Words ran high; neighbors rushed in, to whom both the belligerents appealed. Chang then began a recital of his wrong. He was interrupted by the matchmaker. “Oh, is that all!” said she, “why, now I remember what Lady Low said the other day—that her father was sick and she was liable to be summoned to his bedside at any time. If you wish it I’ll take you to your father-in-law’s; but I must have ten dollars for my trouble. As soon as you see her, you are to give me the money, do you promise?” Chang groaned assent, seeing no better mode of procedure.
She led him into the audience hall of a large house and pointed to an elegantly attired lady in the women’s apartments. “There she is! See her?”
Sure enough, it was the modest Lady Low. Chang handed the matchmaker the money, with which she walked off. He hesitated what to do next. There was no servant near to whom he could speak. Just then the lady caught sight of him and smiled. Oh that smile! It was worthy of the Sirens. Just as he raised his hand to beckon to her, an old gentleman came out of an adjoining room. “What is this?” he cried. “Are you addressing my wife? Help! thieves! robbers! murder!”
Out rushed a troop of servants. Now fly! Chang, fly for your life! Yes, he flew, nor paused till he got to the inn where he learned that his neighbors had set sail. He also found the cunning matchmaker absent. Now realizing how completely he was sold, and that the offenders could not be punished, while he himself was liable to be arrested for trespassing in a man’s house and attempting to destroy his domestic happiness, he sailed for Fragrant Hills in a state of mind far from tranquil.
The story got abroad and the whole town grinned from ear to ear, while even his own friends enjoyed his discomfiture.
CHAPTER X.
HOW I WENT TO SHANGHAI.
About forty years ago, there came to this country under the auspices of the Rev. Dr. Brown, an American missionary in China, a Chinese youth—who was destined to exert a potent influence on the future of the Chinese Empire. Many have heard of him or read about him; his name is Yung Wing. Inspired by a lofty ambition, he worked his way through preparatory school and college, graduating from Yale in 1854 with high honors.
He went back to China soon after his graduation and engaged in business at Shanghai. But business with the incidental pleasure of money making, did not entirely absorb his attention. China was at that time having troublesome diplomatic negotiations with foreign powers, and was being taken advantage of right and left for want of men in office who understood the customs, the laws and the civilization of Western countries.
Dr. Wing, indignant at the wrongs which China had suffered and was suffering at the hands of so-called “Christian” and “enlightened” nations, sought for a remedy, and conceived the brilliant project of educating a number of Chinese boys in America for future service at the government expense.
He made his plan known to prominent Chinese officials. At first he met with no sympathy, no encouragement. Still, he persevered; and after twelve years of patient waiting and active labor, he succeeded in convincing two of the most powerful ministers at the court of Pekin of the feasibility of his scheme. In consequence, an edict was issued by the emperor to enforce its execution.