The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-12-08
The True Story of Chin Lung

In Chlna, wn1le the Dlrtn OF girl Is
looked upon as misfortune, If not dis
grace, and, according to the custom of
the province, all above two or three are
usually in some way put to death or
allowed to die from neglect, the birth of
a son is attended with great deal OF
ceremony, and the more boys in family
the greater the rejoicing. Yet this is not
always the case, especially among the
very poor, and if the child happens to
be sickly or deformed. Hence, this true
story of Chin Lung.
When he was about six years old he
lay in bed one morning, although his two
elder brothers were up and heating some
rice in little brass furnace 1t was in
October, and cold, frosty morning; his
father had made little fire under the
bed the night before, for they spread a
mat on a fat brick furnace, and the
whole family slept on it.
1t would not have been much trouble
for Chin Lung to have got up, for to get
up was all he had to do to be ready for
breakfast, since, like all the rest of the
family he had gone to bed with his
clothes on, his dress being long, blue
gown coming nearly to his heels and
quilted with waddlng to make it warm
on his head he had cap, with holes cut
in it to let his hair through, for, like other
boys when a baby, his head had been
shaved, except three spots, one over each
ear and one on the top of the head, and
the hair on the places was twisted up In
three funny little balls.
He lay there very quiet and pretended
to be asleep, but he was thinking how
glad he would be when ne could wear a
tunic and trousers like his brothers, and
have long pigtail to hang down his
back, and of next New Years day and
its pleasures, just as the children of this
country, as soon as Fourth of July is over
begin to think OF the next Christmas. But
hearing his parents mention his name, he
pulled his cap off and listened.
Said his father, We have too many
boys. Fee Song and Loo Choo are enough
to do all the work, and the bed is too
full. Chin Lung eats a great deal Of
rice. l think we shall have to get rid OF
him."
His mother answered, Yes, the bed
is too full now, and the boys grow so fast
Chin Lungs back will never get straight;
he will never be strong enough to work,
and he does eat great deal OF rice"
Yes, and when we come to buy
wives for the other boys two will be all
we can get; all you will need to help
you. 1t will take great deal of money
to pay for two wives.
We ought never to have saved Chin
Lung at all he has eaten great deal in
these six years" was the mothers cruel
will go out and get some poison
this very morning" sal the father, and
they began to talk about different kinds
of poison.
Fee Song and Loo Choo had stopped
stirring the rice and been listening to the
talk. Fee Song begged his parents not
to poison poor little Chin. L will eat
less rice myself and do more work, and
you need not get me any wife at all, he
said.
But Loo Choo said Chin Lung crowd
ed him the night before, and he thought J
he was one boy too many.
Poor Chin Lung heard it all, but he |
lay quite still and never made sound, |
not even when his parents got up and |
went out of the house, and he could not
hear what Loo Choo was saying because
Of Free Songs sobs as he stirred the rice.
When his father came back he brought
something in cup to Chin Long, and |
said.
Here is something good for you to
drink"
Free Song went crying out Of the room
as Chin took big mouthful of the stuff,
but little as he was he knew better
than to swallow it, and he held IT. in
his mouth till he went out of the house
and then he spit it out AS fast as he
could he ran away through the narrow,
crowded streets OF Shanghai till be felt
30 sick he crawled up in little corner
and lay down.
How long it was before he was picked |
up and taken to an orphan boys school |
by missionary no one ever knew, but
he was apparently almost starved and |
dead But he grew up in the school and |
became native preacher, and for many |
years walked up and down the streets of
that great city telling the people of the
Saviour of whom he had learned often
praying that God would guide him to his
brothers and parents, that they too might |
know Of the glad tidings.-Chj5d's Paper.