Almond-eyed ; A Story of the Day

This volume was published in 1878. Excerpt from the book's Preface: I would not apologize for my work, but simply use that right which all authors have, of starting the reader with correct notions of the spirit and intention of the writer. Firstly, being a firm believer in the grand old doctrines of Christianity, I would disclaim any intention of ridiculing religion, but rather those who make of it a farce. Secondly, my desire is merely to present a vexing prob- lem in the simplest manner possible; therefore, I have not burdened these pages with statistics, which are always misleading; nor have I dressed the problem in its holiday attire, ready for an airing in the presence of Senators and men of legal lore; but have left it in its every-day dress, for those who wear such garments to examine it. .............................................................................. Excerpt from the book: There was considerable excitement among the relig- iously-inclined in Yarbtown, for they were in a few days to receive their first importation of Celestial beings; not the angel visitations so often prayed for by them in their earnest prayer-meetings, but the almond-eyed, flat-nosed Celestials from over the seas of their own sin-cursed world. Why Yarbtown had been so fortunate as to remain so long as it had free from actual habitation by the Chinese is easily explained. One of the old Mexican ranches being for sale, and offering extra inducements for a colony of hard-working men, a number of young farmers, with likewise a fair sprinkling of staid old plowmen, gathered up their household goods, joined to themselves a schoolmaster and minister, and journeying to the Land of Gold, planted themselves and their crops on this promising ranch. A goodly town, savoring somewhat of New England in its cosy cottages and intelligent residenters, soon sprung into existence. Not merely a home for the farmers was it, but as time went by the town began gradually to ad- vance in manufacturing interests. A starch-factory of fair proportions enlivened the main street, and the nucleus of a prospective manufactory of brooms was started. Indeed, the town of Yarbtown bade fair to bring wealth and hap- piness to the honest ranchers of its immediate neighbor- hood. Here was a home market for their potatoes; here was an incentive given to plant their fair fields and trust to the God of the harvest for prosperity. Young in its growth, it was yet occupied by few others than the sturdy, willing men and women who had given their time and money to its development. There had been small inducement offered to the mon- grel herd of Chinese who flooded even fairer portions of the State. There were plenty to cultivate the soil, plenty to turn the potatoes into starch, plenty to do the market- ing, willing daughters to do the neighborhood household work, and a number of sad-hearted widows to earn their scanty-enough living at the wash-tub and ironing-board. One morning, however, the outliving farmers, as they came into town with their produce, rubbed their eyes in amazement to see, in front of several dilapidated sheds,' the lobster-signs of "Ling Poo, Washing and Ironing," " Lee Chung, Chinese Doctor," and a jabbering crowd of the "foreign citizens" themselves, arranging excitedly for their residence among them. Read more