The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-02-15
II QUEER CHINESE TALE.
a Story that Might Have Been Told In Tho |
Arabian Nights. 1
From the London Telegraph.


From tho London Telegraph.
, Acorrespondent forwards the follow
Ing illustration Of superstition amongst
the, Chinese with reference to very
ancient aud widespread belief that tho
fox has tue power of assuming the hui
man form TO lead mortals to their de-
structlon. The same powers are also as
cribed to the badger by the Japanese.
LII this case tho story is given as truc
one, and the facts are stated to be we'll
known to every one living in the great
street outside the CHEN Men (Tont
gatcA at Pekin, where the affair is sup
posed to have occurred:
"a certain Ningpo man kept drug
gist's shop at Pekin. Having made II
good deal OF money by it he determin-
cd to commence wholesale business
as we'll as the retail one. lie therefore
bought warehouse for storing drugs
and put it in charge of nephew. His
venture proved cminently successful,
and he grew richer daily, principally
TOR the extraordinary reason that the
drugs stored in the warehouse were
less liable to get damp or mouldv than
anybody else's. AS the nephew was
at work in the warehouse he used con-
stantly to notice the pretticst girl he
had ever seen passing by tho door.
Though he sorcly longed to try to
make acquaintance with her. he was
restrained by her modest and retiring
Iemeanor. Time went by, and one
day an old gentleman with long
beard aud leaning on Il staff called at
the unclc's shop. In the coursc of
conversation it appeared that he came
from the borders of Snensi and Kansu
and had originally fled to Pckin to es-
cape from the Mahometan disturbances
in tn" West. Finally he said that he
had often remarked the nephew at
work in the warehouse and had been
struck by his steadincsS and diligence
and he would like to marry his only
daughter to him. He had sufficient
money to make liberal arrangements
with regard to the tron>Seau and we'd
ding presents. and would not Quarrel
about terms. The Young man. being
81 far from his home at Ningpo, was
not betrothed to any one. His uncle.
therefore, gladly accepted the propos.
al.
GAS both parties were strangers in
PeSin everything was settled and the
marriage ceremony performed without
any unnecessary fuss or trrmSlitv.
When the time came for the bride to
unveil, the bridegroom. who hsd never
yet seen her. was most SnNiouS 10
know what she WAS like. At the ir<!
glance what was his joy t. discover
that she WAS the girl he USED 70 see
walking past the wSrehouSe. The
marriage was a hsppv one. He WAS
the tondc$t OF husbands, arii Sue the
most loving aui du,itul 81 wives. Be-
fore long the vouug mans father III
Ningpo. wishing In See his uew Gaugh-
ter-in-law. wroIe and told his son 10
bring her home on q visit. The son
accordingly made preparations to start
of as soon as possible. For the last
day or two before his departure the
uncle. who had not hecn home for
many years. WAS constantly coming to
his house. as he had a thousand things
TO talk aeout-reminiScence> tn recall,
messages 10 be delivered and the like.
W hen the moment for them to COM
mencc the journey actually arrived the
uncle went acro>S for the last time to
say goodbye. but 10 his aStoNslment
neither nephew nor niece could be
found. Atter p frnitless search he
went to the house OF the girls father
10 see ii he could learn anything there.
Bui there wsS no house standing,
merely Iwo or three wre1chcd little
rooms in ruins. Without doors or will
dowS: He made Inquiries among the
neighborS. but none OF them Knew
OF the old man or the house.
Everything was then plain. The old
man and his daughter were foxes. and
had nIade away with the Young huS-
band. But stranger tnan anvthing
else. was the fact that iiom that daT
forth the drugs stored in the ware
house became just as subject to mould
as those kept anywhere else"