Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-12-16
for the story or legend which it illus

"s~eSAe
trates
Long ago, many thousands of years
ago, when the moon was young,
though China was old. there lived an
illustrious Mandarin. who had an only
daughter, named Li-Chi. more beauti-
full than all the stars of heaven. Her
father, intending her to marry some
great and rich noble like himself, kept
her shut up in his Commonplace stu
ated in the midst of beautiful garden
and walled in with a high bamboo
fence. The gardener was q young
man named Chang, and was so very
handsome, with his long, almond
shaped eyes. his light-shining skin. and
his pig-tail of extraordinary length.
that the fair Li-Chi peeping through
her bamboo lattice and behOlding him
at work, straightway fell in love with
him. So one day, when he was train
ing some roses near her window, she
looked out and slyly dropped at his
feet a choice sweetmeat; in return for
which he climbed the lattice and stuck
a rose through the Stats. When ne that
night went to see his mother. who lived
on an island in the river, he told her
of his adventure: and bewailed that SIS
a poor and humble gardener he could
never aspire to marry the lordly
Mandarin's beautiful daughter, though
she loved him and he loTed her But
the mother, who was clever and am
bilious woman, and next to wishing to
be rich. desired of all things to see her
son happy, encouraged him to WOO and
marry the fair Li-Chi, if possible. She
herself reared silk-wOrms on her little
island, and spun silk for the Manda-
rims daughter; and the very next time
that she carried this silk to the fair
lady. she took the opportunity Of
secretly informing her OF how her son
worshiped her shadow, and kissed the
every tracks which her little tottering
club-feet had left on the garden walks.
And so in time plan was arranged
whereby Li-Chi was on a certain night
to elope with her lover-bcing sure, as
her prospective stepmother impressive
" urged, to bring with her box full
of her fathers gold and jewels, in or
der that they might all three live to-
gether IN comfort. The mother would
hide the maiden and the money in her
hut on the island, where none would
the Mandarin should be made to be-
lieve that robber had stolen the
money, and that his daughter had
drowned herself.
Ills plan was carried out in so far
as that the lovers succeeded in escap-
ing unseen through the garden and to
the bridge, bearing between them sus-
pended on stout bampoO-pOle a
casket full of gold money and costly
jewels. But it so happened that Just
as they stepped upon the bridge, at the
other end of which Chang's estimable
mother awaited them, the illustrious
Mandarin awakened from his sleep,
and turning his face to the open door
way beheld to his horror his only
daughter running away with low
born gardener and his own box of
money! Selling a stout whip the
Mandarin rushed after, and overtaking
the couple on the bridge. grasped
Chang by his pigtail, twisted i: around
his throat, and choked and beat him
until he was sense!ess, when he
ended by throwing him into
the river, where he Immediately sank.
Poor Li-Chi, witnessing her lovers
cruel fate. at once sprang into the
water after him. and was also
drowned. Strange to say, the bodies
could never be found; but near the
spot where they sank beautiful will.
low tree magically upsprang, and
stretching its dropping arms above the
water, sighed day and night mourn
full dirge for the departed lovers. In
its branches. after while. a couple OF
turtle doves appeared. and built a nest;
and there they would bill and coo the
live!Ong day, secure from molcstation.
For of course every body knew that
these were the souls of the unfortunate
lovers. whom the gods had thus merci-
fully transformed and reunited in
eternal youth and happiness.
Old wiliow-pattern china, of genuine
Chinese manufacture, is now much
sought after rs bric-a-brac; and those
who own piece will perhaps feel
more interest in it from knowing the
legend which it illustrates Susan
Arche7 IVeiSs, in Vide 44wote.