His real name was Quong Wo, but my brother Ajax always called him
Mary, because the boy's round, childish face had a singular smoothness
and delicacy. A good and faithful servant he proved during three
years. Then he ran away at the time of the anti-Chinese riots, despite
our assurance that we wished to keep him and protect him.
"Me no likee Coon Dogs," said he, with a shiver.
The Coon Dogs were a pack of cowboys engaged in hunting Chinamen out
of the peaceful, but sometimes ill-smelling, places which, by thrift,
patience, and unremitting labour, they had made peculiarly their own.
From the Coon Dogs Ajax and I received a letter commanding us to
discharge Mary. A skull and cross-bones, and a motto, "Beware the bite
of the Coon Dogs!" embellished this billet, which was written in red
ink. Courtesy constrained us to acknowledge the receipt of it. Next
day we put up a sign by the corral gate--