🚀 go-pugleaf

and one on either side of
    him, in his arms; two more were throwing something that resembled
    dice on a table within the front alcove, and the rest were sitting
    on the opium couches. There were ten girls in all; the two
    youngest could not possibly have been more than eight years old;
    only one, out of the ten, claimed to be over sixteen; we
    all doubted her claim, because of her extreme immaturity of
    appearance. The two youngest children were immediately sent away
    by order of the fat man, who was evidently in authority. The men
    explained that these girls belonged to different women who were
    not their own mothers; that they came to sing and dance, and pour
    wine for the patrons who came to the place. They also explained
    that all these girls were brought from the brothels, and were
    either already living a bad life or were being trained up for
    prostitution. They were powdered heavily, had flowers and
    ornaments in their hair, the upper part of the forehead made bare,
    and the hair dressed elaborately, like married women (even the
    very youngest children); of course they were not married, for they
    were declared to be the property of the brothel-keepers, and this
    manner of dress must, therefore, have been an advertisement of
    their shame.

    "A curious musical instrument was brought--somewhat like a
    dulcimer--on which two of the girls played in succession, singing
    in a high, monotonous way.

    "From here we went to the first place visited the night previous,
    on the opposite corner of the same block. There was quite an
    excitement here when we came in. Two men and two girls were
    playing on native instruments--one of the men on a sort of fiddle,
    and the other on a rude guitar; the girls, one striking, in sharp
    staccato fashion, a wooden perforated bowl inverted on a standard
    or post, and