The Paper Daughters of Chinatown - Heather B. Moore Page 0,118
“We will keep praying,” she said.
Dolly was introduced to several girls and young women who were new arrivals over the past year. Now wasn’t the time to learn their stories, but she hoped to soon.
As the excitement and news updating slowed down, and bedtime approached, Dolly met with Wilmina Wheeler and Frances Thompson in the office. Tien joined them as well, since she’d been the primary interpreter on the rescues.
“How has everything gone?” Dolly asked Frances.
The woman had aged, but her eyes were bright, her smile genuine. “We’ve had an eventful year, as you can imagine.”
Dolly had heard very little news, since she wasn’t able to receive letters as she traveled to so many places.
“We spent most of the year defending the girls who are already here,” Frances continued. “Plenty of tong members came to the mission home, trying by any means possible to get their slaves back.”
Dolly was dismayed, but not surprised. They never allowed the girls to go outside alone, and whenever they had visitors, they were careful to vet them.
“A merchant asked after Kum Ying,” Frances said. “He said he wanted to marry her. He brought in an American lawyer and justice of the peace, along with a marriage license. Wilmina phoned the marshal, and we found out that the papers were fraudulent.”
Dolly shook her head. “They are getting bolder.”
“That’s not all.” Frances clasped her hands together. “We had a slave owner ask to see his former slave girl one more time. We didn’t let him, but we found out later that he had planned to abduct her and sell her again.”
Frances and Wilmina continued with more stories, and Dolly listened intently, marveling at all she had missed—all she used to handle herself. Tien remained silent throughout most of the conversation.
By the time Frances had finished sharing the bigger events, the hour had grown late.
“Thank you for protecting the girls,” Dolly said in a quiet voice. Her time away from San Francisco had been much needed, but it made her ill to know how the mission home continued to be a target. “And those new girls, who are they? Some of them are Japanese, correct?”
“Yes,” Wilmina confirmed. “We rescued nine Chinese girls and eight Japanese girls in the past year. We’ve also had more than thirty come to us for help in that time.”
“We’re a beacon for the hopeless,” Frances said, “and a target for the ruthless.”
Dolly couldn’t have agreed more. As long as there was corruption on all levels and among all races, the mission home’s work would never be finished.
“And how is Mei Lien doing?” Dolly asked. “No word from Huan Sun yet?”
“Nothing,” Frances said. “Although Zhang Wei and Ah-Peen Oie are still controlling parts of the slave trade, I’ve heard there was a falling out between the two.”
“Perhaps one of them will leave Chinatown, then,” Dolly said. “Make it safer for Huan Sun to return.” She could relate to Mei Lien more now than ever. With Dolly’s failed relationship with Charles, her expectations dashed, she had a glimpse of what Mei Lien must be feeling.
Tien remained behind after the other two women left the office. At last they could speak alone. Dolly looked over at her, so happy to see the young woman’s familiar face again.
“How have you been, dear Tien?” she asked in a quiet voice.
Tien’s smile was soft. “I’ve been busy.”
Maybe it was because Dolly was completely exhausted, but she burst out laughing. “I’m sure you’ve been very busy. I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help.”
“You were in the right place,” Tien said, her smile widening. “We were all more than happy to work extra in your absence. It was an honor.”
One minute she’d been laughing, and now Dolly felt like crying. “You have been a blessing to the mission home.”
Tien’s gaze dropped then, and Dolly wondered if she’d said something wrong. She waited, though.
Tien’s voice was hesitant when she spoke. “I want to learn more,” she said. “I know a lot, but I don’t have a good education.”
Dolly frowned. “Your English is very good, and you do well in every class here.”
“That’s not what I mean.” Tien released a sigh. “I want to be educated in a college. And then I will return to the mission home and help how I should be helping.”
Dolly stared at the young woman. “You want to go to college?”
Tien nodded. “I know if I study very hard, I can get into college in a few years.”
Dolly thought of the complications of a Chinese woman attending