Reading Notes W7: Sun Sui Far

Characters:
Hom Hing - Chinese merchant
Lae Choo - Hom Hing's wife
Little One (Little Kim) - the couple's son
James Clancy - the family's lawyer

Hom Hing went back to China to fetch his wife and son. When they are about to board the ship going to California, the custom officers stopped them saying that there are no records indicating that Hom Hing and Lae Choo have a child. Despite the couple's resistance, the custom officers take their Little One for hold in a camp in Washington. They promised that the child will be returned to them by morning.

When the morning comes, the people in Washington said that there will be a delay, so their child will not be returned. Time passes, and they acquire a lawyer who sends their message to Washington. For over 5 months, they keep receiving the same letter, until James Clancy, their lawyer, suggests that he will go to Washington on their behalf. The pale Lae Choo instantly regains color and thanks the kind man. Clancy reveals that he needs $500 to go to Washington despite knowing that the couple have no more savings left. Lae Choo (although she knows they're being ripped off) offers her jewelries that Clancy sells to fund his journey to Washington.

Finally, their child will be returned to them. Lae Choo is filled with delight, but Little Kim, as the white caretakers name him, dismisses his parents.

Quotes:
When my wife told me one morning that she dreamed of a green tree with spreading branches and one beautiful red flower growing thereon, I answered her that I wished my son to be born in our country, and for her to prepare to go to China. p. 323

There cannot be any law that would keep a child from its mother! p. 324

A roly-poly woman in black sateen, with long pendant earrings in her ears, looked up from the street and waved at her smiling greeting. It was her old neighbor, Kuie Hoe, the wife of the gold embosser, Mark Sing. With her was a little boy in yellow jacket and lavender pantaloons. p. 324-325

The winter rains were over: the spring had come to California, flushing the hills with green and causing an ever-changing pageant of flowers to pass over them. p. 325

He was being kept in a mission. White women were caring for him, and though for one full moon he had pined for his mother and refused to be comforted he was now apparently happy and contented. p. 325

[White woman] she reappeared leading by the hand a little boy dressed in blue cotton overalls an white-soled shoes. p. 329

She fell on her knees and stretched her hungry arms toward her son. But the Little One shrunk from her and tried to hide himself in the folds of the white woman's skirt.
"Go 'way, go 'way!" he bade his mother. p. 329

WORK CITED:

 Hicks, Jack et al.  From Mrs. Spring Fragrance. The Literature of California, vol. 1, University of California Press, 2000, pp. 321-329