The Blue Dragon: A Tale of Recent Adventure in China

by Kirk Munroe

  CHAPTER IV

  A TRIUMPH FOR JO'S ENEMIES

  The little court-room was already crowded when our party reached it,and Jo's appearance created a sensation. The muckers and their friends,many of whom were on hand, scowled at him, and made sneering remarksconcerning his country, his costume, and especially about his queue,which seemed, more than anything else, to excite their animosity. Onthe other hand, the better class of spectators were impressed by theintelligence shown in the lad's face, his air of high breeding, and bythe richness of his dress, which was much handsomer than anything of thekind ever before seen in Hatton.

  Mr. Hinckley was the first witness examined, and he told of the Chineselad's coming to America, and why he had done so. Then Jo himself wascalled to the stand, and, with Rob acting as interpreter, he gavehis account of the recent fracas, a simple statement that drew forthindignant murmurs from the better class of spectators. After that thewitness-stand was occupied by several of the young toughs who hadparticipated in the affair. Their accounts of what had happened wereconfused and contradictory, but in general were to the effect that theywere only looking at the stranger who had so unexpectedly appeared,running down the village street, and laughing a little at his pig-tail;that he had flown into a violent rage, and had flung one of their numberto the ground, where he endeavored to choke him to death. They furthertestified that while they were trying to save their comrade's life bydragging the enraged heathen off from him, they suddenly were set uponby Rob Hinckley, who severely beat and seriously wounded several of themwith a milk-can before they could escape from his furious and unprovokedattack. In support of this testimony, the boy who had been involved inJo's fall was produced and allowed to tell his story, as were severalwho bore marks of Rob's effective weapon. A statement from the constablewas then heard, and it served so to strengthen the testimony just takenthat, when Mr. Jones finished his story and an adjournment until twoo'clock was ordered, the case of our friends looked very black. Nor didit brighten during the afternoon session, for Rob could not swear thathe had seen any specific act of violence committed by any one of thosewho had surrounded the young Chinese on the common. Mr. Hinckley alsofailed to help the case, for he was forced to admit that when he reachedthe scene of trouble the alleged assailants of the Chinese lad were infull flight before his nephew, and that, while they were rallying toan attack, he did not see them commit any overt act. He also was madeto describe the relative positions of Jo and the boy who had sharedhis fall, and, as his testimony on this point agreed with all that hadpreceded, excepting that of Jo himself, it served still further tostrengthen the cause of the muckers.

  After this the only effort made to help what evidently was a weak casewas Mrs. Hinckley's description of Jo's appearance when he reached home,together with her production of the tattered blue gown he had worn. Herstory seemed to produce a good effect upon the justice, until, takingthe garment into his own hands for examination, he said:

  "Madam, this coat, or dress, or whatever it may be called, seems tobe badly stained and still is damp. Can you tell me by what fluid ithas been saturated? Is it, by any chance, blood from the veins of thisJoseph Lee, and caused to flow by the ill treatment he is alleged tohave suffered?"

  "No," replied Mrs. Hinckley, shortly; "it's milk."

  This answer was greeted by a roar of laughter from the crowdedcourt-room, and, when quiet had with some difficulty been restored, thejustice announced his decision:

  "The examination of witnesses in this case," he said, "will proceed nofurther, as the testimony already submitted is more than sufficient towarrant me in committing the principals for trial at the next sessionof the county court. Moreover, as the case has assumed an aspect somuch more serious than I had anticipated, I am obliged to bind overRobert Hinckley and Joseph Lee in the sum of five hundred dollars eachfor appearance before said court. I shall require these bonds in eachcase to be signed by two responsible tax-payers of this district. Ifsuch signatures cannot be procured, Robert Hinckley and Joseph Lee willbe confined in the county jail until the time for their trial shallarrive. Also, pending the execution of said bonds, they are remanded tothe custody of the Hatton village constable, who is hereby charged withtheir safe-keeping."

  "Whew!" ejaculated Rob under his breath. "Prisoners! Jail! In custody!That sounds worse than any scrape I ever got into before; and what alovely beginning for Jo's experience of free America!"

  The decision was hailed with jubilation by the muckers and theirfriends, who, as they streamed into the open air, gave vent to theirfeelings through derisive yells and taunting remarks concerning"pig-tails" and "sapheads."

  Jo, who until now had watched the proceedings with grave curiosity,though with but slight understanding of what was taking place, wasmade to realize by these sounds of rejoicing from the other side thatsomething had gone wrong, and he glanced inquiringly towards his friend.

  "Yes," said Rob, speaking in fragmentary but intelligible Chinese, "thecase has gone against us so far, and you and I must go to prison unlesssome one will put up the money to keep us out."

  "My father is a mandarin, and can furnish enough money to buy my freedomfrom any foreign prison," exclaimed Jo, with flushing cheeks.

  "Yes, of course," replied Rob; "but in this case it happens that onlyAmerican money will be accepted."

  "Then let me go to prison," said Jo, proudly, "for my father does notchoose that I should incur obligations."

  So determined was the Chinese lad upon this course that even when Mr.Hinckley had arranged the bond business with some of his friends, andthe boys were free to depart, it was with the greatest difficulty thathe could be persuaded to leave the court-room. Only after Rob hadrepeatedly assured him that Mr. Hinckley was acting as agent for hisfather, who, in the end, would be called upon to meet all expensesconnected with the trial, did the proud young chap consent to accompanyhis friends to their home.

  Although the case thus far seemed to have gone against our lads, ithad the good result of arousing much interest in Jo and creating manyfriends for him among the best people of Hatton. Thus many times theamount of the bonds demanded by Justice Burtis had promptly beenforth-coming the moment his decision was rendered. That evening theparsonage was crowded with those who wished to tender sympathy andfriendship to the young stranger who had received so cruel a receptionin the land that had promised so much, and to whose honor he had sotrustingly confided.

  The young Chinese was made to feel almost happy, and much of hishomesickness vanished as Rob translated the friendly sentiments of hisvisitors, and he realized that, in spite of his recent experience,America did contain people of kindly disposition, who held honorand fair dealing in esteem. Thus the darkness that had so heavilyovershadowed this first day in his new home was decidedly lightenedbefore its end; and he went to bed that night possessing a wealth of newexperience in which evil and good were very nearly balanced.

  The following day was largely devoted to procuring for Jo a completeoutfit of American clothes, and in teaching him to wear them. For a timethese rendered him very miserable. Never had his legs seemed so long orso conspicuous as they now appeared, divested of skirts and encased introusers. Never before had he worn garments fitting him so closely thathe doubted if they would allow him to eat enough to satisfy his hunger,and he was surprised to find that he still could draw a full breath. Hewas amazed at the number of pockets they contained, since never, untilnow, had he possessed even one, and he wondered what he should find toput in them. He approved of a hat that shaded his eyes, but felt mostnoisy and uncomfortable in the harsh leather shoes that replaced his ownof cloth.

  But all these troubles were insignificant when compared with the greatgrief that came to him that same day. It was nothing more nor lessthan the loss of his cherished queue, which both Mr. Hinckley and Robadvised, and almost insisted, should be cut off.

  "It is the distinguishing mark of my nationality," he pleaded, "andwithout it people might take me for a Japanese, or even for a Korean.Also, it
is a symbol of loyalty to my emperor, for in China every manwithout a queue is regarded as a rebel, and is liable to lose his head.Without it I should feel ashamed to look my friends in the face. No, Icannot give it up!"

  When all this was interpreted to Mr. Hinckley, he replied:

  "Tell him that, while I realize the force of what he says, I still musturge him to make the sacrifice. After all, the wearing of the queue iscomparatively recent in China. Jo's ancestors of less than three hundredyears ago did not wear them; nor did they shave their heads, that custombeing forced upon them by their Manchu, or Tartar, conquerors, earlyin the seventeenth century. The latter wore the queue, or horse-tail,depending from their heads, and long coat-sleeves, shaped at the endlike horses' hoofs, to show that they were horsemen; and when theyconquered China they compelled their new subjects to adopt both thesefeatures. Now, as Jo says, to discard the queue in China is a sign ofrebellion against the government; but it cannot be so considered when aChinese is in a foreign land, and subject to great inconvenience, notto say danger, if he does not conform to the customs of the country inwhich he resides. Here, for instance, if Jo persists in wearing hisqueue with an American costume, it will render him very conspicuous andliable to constant ridicule, if not insult and abuse, from ignorantor vicious members of the community, while without it he rarely willattract unusual attention. When he is ready to return to his own land,he again can allow it to grow, and can supplement it with a false braiduntil it shall have attained a suitable length. Many Americans residingin China have adopted the native costume, including the queue, in orderto render themselves inconspicuous; and why should not the process bereversed by Chinese residing in this country?"

  These arguments finally so prevailed that poor Jo, with a heavy heartand tear-filled eyes, allowed the shears to despoil him of what heconsidered his chief and most becoming adornment. As the heavy braid ofglossy hair was severed he exclaimed:

  "Now even my own father would not know me, and my wife would no longerrender me obedience!"

  "Your wife!" cried Rob. "What _do_ you mean? You can't have a wife! Why,you aren't any older than I am."

  "Certainly, I have a wife," replied Jo, composedly. "We were selectedfor each other when I was ten years of age; and, as my father wanted aperson to look after his house, we were married the day before I lefthome."

  "But she must be a little girl," objected Rob.

  "Oh no. She is older than I, and quite grown up."

  "Is she pretty?" persisted the other, curiously, "and are you very fondof her?"

  "No, I am not fond of her at all; for, you see, I don't know her; andI don't think she even is good-looking. Of course I can't tell, though,for I have seen her only once, and then her face was so hidden by thewedding-paint that I have no idea how she would look without it."

  "Well!" exclaimed Rob; "you Chinese certainly are funny!"