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Updated: September 13, 2025
Old Kwen Lung conveniently kept out of the way still playing fan-tan, no doubt! But Ma Lorenzo was in evidence. She blandly declared that Kwen Lung never had a daughter! And in the absence of our friend the fireman, who sailed in the Seahawk, and whose evidence, by the way, is legally valueless what could we do?
He could pass an evening with the older set, playing fan-tan and electing a new president of the Chinee race, or go to the Chinee theatre and set in a box and chew sugar cane; or he could have a nice time at the clubrooms of the Young China Progressive Association, playing poker for money.
Lew Wee thought it was interesting. He went up to the city and in the course of a pleasant evening at fan-tan he told about the slain chickens that were so beautiful, and how the night animal that done it would be caught in a trap. A great friend of Lew Wee's was present, a wonderful doctor.
To spend an evening in the liberally-conducted establishment of Messrs. Ung Hang and Hung Vo is enlightening in various ways. Because fan-tan is the passion of Asiatics, the popular idea is that it must be the wickedest of all games, if not the most complicated.
Gambling is here a business all the business there is, and the concessions for the fan-tan and lottery monopolies pay for everything, practically making taxation unnecessary."
It is fortunate for the millions of the conservative Far East that their principal gambling game is not a quick one, like roulette, for the player of fan-tan gets "action" only about once in every ten minutes. At roulette and most other games favored by white men a gambler knows his fate in a minute.
"Rather extraordinary," Percival could not help commenting, "the way young American girls go about alone like that." "Alone? What's the matter with Andy?" "But I mean unchaperoned. Dare say young Black is very good in his way, but he can't be called discreet." "How do you mean?" "Taking your daughter into that nasty mess of Chinamen in the steerage, for instance, to watch them play fan-tan."
Whenever he heard of a fan-tan place and he heard of them every day he must investigate, see that it was closed and the keepers, if he was lucky enough to catch them, duly punished. And the players as well. Now to eradicate gambling from amongst the Chinese is a difficult task, futile and ridiculous, a good waste of time and money. He wondered why his Government should attempt it.
The long drive to the hotel ended an eventful day; the evening was to furnish further excitement in a visit to some fan-tan parlors for which Macao is noted; indeed, it is the Monte Carlo of the Far East, and I fear this feature attracts more tourists than the beauty of the location.
There, from a small quadrangular gallery, he could look down on the "well" of the fan-tan lay out below. He made his way to a seat at the rail, took out a cigar, lighted it, and let his veiled gaze wander about the place, point by point, until he had inspected and weighed and appraised every man in the building.
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