River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-12-20

a-ed Tommy.
"Nonsensei - said /, little Grossly. Il
shall give the stupid fellow lesson fol
putting silly notions into your heads"
But / have somewhere read of Oriental
iugglers producing a full grown, matured
tree OF dwarf size in a few minutes, said
nv wife. whose prediction in favor OF
An Kin was greater than my own, chiefly
because he attended her Bible class in the
Sunday school, and led her to believe that
he was in a fair way of being converted
10 Christianity.
$50 have T. replied, "but they must
have been far more expert than our poor
simpleton of an All Kin. However ="
was interrupted by the entrance into
our little garden-where the foregoing
conversation had taken place--of the very
object of our remarks himself
lie was. without doubt, the most insane,
ultra-addled, super-stupid specimen of
even a John Cinnamon / ever saw. He
might have been almost any age from
twenty-five to sixty, so utterly expression
less was his flat, vapid, sleepish physiOg
nomy, the skin of which looked like
nothing so much as imperfect mahogany
veneering that had been exposed to the
weather for an indefinite period, whose
little sits of eyes were not without sort
of canine aifectionateness when they en-
c0unteTed me or mine. His development
OF forehead and chin-Or rather the lack
of twas after the manner of the princely
Aztec descendants that were once exhibit
ed through the country; his yellow pro-
tuberant tusk like teeth were constantly
exposed; and one wondered that even the
weight of his attenuated pig-tail did not
prepC nderate over his cerebral incapacity
to PROSTATE him altogether on his back.
/ The children were not long in making
this cheerful specimen of Celestial civili-
cation acquainted with the nature o. the
conversation that he had interrupted, and
/ the promised Christmas tree. He con
tented himself with making low salaam,
with which he always greeted us, especial
ly my wife, and simply said;
"Waitee till Kistmass Gomez, and see
l what [ do. | know what it means, for
the good lady makee me lovce the Melli-
can mans joss. never forget kindness,
not me. | was a big lick magic man in
China. | make grow light here in this
garden a splendid tree, so high" (measur-
| ing off about a yard with his hands,, an
Kistmassee morning waitee and Sec"
With that All Kin went into the house
I for a basket of sOiled linen, and we saw
little of him until the Christmas morning
! following. when our garden contained a
number of neighDors and their children,
/ attracted thither BY the wonderful prom
ises OF All Kin, which Tommy and Bella
had noiSed through the entire neighbor-
/ hood.
1t was lovely weather, as warm and
| balmy as day in June in New England.
I The sunshine caressed the sward with a
/ loving hand, the birds were melodious in
the cedars. the gold fish flashed ruddily in
the little fountain, had improvised near
/ the gate, and the children were disporting
I upon the steps of the cottage piazza with
new toys and iimcracks, in which, how
ever, Tommy, Bella, and Jenny were con-
/ strained to take back seat, inasmuch as
| had only been able to afford an extra
/ dinner for the family, and their parents
and nurses near at hand, among whom l
noticed, with an uncomfortable feeling,
I D 9TH Mr.. and Mrs Cameron, who appeared
/ 10 look down upon me with OstcntatiOus
commiseration al my poverty.
4 bore il as we'll a. | could, and my wife
( knowing the humiliation that oppressed
me, moved tamiiiarly among those who
I had constituted themselves our guests,
I and made such "a show of appearance AT
I her ease that she oyerdid it little.
took care, however, to make every one
understand that | placed no reliance in
/ the Chinaman's promises, indeed, did
nOt-and would not consider myself re-
sponsible for whatever disappointment
might occur. They were welcome 10 sit
I in my garden as long as they wished, but
/ | had not invited them, and should not
exert myself to afford them entertainment.
Ah Kin made his appearance at ten
1 o'clock, accompanied by another China
man bearing a basket containing appar-
entity nothing but fresh new earth. They
were both dressed in clean but coarse cot
ton clothes. and All Kin-.who looked more
cmaciated than l had ever seen him since
he had newly arisen from his sick bed
carried over his arm. large mantle of
faded silk.
He selected spot of green Sward upon
/ which he directed the basket carrier TO
empty the earth, after which he dismissed
him, and throwing himself npoa his knees,
proceeded to press and pat the soil into a
smoothly rounded little mound, about the
size of an inverted washbOwl.
lie then took from somewhere in the
folds of the silk mantle a little round
purple seed or bean, which he held up
for US all TO examine, between his fore
finger and thumb. This he deposited in
a small hole in the center of the heap
Covering ii up, he made a number OF
cabalistic signs over the surface of the
mound, while he muttered to himself in
low. sing-song, unintelligible tones. at the
same time waving his hand slowly and
mechanically over his head.
He then produced a little vial, contain
ing a sparkling ,urplish liquid, which he
proceeded to sprinkle over the spot al
which the bean had been planted, accom-
mOdic depression of the tone in which he
had been chanting.
He then hastily covered the entire
mound with the mantle, and turning tC
the spectators who had observed him with
varying emotions, though, for my part,
had made no effort to conceal my con
tempt for the whole affair, as so much
hocus- pOcus, beneath the notice of an
ordinary intelligence-and opened upon
them with a long winded harangue, sc
rapidly spoken that few of us could gather
its meaning, if, indeed, it had any, which
l very much doubt.
But while he was speaking my wife
called our attention to the silken cloth
under the center Of which something vas
evidently forming into cOnical shape
. that tented the texture into regular fold,
on every side.
now made no effort to conceal my IN
, terest, and every one looked on will
breathless suspense and curiosity
suddenly Al Kin seized hold of tn,
mantle, whisked it of, and there in tn,
c,nter OF the mound, was as perfect a fl
IL -.,.-l-l -.