregon, waa one of the loveliest girls Washington society-ha -ever-known. She was as unspoiled and charming aa she was' beautiful, and a belle of the continents.

In spite of the fact that she was not credited with the possession ot a fortune, she was besieged with flattering offers of marriage. -But none ot the proposals seemed to find a soft spot in her heart, and it was not until Miss Mitchell accepted one of the Nellie Custia roses on a "dare that the curtain was raised on the love drama of her life, and she figured as a principal In one of the first treat international marriages of American girls. Many of her Kill intDUl jJUlUlVU It, W1C l.VV 1D noblest names of France as an added dls- Mount vernon. The ilnrr vrwl that Misa Mitchell ha been a member of the party which a United! States Senator had Invited to apend a spring afternoon at Mount Vernon. two other girls In the party eagerly accepted tne little white rosebuds from tne custls, ot- tered them by a negro employe of the but the heroine ot the international love story for tome reason seemed reluctant to take the one held out to her.

The men of the party chaffed her a bit, accusing her et believing that If tbe took the rose she would surely be married within the they "dared" her to do so. "Well, she isnsnea. "in aeiv tne a year from today I II be back here with you and get another rose from the bush and my name will atlll be the same." She promised, hew-ever, to wear the rose throughout the year. It was bsrely three weeks later that she was Introduced to the Duke de la Rochefou- -cauld. who fell la love with tbe fair Wash--ingtonian at the very first meeting.

He pressed hie courtship eagerly, and so successfully that the two were married after a very short acquaintance, and long before tha year allowed the charm to work had elapsed. So unusual a romance could tot but add to the prestige of the old rose charm In the eyt Of DeueTers. when, not long after, a penniless young army officer who had become imbued with the Idea; that one of the Custia posies might help bin fortunes In love and war was enabled to announce hie approaching marriage to one of the wealthiest heiresses in the country. This young fellow, who, it mutt be confessed, hadt been looked npon.in army circlet as extreme-, ly unfortunate In his love affairs, admitted; that he credited the success of his siege to' the heiress' heart to a bit of faded vegetation which bad once been a Nellie Custli.