最新15篇文章贯通四级词汇
A Question of RightsUnfortunately , a crime was about to be committed but at that moment Lesley was unaware of the impending(即将发生的,迫近的) event , which would affect her life so drastically(极端地,彻底地) for the next years .
For the moment at least, her holiday at the cottage had been ideal. She had spent many idle hours relaxing on the deck , reading ,eating a sandwich when she was hungry and in the evening watching the sky turn from brilliant orange to peach and finally to pale purple , eventually the light becoming dim . It was about this time that the mist would begin to rise from the cool water hiding in the dense forest that hugged(环绕,拥抱) the shoreline(海岸线). Late evening dew(露水) glistened(闪耀,反光) on every bush and soon the loons' (潜鸟) call would resound (回响) across the water . She decided to take on last dip in the lake. As the cool night air touched her arms. She gave a little shiver and decided it was time to move inside.
This was to be her last evening alone as Jeff, her former mate, would be returning Zac to her early in the morning. As the case in many marriages these days, problems had arisen between Lesley and Jeff, but they did not extend to Zac. He was a good kid, just entering kindergarten. The couple had come to a mutual agreement , as dictated by the legal custody(监管,保管) agreement .It stated that each parent would share Zac's care every second weekend and this had been her weekend to be alone.
Jeff was an architect, with a high-profile reputation, who worked in downtown Toronto, a partner in a private corporation which mostly did consultant work for the university. Lesley’s company had been hired to advertise the new science complex in order to raise corporate(公司的) money for the proposed building. She liked her work and she harbored a secret ambition to manage her division of the company some day.
After a whirlwind(旋风般的) courtship(求爱,热恋) and a fairytale wedding the couple had settled down to an urban lifestyle. However, after three years and one child the dreamlike marriage came smashing down. One disadvantage(不利条件) of being young and ambitious(有抱负的) was that both of them needed to devote untold hours to their busy schedules. As a result of these late hours, Lesley became suspicious(猜疑的) of Jeff’s after hours activities. She accused him of making her part of a love triangle. The whole miserable scene was to set the proceedings(过程,诉讼,诉讼程序) for an ugly(不愉快的) divorce in motion.
Daydreaming(幻想,白日梦) about those earlier days would not help tonight. So with a shrug of her shoulders she tackled the advertising assignment she needed to complete. Tomorrow would be a busy day with Zac arriving home.
The next day, as the morning wore on, Lesley became more and more agitated(烦躁), and her mood became apprehensive(忧虑的,不安的), when Jeff did not appear. When noon hour arrived and he still had not appeared, she started making some phone calls. None of their mutual friends had either seen or talked with Jeff that day. Until today, Jeff had always been very punctual about returning the boy at the appointed time. Lesley felt a knot forming in her stomach as a crazy thought persisted at the back of her mind. She was absolutely sure something was wrong.
Jeff sat with his head bowed. He was undecided what to do. The domestic arrangement with his former wife was proving to be awkward. He was frustrated at being able to see his son only on weekends and felt he was always making concessions to accommodate(适应,迁就) Lesley’s work schedule. Every meeting was turning into a competition for the boy’s affection. His one desire was to take Zac away for good. The enormous decision to undertake this plan appeared to be presenting itself. Today he would depart for a conference in California. This appeared to be a marvelous opportunity to take the boy and leave the country for good. He bet that he could pack sufficient baggage into his vehicle and then disappears across the border, gaining entry the U.S.A. He gave little thought to whatsoever of the fact this act could lead to his conviction if he was tracked down by the cops.
Meanwhile, for Lesley the nightmare continued to unfold(展现,显露) as the reality of the situation deepened. After 48 hours, the spokesman for the district police department assured her they would investigate Zac’s disappearance. Her faith that justice would be realized was faint. The shock of the past two days’ events made her realize that possibly her son would become one more statistic in the missing children file. The police completed a preliminary survey after asking hundreds of detailed(详细的) questions. Hot lines proved fruitless(无结果的).
Meanwhile, over the next year there were countless visits and interviews at the police station and her home. The police appeared to be making no progress in tracking Zac’s whereabouts(行踪). As the days passed, Lesley’s frustration(挫败) mounted and she felt a sense of alarm. Eventually, she decided to take the initiative in continuing the search and she began to use well-established child find agencies. At times, boosted by hopes, she appeared to be on the right trail with a sense of disgust, but her hopes were dashed at the final moment. These obstacles hope. After Zac’s picture was circulated nationwide, telephone calls followed from strangers reporting sightings(被看见的人或事物) of a Zac look alike. Month by month her plan evolved into a campaign equal to a full-scale battle plan. She paid an exceedingly high fee for specialized help, such as the services of an attorney. Lesley became determined to target every major city where Jeff normally contracted business. As the months slopped by, Lesley’s exhaustion became noticeable in her eyes. Her cheeks became hollow pits. Most days she felt as though she did not have an ounce of energy left because proof of Zac’s existence seemed impossible to find.
Another year passed and her hopes dimmed. Unexpectedly, late in August a promising lead brought her to Los Angeles.
The interior of the bar was dark. Her quest to locate Jeff and Zac had taken two years. She had paid private investigators in American currency to help her locate her ex-husband. In her handbag she carried the necessary proof that would identify her to the authorities if she was successful in being able to bring Zac home again, to Canada. She had been impatient for this moment to arrive for so long and yet now she just wanted to secure her son with a minimum of fuss. Now, right on cue, a tall stranger slipped into the bar and sat down. One glimpse told her it was Jeff. He looked weary(疲劳的) and older but definitely familiar. A chill ran up her spine(脊椎,脊柱). Close to success, she refused to concede defeat. It was the time to remedy the enormous sadness. This time she wanted a guarantee of success. She stared straight ahead with a vacant look, trying to grasp the important moment. Vivid scenes, from the pass two years’ search, flashed(思想等的闪现) through her mind.
The following day, happily for Lesley, the headline of the local paper read, “Father turns over child, Mother slams system.”
Lesley and Zac’s subsequent life could now resume some form of normalcy(正常状态), however, the stress and strain of the past two years would always remain as a part of this renewed relationship in the memory.
[[i] 本帖最后由 ivyxiaohui 于 2008-3-1 03:21 PM 编辑 [/i]] [b]一项权力问题[/b] 一项犯罪就要得逞了。而不幸的是，就在那时，莱斯利对即将发生的事毫无察觉。这件事将彻底改变她此后两年的生活。
至少在那个时候，她在小别墅的假期还是很惬意的。她在平台上度过了很多闲适轻松的时光，读书、饿了吃块三明治;晚上，看着天空由鲜橙色变为桃红色，然后变为淡紫色，最后光线终于黯淡下来。就在这时，薄雾开始从隐藏在环绕岸边的密林里的冷水中升起;再晚些，灌木上的露珠开始闪烁，不久，潜水鸟的叫声就会在水面上回荡起来。她决定在湖里最后再泡一会儿。当她的手臂触到夜晚凉爽的空气时，不禁有些发抖，于是她决定该是回到屋里去的时候了。
这是她在家中独处的最后一个晚上，因为她的前夫杰夫会在早上把扎克送回来。与当时许多婚姻情况一样，莱斯利和杰夫之间出现了许多问题，但并未影响到扎克。他是个好孩子，刚刚上幼儿园。他们达成了一个依法监护的协议，协议规定双亲每两个周末轮换照顾孩子，这是她独处的周末。
杰夫是个建筑师，名声很大，在多伦多市区工作，是一家私人公司的合伙人，该公司主要为大学做咨询工作。莱斯利的公司已经接下了为新的科学综合大楼做广告的工作，以便为计划中的大楼筹集合作基金。她喜欢她的工作，并且心怀抱负：有一天她要管理这个部门。
在一段旋风般的热恋和一个童话式的婚礼之后，夫妻俩定居下来，过起了都市生活。然而，在过了三年并有了孩子之后，这段梦幻般的婚姻开始破裂了。年轻而又雄心勃勃的不利之处，就是两个人都要把数不清的时间花在忙不完的事业上。由于经常工作到很晚，莱斯利开始怀疑杰夫工作之余的活动，她指责他让她成了三角爱情的一部分。事情发展到最痛苦的场面就是提出不愉快的离婚诉讼。
那些对最初美好时光的回忆，对今夜也无济于事。于是，她耸了耸肩，着手处理她必须完成的广告业务。明天扎克到家后将会非常忙碌。
第二天，随着上午的时间慢慢逝去，莱斯利越来越感到不安。杰夫没有出现，她变得焦躁起来。到了中午，他还没出现，于是她开始打电话。他们共同的朋友都说那天没看见他，也没和他通过电话。以前，杰夫总是非常准时地将孩子送回来。一种不祥的想法在下意识地困扰着她，莱斯利感到恐惧。她绝对肯定是出事了。
杰夫低头坐着，他不知该做些什么。和前妻商定的对家庭的安排看来是蠢笨的，只能在周末看看儿子令他沮丧极了。为了莱斯利的工作安排，他觉得一直在迁就。每次相见都变成一场争夺“孩子到底爱谁”的竞争。他有一个心愿就是把扎克永远带走，现在就应做出实施这个计划的重大决定了。今天，他要前往加利福尼亚参加一个会议，这显然是一个带走孩子，永远离开这个国家的绝好机会。他确信他能够把足够多的行李装上车，然后跨过边境，进入美国后就消失掉。如果被警察抓住，这种行为是可以构成犯罪的，可他不再多想了。
与此同时，对于莱斯利，随着事件真相的不断深入，噩梦也在继续显现。48小时后，地区警察部门发言人向她保证，他们将对扎克的失踪展开调查。她对正义会得到伸张的信心减弱了。最近两天发生的事使她认识到，他的儿子很可能成为失踪儿童名单中增加的又一个新数字。在询问了许许多多的细节问题之后，警察完成了初步调查。热线电话丝毫没有结果。
在接下来的一年多时间里，她在警察局和家中接受了无数次的访问和会见。在寻找礼物的下落上，警察似乎并没有取得什么进展。时间一天天地过去，莱斯利感到日益失望，她有一种恐慌的感觉。终于，她决定要争取主动，继续找寻，她开始求助于专门的儿童寻找机构。有时，尽管感到有些厌烦，由于希望的驱使，她还是加入到搜寻线索的行列，但她的希望都在最后时刻破灭了。这些挫折只会令她更坚定不放弃寻找或不丧失希望的决心。扎克的照片在全国传阅，不断有陌生人打来电话，报告说看见了像扎克模样了人。一月又一月，她参与活动的计划安排相当于一场大规模的战役部署。她出高薪请专家帮忙，例如聘请代理人为她服务。莱斯利开始决定在杰夫平日联系生意的每一个主要城市去寻找目标。几个月过去了，从莱斯利的眼里，可以明显感觉到她的确精疲力竭了。她的脸颊深深地凹了下去。大多数日子里，她觉得好像一点儿精力也没有了，因为证明扎克还在的证据看来是不可能找到了。
又一年过去了，她的希望变得更加渺茫。但出乎意料，八月底，一个很有希望的线索把她带到了洛杉矶。
酒吧里面很暗。追寻杰夫和扎克和下落已经花了她现年时间。她付费给在美国的私家侦察机构，帮她查找前夫的下落。在她的手提包里，有可以向当局证明的必要材料，一旦成功，她就可以将扎克带回家，回到加拿大。她焦急地等待着这一刻的到来已经很久了，而现在她只想找回她的儿子，发行量不要出什么乱子。就在这个时候，一个高个的陌生人溜进酒吧坐下来。她一眼就认出那是杰夫。他看起来很疲惫，显得更苍老了，但还是相当熟悉。一阵寒气掠过她的背脊。马上就要成功了!她拒绝承认失败，这正是治疗巨大伤痛的时刻。这次，她要确保成功。她带着迷茫的神情凝视着前方，努力要抓住这重要的时刻。过去两年的搜寻情景，一幕幕清晰地在她的脑海中闪现。
翌日，使莱斯利感到高兴的是当地报纸的头条新闻：“父亲将孩子送回，母亲猛烈抨击体制”。
至于莱斯利和扎克后来的生活，现在可能恢复到某种正常状态了。然而，过去两年的压力和紧张将成为这种重新恢复起来的关系中的一部分，永远留在记忆里。
[[i] 本帖最后由 ivyxiaohui 于 2008-3-1 03:21 PM 编辑 [/i]] One Chance
The tiny antique silver pin lay in my hand. I stared hard at the solemn face looking back at me from the oval frame. I was looking for some resemblance between my ancestor and myself. Her brow was broad and strong, the eyes kind and forgiving. She wore a stiff black bonnet(无边小圆软帽), a high white collar and a coarsely woven shawl(披肩) around her shoulders. In examining her face more closely, maybe I could identify some similarity around the eyes and the nose. An inner strength shone from the eyes of this diminutive lady who had helped lead her family from Ireland to the New World.
The times, in Ireland during the 1770’s, were difficult for everyone. John and Lily Love and all the tenants(租地者,佃户) of the Barren’s Court Estate were suffering after terrible floods destroyed their crops. The landlord was generous in allowing the land rent to fall into arrears(拖欠,还款), due to the difficult times. However, as weather conditions continued to worsen, the little family became pessimistic and felt desperate about the direction of their lives. Nearly every family at this time had at least one member of their family who had left for the New World. The ugly face of famine was lurking(潜藏,潜伏) everywhere. It was not possible with one acre of arable(可耕作的) land to make a living.
Late one night, after the children were in bed, John and Lily discussed the possibility of making a reservation aboard a sailing ship bound for America. John had noticed a poster in the town square, that posted by a ship’s owner trying to recruit people for his ship. John knew that conditions aboard ship would not be ideal for Lily, her new infant son and the two elder boys; however, she acknowledged that settling in America would be the only way for the family to gain some independence and to earn a living. More importantly, it was rumored that land was free in the new country. Lily gave her consent to leave.
In port, the sailing ship, Hannah, under the command of Captain Mitchell lay at anchor. The adventure of crossing the Atlantic Ocean bound for Philadelphia would take two to three months. Passengers were assured there would be the best provisions and plenty of barrels of fresh water. Storms could be fierce and living conditions below deck would be primitive. John joined the long queue and eventually after a lengthy wait, reached the revenue table. He affixed(签署名字) his signature to the contract promising to pay five pounds per person for berths(卧铺) aboard ship. The clerk returned the receipt to John indicating that the sum of money had been paid.
Once under sail the three hundred passengers found themselves crowded into miserable conditions. The smell of so many people crowded together was offensive. The breadth of the vessel was narrow and the headroom(净空,头上空间) below deck minimal.
As the tiny craft sailed out of Lough Foyle, and entered the Atlantic Ocean, it started to roll ominously(不吉利的) and those aboard wondered if they would survive the long voyage ahead or be swallowed up by the enormous waves. Seasickness(晕船) was everywhere and people had no appetite. The food, instead of being of high quality as promised, was too often rotten and the water was brackish(有咸味的).
Eventually, the winds lessened and the Captain was able to set his sights towards America and become ably steering the ship on an even course(航线). Eight weeks later, plus on day, the Hannah made landfall(着陆) and the Love family disembarked(离船上岸) in America and became American newest immigrants. Gazing at the mainland after so many days of sailing was indeed a glorious sight. The difficult days aboard ship seemed worthwhile. Porters hurried along the docks pushing baggage. Little girls with ribbons in their hair scanned the ship’s decks hoping to get a first glimpse of their father arriving. It seemed to Lily that it took forever to register and to pass through immigration.
John said that he would go ahead to scout out some land in the far west of the state. He would push on to the frontier with a bunch of other Irish chaps. Lily and the children could follow more slowly, harnessing the horse and cart to convey their scanty(贫乏的,少的) possessions. The stuff in the cart would include a kettle, dishes, blankets, a chair, a bucket and an axe.
There was a perception by the government at this time that the feisty(易怒的,好斗的) Irish would resist any hostile natives refusing to retreat and thus maintaining the western boundary. The Irish, too, were pleased to settle as far away from the government as possible. Instead of purchasing land, they would “squat(占据)” on the property erecting only a temporary, humble shelter to stave off(遮挡) the weather. Once their families arrived, they would inspire the men to build proper cabins. Neither fancy nor elegant, these log structures would be their first real homes. Property boundaries at this time were not marked out with iron rods or stakes in a standard fashion, but rather designated(标明,标出) by natural objects such as rocks, trees and creeks. Confusion and disputes must often have followed later, when these survey points disappeared.
After exploring the area around Shirley’s burg, John and his sons rode over Sandy Ridge to survey the property below Black Log Mountain. It was here in a long narrow valley they decided to settle. The valley became known then, and is still called Love’s valley today.
At the time, drums were used to forewarn(预先警告) that the natives were going to capture the forts(城堡), which guarded the western frontier. Daily life in this new land, for the early settlers, was harsh and difficult. First they needed to tame the land, chopping down trees, in order to be able to plant crops. At times they needed to defend their land and be wary(机警的) of attacks from wild animals, such as wolves and bears. Mosquito bites caused severe reactions of swelling and itchiness(痒痒). Once the work was done, neighbors would gather for an occasional social function. The children would play for hours chasing butterflies and looking for birds’ nests. The boys would catch frogs and then tease(戏弄) the girls with them. There would be a delicious picnic lunch spread on the grass. John asked Lily to bring some freshly squeezed lemon juice for the picnic. He found the sour taste of lemonade(柠檬汽水) was refreshing on a hot summer’s day. Some of the men would have a drink of homemade(自制的) in the moonshine before striking up a tune on the fiddle(小提琴). Square dancing was popular among the young people and the young lads would leap up to dance with the eligible(中意的,合格的) young ladies. Rivals for a young lady’s hand in marriage would tend to compete to walk her home at the end of an evening. The romantic times were few and contrasted sharply with the stern reality of everyday life.
Neighbors were also few and Lily found she was very lonely. She looked forward to the occasional visits of the minister, Robert Ayers, who was a Methodist circuit rider. Meetings would be held in fields or small barns, three to four times a year. At other times neighbor women from over the mountain would meet to make quilts(被子), blankets and cushions and to gossip(聊天) about their respective lives. They would share their secret fears regarding their new lives, their hopes for their children’s future and enjoy each other’s companionship(友谊,伴侣关系).
Twenty years slipped by and John Love died at the early age of 47. Several years later, son James and his family, as well as widow Lily, his Mother, made the decision to leave Pennsylvania and settle in Canada. They made the arduous(困难的,艰巨的) trek(旅行) over Indian trails, crossing the Niagara River to settle in what we now call Ontario.
I am a Canadian. Having traced my roots and followed in the footsteps of these early settlers, I feel a sense of gratitude to my ancestors who faced extreme difficulties and severe hardship to settle in a new land. Liberty, then and in today’s world, is a priceless inheritance(遗产).
Once more, I glanced at the silver pin before returning it to the velvet(丝绒的) box. Once again, I questioned, “What did I inherit from my Love ancestors?” I realize the answer has been revealed while writing this story. I have determination, strength, loyalty and a love of adventure. This is my inheritance. 一次机会
那枚小小的旧银别针就放在我的手上。我紧盯着那张从椭圆形镜框里反过来看着我的严肃面孔。我在寻找我的祖先和我自己之间的某些相似之处。她的眉毛宽大浓密，眼睛里温和慈祥。她戴着一顶绷紧的黑色软帽，高白领，肩上披着一条做工粗糙的披肩。再近点观察她的脸孔，或许我能在眼睛和鼻子周围辨认出一些相似的地方。从这位身材矮小的女士的眼里，透射出一种内在的力量，她曾帮助和带领她的家庭，从爱尔兰来到了新世界。
那时候，在18世纪70年代的爱尔兰，人人处境艰难。一场特大洪水毁掉了他们的庄稼之后，约翰和莉莉·洛夫一家像其他所有的巴伦斯宫廷庄园的佃户一样痛苦不堪。庄园主还算慷慨，鉴于这个艰难时期，允许佃户们拖欠租金。然而，天气状况持续恶化，这个小家庭变得悲观起来，对他们的生活前途感到绝望。那个时候，几乎每个家庭至少有一名家庭成员出走前往新世界。饱受饥荒之苦的憔悴面容到处都是，要靠一英亩耕地生活是不可能的。
一天夜里，孩子们入睡以后，约翰和莉莉讨论起预定船只前往美国的可能性。就在当天，约翰在市镇广场上看到一张海报，是船主张贴出来招揽乘客的。约翰知道船上的条件对莉莉不大合适，她有一个刚出生的婴儿和两个大点的男孩。但是，她认为在美国定居将是这个家庭取得独立和谋生的唯一出路。更重要的是，据说在那个新国家土地是免费的。莉莉也赞成出去。
在港口，那艘帆船“汉纳”号，在米切尔船长的指挥下，正抛锚停泊。跨越大西洋前往费城的冒险要花两到三个月。乘客们被许诺有最好的食品供应和充足的淡水。暴风雨可能很猛烈，甲板下面的生活条件将是很单调的。约翰加入到了那长长的队列里，等了很久以后，终于来到付款台前。他在合同上签了字，按要求为乘坐那艘船的每个人付5英镑。办事员为约翰开了收据，表示钱已付清。
可是一上船，三百名乘客发现船上非常拥挤，条件很恶劣。这么多人挤在一起，气味简直让人受不了。船舱狭窄又很低矮。
小船驶离洛夫福伊进入大西洋的时候，就开始不祥地摇晃起来，船上的人担心他们是否能够安全完成航程还是会被巨浪吞噬。到处都是晕船的，人们没有食欲。伙食没有承诺的那么好，还常常是腐烂的，水也有咸味。
终于风浪减弱了，船长能够看准美国的方向，成功地驾船工行驶在平静的航线上。八个星期零一天之后，“汉纳”号靠岸，洛夫一家在美国登陆，成为美国最早的移民。经过这么多天的航行，凝视着这片大地，的确令人心旷神怡。看来在船上过的那些艰苦的日子还是值得的。码头上的搬运工在忙着搬运行李。头发上带着丝带的小姑娘们环视着甲板，希望第一眼看到他们到来的父亲。对于莉莉来说，登记和办理移民手续好像没完没了。
约翰说他要先出发，在这个州遥远的西部找一些土地。他和一帮爱尔兰小伙子一起赶往边疆。莉莉和孩子们可以在后面慢慢地跟，坐马车把他们仅有的一点家产运来。车上的那些东西包括一个壶、一个盘子、毯子、一把椅子、一个提桶和一把斧头。
那时候，政府认为，好斗的爱尔兰人会抵抗那些有敌意的当地人，拒绝妥协让步，以保住西部边疆。而爱尔兰人也乐得尽量远离政府定居。不需要购买，他们只要支起一个能遮蔽风雨的临时简陋住所，就算占用了这片土地。一旦家人到达，他们会鼓励男人们建造合适的房屋。既不奇特也不优雅，这些原木结构的建筑物将是他们第一个真正的家。那时，地产边界不是用标准的铁棍或木桩来做标志，而是用象岩石、树木和小溪等自然物来界定。后来因为这些测量点消失了，混乱和争执时常发生。
在探究了歇里斯伯格周围的地区之后，约翰和他的儿子们翻过桑迪山脉，在布莱克拉格山下面勘察了土地，他们决定就在这条狭长的山谷里定居下来。因此这个山谷被称为洛夫山谷，直到今天还这样叫。
那时候，当土著人来夺取防护西部边界的那些城堡时，他们就使用鼓声作为预先的示警。在这块新土地上的日常生活对于早期的定居者来说是非常艰辛和困苦的。首先，他们需要开垦土地，砍倒树木，以便能够种上庄稼。有时，他们需要保卫他们的土地，提防狼和熊等野兽的攻击以及蚊子叮咬造成的肿痛和奇痒。干完活后，邻居们偶尔会聚在一起举行社交活动。孩子们会玩上好几个小时，去捕蝴蝶，掏鸟窝，男孩子们会逮青蛙去捉弄女孩们，还有布置在草地上的美味午餐。约翰叫莉莉为野餐带去一些鲜榨柠檬汁，他发现柠檬的酸味在炎热的夏天令人清爽，使人振奋。月光下，有的人还会来一杯自家酿的酒，然后便趁兴用小提琴拉上一曲。青年人中很流行方块舞，年轻的小伙子们就会跳出来与中意的姑娘们一起跳舞。晚上，向姑娘们求婚的竞争对手们往往会竞相来到她们的家里。浪漫的时候虽然很少，但却和每天严酷的现实生活形成鲜明的对照。
邻居也很少，莉莉觉得孤独。她盼望着卫理公会教派骑马巡回的罗伯特·埃亚牧师的偶然造访。一年有三、四次在田地里或小库房进行集会。另外，有时候，翻山过来的邻家妇女会聚在一起做被子，织地毯和垫子，聊聊各自生活中的琐事。他们分担着对新生活的暗自担心，对孩子前程的殷切期望，并为相互间的友谊高兴不已。
20年过去了，约翰洛夫在47岁时就过早地去世了。几年后，儿子詹姆斯和他的家庭，还有他的母亲——寡妇莉莉，决定离开宾夕法尼亚到加拿大定居。他们经过艰难跋涉，沿着印第安人的足迹，渡过尼亚加拉河，在今天我们称之为安大略的地方定居下来。
我是加拿大人。追根溯源，沿着这些早期移民的足迹，一种感激之情油然而生。我的祖先们面对艰难困苦，克服重重困难才在这片土地上定居下来。不论那时还是现在，自由都是宝贵的遗产。
在把那枚银别针放回丝绒盒之前，我又看了它一眼。我再次问到：“我从洛夫祖先那里继承了什么呢?”在写这个故事的时候，我知道我有了答案。我所拥有的决心、力量、忠诚和对冒险的热爱就是我继承到的遗产。 A Man and His Castle
La Cuesta Encantada (The Enchanted[使用魔法迷惑] Castle) is one of the most remarkable displays of power and passion in the world. This marvelous tourist site now known as Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument is better known as Hearst Castle. It is located six hours south of San Francisco and five hours north of Los Angeles. Sheltered by the mountains in northern San Luis Obispo County, the complex of 165rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces(露台), pools, fountains and footpaths draws approximately 800,000 visitors annually. To understand the castle, you have to understand the man who built it, William Randolph Hearst. And to understand the man, you have to understand the land upon which he built his dream.
Born on April 29, 1863, William Randolph Hearst was the only child of Gorge Hearst and his wife, Phoebe. George was a multimillionaire(千万富翁) who amassed(积聚) his fortune through partnerships(合作关系) in three of the ever largest mining discoveries of copper, silver, and gold ores. In 1865, George began to accumulate parcels of land by obtaining 46,000 acres of the Piedra Blanco Ranch on California’s Central Coast. There he began a successful cattle ranch(大农场), eventually enlarging it to 250,000 acres stretching 50 miles along the coast.
William loved the ranch where he spent his summer vacations as a youngster and a youth, playing in the rugged canyons(峡谷), descending the cliffs and camping in colorful Arab-style tents in the mountains with his family.
Phoebe was delighted in exposing her darling child to the beauties and wonders of the world and spared no expense doing so. During one of their adventures, an 18-month tour of the historic palaces and castles of Europe, William began a lifelong love of collecting. With his first acquisitions, German picture books, he embarked(着手,开始工作) on a 78-year session of excessive spending. He confessed to a love of the finer things in life and, as he had a bottomless(不见底的) purse, would never deny himself anything he wanted.
In 1887, while William was at Harvard University, he decided to take over the small newspaper, the San Francisco Examiner, which his father had accepted as payment for a gambling(赌博) debt several years earlier. George would have preferred that his son be involved in the mining and ranching interests, but William declined this offer and was given ownership of the Examiner in March 1887. He was determined to increase the popularity(普遍,流行) of the paper and acquire the best equipment and writers available.
William’s resolve to succeed inspired him to publish juicy(有趣的) tales of vice and stories full of drama and motivation(积极性,动机). In 1895, he purchased the New York Morning Journal, putting him in direct competition with the distinguished(杰出的) Joseph Pulitzer and a circulation(传播,发行) war began.
Both the Hearst and Pulitzer newspapers started to include sensational(耸人听闻的) stories about the Cuban Insurrection(起义). The stories greatly exaggerated claims of Spanish troops placing Cubans in concentration camps, forcing them to live under substandard conditions, disease-ridden, starving and dying. This style of reporting became known as “Yellow Journalism(新闻事件)”. The newspapers were transformed as the scope of the news broadened and became less conservative. Circulation soared as the public could get enough of the banner headlines and abundant illustrations. At the time, many people believed William actually might have initiated(开始,发动) the Spanish-American War to encourage sales. According to one report, when one of his correspondents, Frederick Remington, requested to return from Havana, William responded that if Remington would furnish the pictures, William would furnish the war. He was once quoted in an editorial as saying, “Make the news thorough Print all the news. Condense it if necessary. Frequently it is better when intelligently(聪明的) condensed.”
Another classic example of his influence occurred when; merely months after he advocated political assassination(暗杀) in an editorial, American President McKinley was assassinated.
As an intelligent and dynamic business man, William generated increased readership by employing some of the most talented(天才的) writers in the United States, recruiting figures from the literary community, like Mark Twain and Stephen Crane, and the previously mentioned illustrator, Frederick Remington. He also showed his initiative when he chartered a yacht(快艇), equipped it as a miniature(小型的) newspaper headquarters, anchored off the coast of Cuba, and led his army of reporters into the field.
William’s interests led him to follow in his father’s footsteps, inspiring him to enter into politics. He was elected to the U.S. Congress as a senator representing the State of New York in 1902 and served until 1907. He was a candidate for the office of mayor of New York City and governor of New York State, but failed in both of these attempts.
While honeymooning in Europe after his marriage to Millicent Wilson in 1903, he expanded his publishing empire with Motor Magazine. The Hearst Corporation grew to comprise a total of 12 newspapers, including the Examiner, and 25 magazines, including Cosmopolitan. Not satisfied with just his publishing enterprises, he expanded his business operations into radio, and later produced movie newsreels(新闻纪录片). (To Be Continued)
This influential media giant was not without his faults. His prejudices were common knowledge. His career was blemished(玷污) by his offensive remarks about Spaniards, Japanese, Filipinos, and Russians. He printed lies, forged documents, falsified(歪曲) stories of violence, wrote provocative editorials, and published sensational cartoons and photographs to support his opinions.
William hated minorities. He took advantage of every opportunity to heighten racial tensions. His real motive for his hatred of Mexicans may have been the loss of 800,000 acres of prime timber land to the Mexican outlaw(逃犯), Pancho Villa. His papers described them as marijuana-smoking, job-stealing, lazy, wicked, and violent degenerates(堕落). Some suggest he saw the Mexicans as a threat to his empire.
[[i] 本帖最后由 ivyxiaohui 于 2008-3-1 03:29 PM 编辑 [/i]] During this period, William met and fell in love with a young actress, Marion Davies. Millicent, his wife and the mother of his five sons, including a set of twins, refused to dissolve the marriage, which obliged William to “live in sin” with the woman whom the tour guides refer to as his “friend” or “companion”.
With the death of his mother in 1919, William inherited the beloved quarter-million-acre ranch. At first, he planned to build modest ranch house on his favorite campsite(野营的) but as he became more involved in the project, his vision of a monument to display his collections gained momentum(动力). Working closely with family architect, Julia Morgan, William created a glorious and extraordinary castle-like structure, blending Spanish, European, and Californian architectural styles. Huge warehouses(仓库) were built in San Simeon to store the shiploads of splendid antiques, including entire carved ceilings and walls hung with enormous tapestries(挂毯). They could be installed in the completed rooms. Landscaping integrated exotic(外来的,奇异的) plants, hedges, and trees with native flora(植物群落). As William was in his 60’s, he had the insight to know he couldn’t wait for them to grow, but he was optimistic. He ordered tons of fertile topsoil to cover the grounds to a depth of five feet and full-grown specimens of the plants were trucked up the mountain for planting.
With thousands of acres of land covered with grassland, trees, natural ponds, and man-made reservoirs available for use, William stocked the estate with herds of rare oxen and deer, and flocks of sheep and lambs. These animals flourished as they were allowed to wander freely. Larger, more dangerous beasts, including tigers, ostriches, buffalo, yaks, emus, kangaroos, llamas, zebras and giraffes were enclosed in the largest private zoo in the world.
The “complex” was ready for occupancy(占有) in 1927, but additions continued until 1947. Eventually it comprised the main house and three cottages, all of which are furnished with a variety of valuable antiques. Even the lavatories were specially equipped. William’s favorite room was said to be the library with its collections of more than 5,000 books, ancient Greek vases, and an antique Spanish ceiling suspended(悬挂的) by cables so it will sway in the event of an earthquake (all the antique furnishings and treasures are anchored as a precaution as this is earthquake country).
In the ‘20s, ‘30s, and ‘40s, William loved part-time at the estate with his mistress, Marion Davies. They entertained to an excessive extent. To be invited to the castle was a privilege. Movie stars, politicians, businessmen, and even royalty(皇室成员) were frequent guests. Many of these guests, including a British lord, Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith, Amelia Ear hart, and Charles Lindbergh, flew to the ranch, landing on the private(私人的) airstrip(飞机跑道).
Life on the “hill” was never dull. The visitors stayed in the main house or the cottages, depending on their prominence(重要) or their intimacy(亲密) with the family and were free to roam(漫游) the grounds, go riding on their choice of horses on the property. Company was expected, however, to meet in the main drawing room at 7:30 p.m. sharp, principally (主要地) to amuse their host. Dinner was a formal affair beginning at 9:00 p.m. this meal was held in the immense dining room, the walls of which are lined with priceless panels from ancient European cathedrals (大教堂). Following dinner, movies were shown in the private theater, starting at 11:00.
There were, however, three rules guests had to follow: do not get drunk; do not swear or tell off-color jokes; sleep in separate bedrooms if an unmarried couple. Food was not allowed in the rooms. If you wanted to eat, you could visit the kitchen… if you could find it.
Although William was closely involved in all aspects of the construction and decoration of the mansion(大厦,宅邸), he continued his business and social interest. No stranger to scandal, in November 1924, he found himself in the topic of headlines. The most enduring rumor was that, during a party on his yacht, he had found Marion kissing Charlie Chaplin. In a fit of jealousy he took a shot at Chaplin, missed, and accidentally his Thomas Ince, killing him. However, even though the morning papers carried the story, the evening paper and successive editions printed that Ince had died of acute indigestion(消化不良).
In 1945, William initiated the Hearst Foundation and created the California Charities Foundation in 1948 (the name was changed to the William Randolph Hearst Foundation soon after his death in 1951). The Great Depression took its toll on even the wealthiest and William Randolph Hearst was no exception. His fantastically(荒诞的) decadent lifestyle couldn’t last forever, and gradually his finances began to suffer, beginning the next chapter in the saga(传奇) of excesses. He came close to being bankrupt but Marion rescued him from debt, unselfishly selling her jewels and some other property to raise over a million dollars.
In 1947, due to his poor health, he was forced to move permanently to Beverly Hills. Marion looked after him during this time, seldom leaving his side. When he died in 1951 at the age of 88, she was shunned(避开) by his family and forbidden to attend his funeral.
The castle, its furnishings, the artworks in the gallery, and 127 acres of land were given to the state of California in 1957. Since that time, the California Department of Parks and Recreation has kept the castle open to tourists.
Today a visit to the estate begins near the site of the old airstrip. Guests are transported to the top of the hill via bus. One can still see the signs giving wandering animals the “right-of-way” on the lanes. Deer, cattle, and sheep often halt the buses’ progress up or down the mountain as they meander(漫游) to the salt licks.
Depending on the tour one chooses, guides escort(护送,陪同) the public through a variety of rooms, gardens, cottages, and pools. The luxury of a bygone(过去的) era is evident at every turn. From the moment you arrive at the stairway to the Neptune Pool until you bid farewell to your guides at the magnificent, golden and blue Roman Pool, you are reminded that a man had a dream. He had power and influence. Furthermore, he was prosperous enough to achieve his objectives and implement his dream. 一个大人物和他的城堡
魔幻城堡是世界上最著名的展示才能与激情的名胜之一。这个奇迹般的游览地，就是现在著名的赫斯特圣西蒙国家历史博物馆，它作为赫斯特城堡，则更为有名。它位于旧金山以南6小时、洛杉矶以北5小时车程的地方。这座隐蔽在圣路易斯·奥比斯波郡北部群山之中的综合建筑有165个房间，占地127英亩，有花园、游廊、水池、喷泉和小径，每年吸引大约80万名游客来到这里。要了解这座城堡，你就得了解建造它的那个人——威廉·伦道夫·赫斯特，而要了解这个人，你就得了解他把梦想建在其上的这块土地。
威廉·伦道夫·赫斯特，生于1863年4月29日，是乔治·赫斯特和他的妻子菲比唯一的孩子。乔治是一个千万富翁，他通过合伙参与三个曾经是最大的铜矿、银矿和金矿的发现和开采，积聚起大量财富。1865年，乔治得到了在加利福尼亚海岸的46000英亩的皮亚得拉布兰可牧场，开始积聚大片土地。在那里，他开始了对养牛场的成功经营，并最终将它扩大到沿着50英里海岸的250，000英亩。
威廉热爱这个青年时期渡过暑假的牧场。在崎岖不平的溪谷里游玩，攀登悬崖，和家人一起在山里华美的阿拉伯式的帐篷里野营。
菲比很喜欢让她心爱的孩子去认识这个美丽而奇妙的世界，花费多少都无所谓。在一次冒险活动期间，他们用18个月游览了欧洲历史上著名的宫殿和城堡，从那时起威廉开始养成收集的终身爱好。他从最初收集德国的图画书开始，进行了长达78年的超级消费。他承认一生中对精美物品的痴迷和热爱，而且因为有一个用不完的钱包，他对想要的任何东西从不吝惜金钱。
1887年，当威廉在哈佛大学读书时，他决定接管一家小报纸《旧金山问询报》，几年前他的父亲将其作为一笔赌债接收了下来。乔治更希望他的儿子把兴趣放在采矿和经营牧场上，但威廉拒绝了这个建议并于1887年3月接手成为《问询报》的主人。他决定购置最好的设备，邀请最好的作者撰稿，提升报纸的声望。
威廉渴望成功的决心，促使他出版有趣的下流传闻和充满戏剧性、引人入胜的故事。1895年，他买下《纽约晨报》，与著名的约瑟夫·普利策展开直接的竞争，开始了一场扩大发行量的商战。
赫斯特和普利策的报纸都开始刊登有关古巴起义的耸人听闻的故事。这些故事极大地夸大了西班牙部队的行为：他们把古巴人关进集中营，迫使他们在恶劣的条件下生活，饱受疾病、饥饿和死亡的折磨。这种报道形式成了有名的“黄色新闻”。报纸在向扩大新闻范围方面转变，并变得不那么保守了。因为能够使公众获得足够的头条新闻和丰富的插图，发行量激增。那时，很多人相信威廉实际上可能会发动西班牙——美国战争以增加发行量。据一篇报道说，当他的一个通讯记者弗雷德里克雷明顿请求从哈瓦那回来时，威廉回答说如果雷明顿能提供图片，他就可以发起这场战争。曾有一篇社论引用过他的格言：“跟踪新闻到底。报道所有新闻。必要时浓缩新闻。浓缩后的新闻常常更出色。”
关于受他影响的另一个典型例子是，他在一篇社论中鼓吹政治暗杀，仅仅几个月后，麦金利总统就遇刺身亡。
作为一个聪明能干的商人，威廉通过雇佣美国最有才华的作者，从文学团体中聘用大人物，像马克·吐温和斯蒂芬·克莱恩，以及前面提到过的插图画家弗雷德里克·雷明顿，造就了不断增长的读者群。他还显示了他的创新能力。当时，他包租了一条游艇，把装备成一个小型的报社总部，停在古巴海岸边，让他的采访队伍进入战场。
威廉的兴趣爱好引领他、激励他继承父业进入政界。1902年作为纽约州的代表，他以参议员的身份被选进美国国会，一起任职到1907年。他还是纽约市市长和纽约州州长职位的候选人，但这两次努力都失败了。
1903年与米莉森特·威尔逊结婚。在欧洲渡蜜月期间，他以《汽车杂志》扩张他出版帝国的疆土。赫斯特公司迅速成长以来，总共有包括《问询报》在内的12种报纸，和包括《大都会》在内的25种杂志。他并不满足于出版行业，还把他的事业扩展到电台，后来还生产新闻记录片。 (待续)
这个有巨大影响的媒体巨人也不是没有缺点。他的偏见是众所周知的。他对西班牙人、日本人、菲律宾人和俄罗斯人的攻击性评论是对他职业的玷污。为支持自己的观点，他刊载谎言，伪造文献，编选暴力故事，写煽动性的社论，出版蛊惑人心的卡通和照片。
威廉憎恨少数民族。他利用一切机会加剧种族间的紧张关系。他憎恨墨西哥人的真正原因，可能是由于那个墨西哥逃犯Pancho Villa让他损失了800,000英亩的原始树林。他的报纸把他们描绘成抽大麻、磨洋工、懒惰、邪恶和喜欢暴力的堕落者。有人说他认为墨西哥人对他的帝国是一个威胁。 在这个时期，威廉遇见了年轻的女演员马里恩戴维斯并爱上了她。他的妻子，他5个儿子其中有一对双胞胎的母亲米莉森特，拒绝解除婚姻，迫使威廉与那个女人过着姘居的生活，导游提到她时就说是他的“朋友”或“同伴”。
1919年，他母亲去世，威廉继承了那个他深爱着的25万英亩的牧场。起初，他计划在他最喜欢的宿营地建一所普通的低矮平房，但当他更多地介入这个工程时，建一个纪念馆来展示他的收藏品的想法占了上风。威廉与家庭建筑师朱莉亚·摩根进一步密切协作，创造了一种气派显赫的像城堡一样的结构，整合了西班牙、欧洲和加利福尼亚的建筑风格。在圣西蒙创造了巨大的仓库存放成船的贵重古董，全部雕花的天花板以及用巨大挂毯装饰的墙壁。它们可以安置到已完工的房间里来。把外来的植物、灌木和树木结合进当地的植物种群，进一步美化景观。威廉已经60多岁了，他清楚地知道他可能等不到它们长大，但他是乐观的。他定购了成吨肥沃的表层土，覆盖地面达5英尺深，把这些植物长好的样品用卡车运到山上种植。
在可以利用的数千英亩的土地上，有草地、树林、天然水池和人工水库，威廉在庄园里放养了珍稀的牛群和鹿群，还有一群群的绵羊和小羊羔。因为允许它们自由漫游，这些动物健壮而活跃。那些大家伙，比较危险的野兽，包括老虎、鸵鸟、水牛、牦牛、鸸鹋(产于澳洲的大型鸟)、袋鼠、骆驼、斑马和长颈鹿，则被关在这个世界上最大的私人动物园里。
那座“综合性建筑”在1927年就已经可以使用，但扩建工程一直持续到1947年。最后，它包含了一幢主楼和三栋别墅，每一座的家具配备都使用各种贵重的古董。连厕所的设施都很特别。威廉最喜欢的房间据说是图书室，里面有收藏的5，000多本书籍，古希腊的花瓶，以及一个用缆索悬吊起来的古代西班牙吊顶，一旦发生地震，吊顶就会摇摆(所有的古代家具和珍宝都被事先用铰链固定住，因为这是一个多地震的国家)。
20年代到40年代，威廉时常与他的情人马里恩·戴维斯居住于此。他们待客极尽奢华。被邀请到城堡是一种殊荣。电影明星、政治家、商人，还有皇室成员都是他们的常客。这些客人当中的很多人，包括一名英国的勋爵、查尔斯·金福特·史密斯先生、阿梅莉亚·埃尔哈特、查尔斯·林德伯格，曾直接飞到这个庄园，降落在这里的私人飞机跑道上。
“山”上的生活从来都不乏味。来访者按他们的显赫程度或与这个家庭的亲密关系，或住在主楼里，或住在别墅中，在园子里自由散步，去马厩里挑匹马来骑，到水池里去游泳，或者在这块领地上的私人球场上玩高尔夫球。不过，大家还是急切期盼着晚上7点30分在主画室里同主人相见，显然主要是想让他们的主人高兴。宴会是一项正式的活动，在晚上9点开始。这顿饭在巨大的餐厅进行，餐厅墙壁是用来自古代欧洲天主教堂的珍贵的镶板拼成的。饭后，在私人影院上映电影，11点开始。
不过，有三条规矩客人必须遵守：不能醉酒;不能赌咒或开伤风败俗的玩笑;还没结婚的一对恋人要睡在不同的卧室。食物不能带进房间。如果你想吃东西，可以到厨房去……只要你找得到。
尽管威廉积极参与了这所豪宅的建设和装饰的各个方向，他仍然在继续他的商业和社交活动。对流言蜚语习以为常的他，1924年11月，发现自己上了头条新闻。那是一个流行已久的谣言：在游艇上的一次聚会上，他发现马里恩在亲吻查里·卓别林，他妒火中烧，于是向卓别林开了一枪，偏了，却意外地击中了托马斯·因斯，杀死了他。不过，尽管早上的报纸登载了这个故事，但晚上的报纸和更多的版面就登出因斯死于急性消化不良。
1945年，威廉建立赫斯特基金会。1948年创立加利福尼亚慈善基金会(在他1951年去世后不久，改为威廉·伦道夫·赫斯特基金会)。大萧条对即使是最富有的人都会带来损失，威廉·伦道夫也不例外。他那种荒诞放纵的生活方式不能再继续下去了，他的财政开始逐渐吃紧。这种放荡生活的下一篇章开始了。就在他行将破产的时候，马里恩在把他从债务中挽救出来。她无私地卖掉了她的珠宝和一些其他的地产，筹集了100多万美元。
1947年，由于健康状况恶化，他被迫永久地住在贝弗莉山上。马里恩在此期间一直照顾他，几乎没有离开过他的身边。当他于1951年88岁去世时，她却被他的家庭有意避开，并被禁止参加葬礼。
这座城堡，连同里面的家具设施，走廊里的艺术品，以及127英亩的土地在1957年给了加利福尼亚政府。从那时起，加利福尼亚公园和娱乐部一直把这座城堡向游人开放。
今天游览到这个庄园，起点就在旧飞机跑道所在位置附近。客人们乘巴士到山顶。路上，仍然可以看见让放养的动物们“优先通行”的标示牌。鹿、牛和羊悠闲地在盐渍地舔食时，常常迫使正在行驶的上下山巴士停下来。
根据你选好的路线，导游会陪你经过各种房间、花园、别墅和水池。处处显现出昔日的奢华。从到达通向尼普顿水池楼梯的那一刻起，到在金碧辉煌的罗马水池边对导游说再见，你会一直想起一个有梦想的人。他有才能和影响力。而且他曾经飞黄腾达，能够达到他的目的并实现他的梦想。 [b]Yip Sang, a Chinese-Canadian[/b]
The British and Chinese signed the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, each providing their respective subjects with the right to benefit from full security and protection for their persons and property within each other’s boundaries. Even though China did no openly allow emigration(移居), in 1860 a law was passed which stated that Chinese seeking to work in the British Colonies or other places were at liberty to do so. They had only to ship themselves and their families on board any British vessel at any of the open ports in China. In 1868, another treaty, this one with the United States, gave the Chinese the right to change their home and loyalty from one country to another for the purposes of curiosity, of trade, or as permanent residents, thereby opening the gates for emigration from China.
The gold boom in British Columbia in the 1850’s was the beginning of Chinese immigration from the U.S. into Canada. Many of these early immigrants from Fujian and Guangdong provinces to San Francisco. When they heard of the gold discoveries in British Columbia, many crossed the border into Canada by moving overland through Oregon or arriving by sea in Victoria. When the gold deposits were depleted(用尽,枯竭), these early settler stayed, moving into occupations like gardening, farming, domestic service, road construction, and railway building. By 1871, these were approximately 3,000 Chinese inhabitants in the province, only 53 of whom being women.
Since Chinese workers were know to be conscientious and reliable, several companies actively recruited them. As a result, it was estimated that 10,000 workers arrived between 1882 and 1884. In an effort to restrict the entry of Chinese immigrants, an act was passed in the Canadian Parliament confining the proportion to one person for every 50 tons of vessel tonnage(船舶的吨数). A head tax was also imposed. Records of those who paid the head tax are still available for viewing in the National Archives of Canada.
An article in the Illustrated London News in January 1875 gave some insight into the emigration process of the Chinese by conveying the ideas of changes they might undergo. The author thought the modifications(修改,改造) would be slight and principally external. He believed that, in an attempt to blend in, the Chinese would adopt American language, culture, and dress. However, because the Chinese brought with them a strong sense of their own identity, it wasn’t necessary for them to cultivate a North American way of life, nor did they feel an obligation to abandon their traditions. Much of the article would be considered insulting by today’s standards.
In the United States, there were two opposing points of view. On one side of the coin, the Chinese were seen as an inexpensive means of providing the manual labor necessary to develop the assets of the country, most often in hazardous occupations. On the other side, there were those who branded them as the “curse” of the nation. Some Americans applauded the Chinese but others condemned them as evil. Some were disturbed by what might happen if all the immigrants decided to stay. Their distress was unfounded however, as most Chinese had no intention of staying. Their greatest wish was to accumulate as much money as possible and return to China.
Guilds(行会,协会) were set up to provide lodging and employment for the emigrants, for a fee of course. The fee ensured that the worker would be paid a decent wage and that his employer would not deceive him. The accumulated fees amounted to a large sum, allowing the Guilds to help those who were ill or out of work. They not only saw that the worker received whatever was due to him, they also made him pay all his debts. The worker wasn’t allowed to return to his own country without a certificate from his agent stating he owned nothing.
Many Chinese were able to save a portion of their earnings to take with them to their family back home. Often, after workers returned to China, they would revisit North America to accumulate more money. Before being allowed to board a ship in China, however, they had to prove that they were going to their own free will and were under no labor contract. Before the ships set sail. The authorities would visit to guarantee that all on board had their ticket stamped and were not leaving the country against their will.
Yip Sang, born in Canton(广州旧称) in 1845, left China at the age of nineteen to seek his fortune in America. After arriving in San Francisco in 1864, he earned a living by working first as a dish-washer, then as a cook, and finally as a cigar roller. From the outset, he perceived that if he was patient and could represent the best of his race, his merits would be recognized.
Possibly the attraction of high wages rumored to be offered by Canadian railroad companies roused Yip San to leave San Francisco. He arrived in Vancouver in 1881 and worked on the western portion of the Canadian pacific Railroad from 1882 until 1884, first as a book-keeper, then as a time-keeper, and finally as a paymaster(出纳员), before being promoted to Chinese superintendent(主管) for the supply company. The promotion made him responsible for hiring on contract and transporting thousands of men from China to work on the railway line in British Columbia. He supervised(监督,管理) some six to seven thousand Chinese workers during the peak of the construction.
In 1885, he returned to China using the money he had saved from his CPR job. He remained there from 1885 until 1888, while there he married four different wives, a regular occurrence at the time for wealthy young men. He and his first wife, Lee She, had a son and a daughter. Lee She became gravely(严重的) ill after their marriage and urged Yip Sang to take another wife, one who could be able to take good care of their children. Wong She, Yip Sang’s second wife, was very young with “sensitive” eyes, but did not meet with the approval of Lee Shee. She insisted he should marry third time, and this time choose someone more suitable to care for the children. Dong She, wife number three, was more mature and had the capacity to supervise the household and the children. Dong Shee convinced Yip Sang to take a fourth wife, Chin She, whose primary role was to be Dong She’s companion. With his four wives, Yip Sang had 23 children, one of whom became the first Chinese Canadian doctor to be recognized in Canada. In 1888, Yip Sang returned to Canada with three wives——Lee She died before they left.
On his return to Canada he undertook a new enterprise. He became a merchant, opening an import-export business in the heart of Vancouver's Chinatown. Wing Sang Company specialized in goods imported from China. The company provided Chinese Canadians with merchandise(商品) not readily available in Vancouver and exported Canadian foodstuffs(食品) to China.
His formula of pouring as much money as he could afford into building and expansion couldn’t help but succeed. In 1889, Yip Sang bought land on Pender Street in Chinatown and began construction of a complex, which still stands today. Initially(最初) being a two-story building with a ground floor storefront and a second floor residence, it was probably the first in Chinatown to be built of durable brick. Customers of the store walked on wooden platforms covering the unpaved dirt streets to avoid tracking the dust and mud into the building.
With the tone of success, Yip Sang added to his building. In 1901, he widened the street to accommodate three more shops, each with a second story above. He also added a third floor to the original building in the same year. In 1912, to house both his growing family and his business, he built a new six-story brick building behind the old one and connected to it by a narrow corridor at ground level, and by an enclosed stairway extension on the third floor that stretched above the alley between the two buildings. Most of the new building was used to warehouse goods for the import/export business.
Yip Sang’s involvement(卷入) with shipping companies and his own business demonstrated his understanding of the freight industry and his ability to work fluently in both Chinese and English languages. In 1889, the CPR rehired Yip Sang to act as their Chinese Passenger Agent for their Canadian Steamship Line, a position he held until his death in 1927 at the age of 82.
The demand for salted herring(鲱鱼) in china, in conjunction with huge catches being brought in by the fishing fleet, spurred Yip Sang to build a fish packing plant in Nanaimo. The success of this plant led to the opening of a second plant on Vancouver Island soon afterward. Both plants were staffed by large numbers of Chinese workers and helped establish sizeable(相当大的) Chinese community in Nanaimo’s downtown core.
Consistent with Yip Sang’s devotion to growth and improvement, he promoted and fostered(支持) education. Not only did he found the Ok Kuo Night School, he also served as its principal for over ten years. His children went to public school, but they also received schooling at home from tutors hired from Hong Kong to teach them Chinese. Yip Sang took great pleasure in quizzing his offspring(子女,后代) about their lessons. His philosophy was that by moderating the children’s Canadian education with fundamental Chinese, the equation would result in well-rounded, responsible citizens.
[[i] 本帖最后由 ivyxiaohui 于 2008-3-1 03:36 PM 编辑 [/i]] As a keen advocate of education in Canada, Yip Sang also sponsored education abroad in China. The ling-nan University and Toi-shan Middle School in his hometown of Canton were established with his help.
Throughout his life, he maintained an active role in Vancouver’s Chinatown. He was one of eleven men, his contemporaries, who founded the Chinese Benevolent(慈善的) Association, one component of which looked after the ill, elderly or destitute(贫困的) Chinese in the absence of their families.
When he died at the age of 82, Yip Sang was not only one of the wealthiest merchants in Vancouver; he was also considered a pillar of the community. Yip Sang’s descendants(后裔,后代) continue to honor his values and remain active in the Vancouver Community.
加籍华人阿寿
1842年，中英两国签订《南京条约》，双方为各自的国民提供在彼此的疆域内享有人员和财产受到完全保护的权利。尽管中国没有公开允许移民出境，但1860年通过的一条法律规定寻求在英国殖民地或其他地方工作的华人有这种移民自由。他们及其家人只要登上在中国任一个开放港口里的任一艘英国船只即可。1868年，另一个条约——一个与美国签订的条约——给予那些观光、贸易或永久定居为目的的华人将家庭及对国家的效忠从一个国家转移到另一个国家的权利。从而打开了从中国移民出境的大门。
1850年不列颠哥伦比亚的淘金热开始了华人从美国移民到加拿大的历程。在这些早期移民中间，很多人是从福建省、广东省乘船到达旧金山的。当听说在不列颠哥伦比亚发现了金矿，很多人从陆路穿越俄勒冈州，过边境进入加拿大，或者乘船到达维多利亚港。当金矿被淘尽的时候，这些早期的定居者留了下来，转而从事园艺、农业、家政服务、道路和铁路建设等行业。到1871年，这个省大约有3,000名华裔居民，其中只有53名妇女。
因为华人劳工以勤劳守信闻名，多家公司争相雇佣他们。结果，在1882年至1884年期间，估计来了10,000名工人。为了有效地限制华人入境，加拿大国会通过了一项法令，限制每50吨排水吨位只能运载1人，还征收人头税。那些交了人头税的人，其档案至今还可以在加拿大国家档案馆查阅到。
1875年元月刊登在《伦敦新闻画报》上的一篇文章，通过揭示华人一些观念的改变，对移民过程做了某些深层的透视。其作者认为，他们的变化是很小的，而且基本上都是外在的。他相信在努力融入当地社会的过程中，华人接受了美洲的语言、文化和服饰。然而，因为华人总是带有一种对他们自己身份的强烈认同感，要他们养成北美的生活方式是没有必要的，他们也认为没有义务放弃自己的传统。以今天的标准来看，这篇文章的大部分内容可以被认为是带有侮辱性的。
在美国，存在两种对立的观点。一方面，华人被看成廉价的劳动力，为这个国家的财富积累提供了必要的人力资源，大多数通常从事危险的职业。另一方面，又有人污蔑他们是这个国家的“祸根”。有些美国人赞扬中国人，另一些人则指责他们是恶棍。还有些人忧心忡忡于如果所有移民都决定留下来可能会发生的问题。然而，他们的担心毫无道理，因为大多数华人并没打算留下来。他们最大的愿望就是尽可能地攒钱，然后回到中国。
为移民提供食宿和就业的行会建立了起来。当然，这是要付钱的。所付费用可以保证工人得到合理的工资，不受雇主欺骗。会费累积到很大一笔的时候，行会就能够帮助生病或失业的人。他们不仅要注意工人是否得到应得的收入，还要使他还清所有的债务。没有其代理人出具的无欠债的证明，工人是不允许回到自己国家的。
很多华人能够存下一部分收入，回家时带回他们的祖国。工人们回到中国后，常常会再次到北美挣更多的钱。然而，在中国，被允许上船之前，他们必须证明自己是自愿走的，并不是受劳动合同的约束。在开船之前，当局会上来检查，保证船上所有的人都检过票，并且不是违反他们的意愿离开这个国家的。
阿寿，1845年出生于广东，19岁时离开中国到美国谋生。1864年到达旧金山后，靠打工过活，先是当洗碗工，然后是厨师，最后是雪茄卷烟工。从一开始，他就认识到，只要他有耐心，能够表现出最佳的能力，就会实现他的价值。
也许是受传闻中加拿大铁路公司所给的高工资的吸引，阿寿离开了旧金山。1881年他到温哥华。1882年至1884年，他在加拿大太平洋铁路的西段工作。先是做簿记员，然后是记工员，出纳员，最后被提拔为供应公司的华人主管。这次晋升使他负责雇佣合同的事务，他把几千人从中国运送到不列颠哥伦比亚的铁路线上工作。在建设高峰期间，他管理的华工达六、七千人。
1885年，他用在加拿大太平洋铁路公司挣的钱回到中国，并从1885年住到1888年。在那里，他娶了四个妻子。那时，对富有的年轻人来说这种情况很普遍。他和他的第一位妻子李氏有一个儿子和一个女儿。李氏在婚后得了重病，力劝他再娶一位妻子，以便照顾他们的孩子。他的第二位妻子汪氏，很年轻，有一双“多情”的眼睛，但却得不到李氏的认可。她坚持要他再结第三次婚，这次一定会选一个能够照顾孩子的。第三位妻子董氏比较成熟，有能力管理家务和照顾孩子。董氏又说服他要了第四位妻子金氏，她的主要角色是董氏的帮手。他与他的四个妻子有二十三个孩子，其中一个成为加拿大知名的第一位加籍华人医生。他和他的三个妻子于1888年回到加拿大——李氏在他们走之前已经去世。
这次回到加拿大，他创办了一家新企业。他成了一位商人，在温哥华唐人街的中心地段开了一家进出口公司。Wing Sang公司的业务是从中国进口货物。该公司为华裔加拿大人供应在温哥华不容易买到的商品，并把加拿大的食品出口到中国。
他倾其所有投资房地产的方式和扩展经营的方法大获成功。1889年，阿寿在唐人街的彭得街买地，开始建一座综合大楼，这座大楼至今犹在。最初是一座两层大楼，一楼作店面，二楼住人，这也许是唐人街上用耐用砖建造的第一座楼房。顾客进商店前，要走过铺在土路街上的木板平台，以免把灰尘和泥土带进屋里。
伴随成功的步伐，阿寿扩建了他的房屋。1901年，他加宽了街道以适应另外三个商店的需要，每个都是两层的。同年，他在原来的房屋上加了第三层。1912年，为满足不断增长的家庭和事业的用房需要，他在旧房子的后面建了一座六层的砖房。两座房屋之间的地面有个狭小的走廊相连，在三楼上架设了一个跨过两座楼之间小巷的楼梯。大多数房间用于储存进出口货物。
阿寿与船运公司的联系以及他自己的事业，展示了他对运输业的了解和熟练使用汉语和英语工作的能力。1889年，加拿大太平洋铁路公司再次请他担任加拿大轮船公司的华人旅客代理。他担任这个职务一直到1927年82岁去世时为止。
对中国咸鲱鱼的大量需求，再加上渔船船队带回来的巨大捕获量，促使阿寿在南奈莫建立了鱼片加工厂。这个厂的成功又促使他不久就在温哥华岛开了第二家。两个厂雇佣了大量的华工，帮助在南奈莫城中心建立了一个很大的华人社区。
与对事业发展壮大的投入相一致的是，阿寿支持和鼓励教育。他不仅建了Ok Kuo夜校，还担任这所学校的校长达十多年。他的孩子们进的是公立学校，但他们在家还要接受教育。他从香港雇来家庭教师教他们汉语。阿寿以极大的兴致关心孩子们的学习。他的哲学是，把基础汉语加入到孩子们的加拿大教育中，综合起来将培养出更全面、更负责的公民。
作为一个加拿大教育的热心倡导者，身在国外的阿寿还赞助中国的教育。他家乡广东的Ling-nan大学和Toi-shan中学就是在他的帮助下建立的。
纵观他的一生，他始终是温哥华唐人街里的活跃人物。他是当时一起建立华人慈善协会的十一个人之一，协会有一个部门是照顾无家可归的生病、年迈或有困难的华人的。
在他82岁去世的时候，阿寿不仅是温哥华最富有的人之一，还被认为是社会的栋梁。阿寿的后代一直以他的成熟为荣，继续在温哥华社会中发挥着积极的作用。 ....so many,thank you 嗯不错，顶你咯！ 嗯不错，顶你咯！^_^ :) 额，好长啊
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