New-York tribune., 1880-10-03
SAMPLE CHINESE STORY.
rron " Strnnoe Sfories From a o.

From Strange Stories From, a Chinese Studio"
At Ch'ang-ch'ing there lived Buddhist monk
of exceptional virtue and purity of conduct, who.
though over eighty years OF age. was still hale
and hearty. On day he fell down and could not
move and when the other priests rushd TO help hlm
up they found he was already gone. The old
mpn,pix was himself unconscious OF death, and his
soul flew away to the borders of the province OF
Honan. Now it chanced that the scion OF an old
Uouan family had gone ont that very day with
some ten or dozen followers to hunt the hare with
falcons; but his horse having run away with him,
ne fell oil and killed just at that moment
the soul of the priest came by and entered into the
Body which thereupon gradually recovered con
sciousness The servants crowded round to ask
him how lie felt. when, opening MS ewes widely,
he cried out " How did | get here J" They as
sisted him to rise and led him to the house, where
oil his ladies came to see him. and inquire how he
did In great aInazement he said =" am Budd-
hist monk how came hitherp The servants
Thought he was wal derng. and tried to recall him
hv milling his ears for himself he could make
nothing OF it, and closing his eyes, refrained from
saving ANYTHING further. For food he would only
eat rice refusing all wine and meat. and he avoided
the society of his wives After some DAYS he felt
inclined for a stroll, at which all his family were
delighted but no sooner had he got outside and
stopped for little rest than he was besieged by
servants begging him to take their accounts as
usnal However, he pleaded illness and want OF
strength and no more was said. fic then took Oc-
casIon to ask if they knew the district OF Chang
| ching and, on being answered In the affirmative,
| EXPRESSED his intention of going thlther for trip.
| AS he felt dull and had nothing particular to do
bidding them at the same time look after his affairs
| at home They tned to dissUade HIM from this on
fhe pround of his having but recently risen from
| sick bed but he paid no heed to their remon-
strances and on the very next day set ont Arriv-
ing in the Chang ching district, he found every
thing unchanged, and, without being put to the
necessity of asking his road made his way straight
| to the monastery. His former disciples received
him with every tOker. OF respect as an h0nored VS.
| tor and in reply 10 his question as 10 where the
old monk was, they informed him that their worthy
teacher had been dead for some tinc On asking to
| lie sho wn his grave, they led HIM to spot where
| there was solitary mound some three feet high,
over which the grass was not vet green Not one
of them knew his motives tor visiting the place and
by and by he ordered his horse, saying to the dis
ciples YOur master was yirtuouS monk; care
fulN preserve whatever relics of him you may have,
and keep them from injury" They all promised to
| do this and he then set Oft on his way home.
When he arrived there he fell into listless state
| and took no interest in his family affairs. SO much
| So that after q few months he ran away and went
| ing the disciples that he was their old master.
| This they refused to believe, and laughed among
themselves at his pretensions but he told them the
| whole story. and recalled many Incidents OF his
| previous life among them, until at last they we're
| convinced. He then occupied his old bed, and went
through the same daily routine as before. paying no
attention to the repeated entreates OF his family,
| who came with carriages and horses to beg him to
| return.
About year subsequently his wife sent one Of
the servants with splendid presents Of gold and silk
| all Of which he refused with the exception OF O
| single linen robe, And whenever any Of his old
pay him their respects. finding him quiet. dlgnlfed
! I'D pure. He was then barely thirty, though ho
had been monk Of moro than eighty years Of age.