a bleak, cabless city square

A report on the practice of this custom in Hsia-p'u county in Fukien stated: The daughters of poor families and miao-hsi are mostly pawned to others as slaves when they are 6 or 7 years old and an agreement is drawn up clearly stating that the time limit is 8 or 10 years and the price is more than 10 yüan or 4-5 yüan.

He's a fine fellow, this Gabriel Stanton, a white man all through

Thus one tradesman slips away, / To give his partner fairer play.