The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-02-19
A Queer Chinese Tale.

A CORRESPONDENT of the London
Telegraph forwards the following Illus
tration of superstition among the Chinese
with reference to very ancient and
widespread belief that the fox has the
power of assuming the human form to
lead mortals to their destruction. The
same powers are also attributed to the
badger by the Japanese. In this case
the story is given as true one, and the
facts are stated to be well known to
everyone living in the great street out
side the Chen Men (Front Gate) at
Pekin, where the affair is supposed to
have occurred:
GA certain Ningpo man kept drug
gist's shop at Pekin. Having made a
good deal of money by it he determined
to commence wholesale business as
well as the retail one. He therefore
bought warehouse for storing drugs,
and put it in charge of a nephew. His
venture proved eminently successful,
and he grew richer daily, principally for
the extraordinary reason that the drugs
stored in the warehouse were less liable
TO get damp or moldy than anybody
else's. As the nephew was at work in
the warehouse he used constantly to no.
tice the prettiest girl he had ever seen,
passing by the door. Though he sorely
Ionged to try to make acquaintance
with her, he was restrained by her mod
est and retiring demeanor. Time went
by, and one day an old gentleman with
a long beard, and leaning on staff,
called at the uncle's shop. In the
course of conversation it appeared that
hn tha hf,yI nx.g g h.,
kansu, and had originally fled to Pekin
to escape from the Mohammedan disturb
ances of the west. Finally he said that
he had often observed the nephew at
work in the warehouse, and had been
struck by his steadiness and diligence,
and he would like to marry his only
daughter to him. He had sufficient mon
ey to make liberal arrangements with
regard. to the trousseau and wedding
presents, and would not quarrel about
terms. The young man, being so far
from his home at Ningpo, was not be-
trothed to anyone. His uncle therefore
gladly accepted the proposal. AS both
parties were strangers in Pekin, every
thing was settled and the marriage GER
emony performed without any unneces-
sary fuss or formality. When the time
came for the bride to unveil, the BRIDE
groom, who had never yet seen her, was
most anxious to know what she was like.
At the first glance, what was his joy to
discover that she was the girl he used to
see walking past the warehouse. The
marriage was happy one. He was the
fondest of husbands and she the most
loving and dutiful of wives. Before
long the young mans father in Ningpo,
wishing to see his new daughter-in-law,
wrote and told his son to bring her
home on visit. The son accordingly
made preparations to start off as soon as
possible. For the past day or two be-
fore. his departure the uncle, who had
not been home for Iaany years, was con-
stantly coming to hi \ house, as he had a
thousand things to tSlk about-reminis-
cences to recall, messages to be deliv-
cred, and the like. When the moment
for them to commence the journey &C
tually arrived the uncle went across for
the last time to say good-by, but to his
establishment neither nephew nor niece
was to be found. After fruitless search
he went to the house of the girls father
TO see if he could learn anything there,
But there was no house standing; merely
two or three wretched little rooms in
ruins. without doors or windows. He