The Yellow and White Agony. 343 



distress. Ah Lam Sam was what they call a boss Chinaman ; he 

 owned a shop in China town, and was a contractor for Chinese 

 labour. While he was in gaol, his wife and little girl used to 

 drive by our house once a week on their way to visit him, but He 

 remained there some months, and, as he was not allowed out on 

 bail, his business languished, and ready money became short. 

 Soon his wife and child, instead of driving, hobbled painfully on 

 their little feet along the two miles or so of wooden sidewalk that 

 led from their house to the City gaol. As my house was little 

 more than half-way between the two, Gee asked me if the woman 

 and child might rest in my kitchen, so for the time that Ah Sam 

 was in prison they had tea once a week there. During that 

 autumn and winter the late Sir Matthew Bgbie, the Chief Justice 

 of British Columbia, came to lunch with us every Sunday. As soon 

 as his duties in the choir of St. John's Church were over, he would 

 stroll on to our cottage, which was near by, would knock the ashes of 

 his pipe out on the doorstep, would put this dear friend of his, from 

 whom he was never separated, into his waistcoat pocket, so that the 

 bowl stuck out as a reminder to all that it must be filled again at 

 the very earliest opportunity. After a few Sundays his appearance 

 would be preceded by a Chinaman or two, who would go round 

 and gain entry by the kitchen door ; these were not Chinamen of 

 the ordinary domestic class, but such whose rank entitled them to 

 wear a black silk cap, with a black or coral topknot to it, instead 

 of the ordinary soft felt wide-awake adopted by those of meaner 

 degree. More Chinamen would hang by twos and threes outside 

 the gate. Just before lunch was ready, Gee would come and call 

 me out of the room, and beg me to come into the kitchen. I soon 

 found that I was expected to interview these Chinamen, who had 

 come on b#half of Lam Sam. The Chief Justice lunched at our 

 house. I was a good friend of his, I could talk to him, and tell him 

 how wrong it was to keep Lam Sam in prison ; they wanted me 

 to introduce them to "Judge Begbie," and say they were honest 

 men ; they would takee their affidavits that the incriminating letter 

 was not in Lam Sam's handwriting, they would prove this to me, 



