The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-07-20
The Tale of a China Plate.

blue china plate. There the story is
told in a crude Chinese fashion, but
can interpret it for you, l think. See,
in the right-hand corner Of the plate
is a group of blue islands, with trees
and pagodas, all OF the same azure
color, dotted over them, while tall
blue trees bend over the pagodas and
the islands are separated one from the
other by small blue straits. Over
this island empire the great Emperor
Pelikan reigned."
Pelican" interrupted Assunta;
"why. that is the nam OF an ugly,
clumsy bird"
"Pelikan was, assure you, returned
the painter firmly, "the name OF that
emperor. This palace, built in the
style OF the early Chinese renaissance,
was, owing to the stormy reigns OF the
emperor's predecessors, decidedly in
need Of repairs. Why, the china bells
OF the tallest pagoda had all fallen of
into the water. The diIapidated state
OF his palace occupied the emperor's
thoughts more than the beauty of his
daughter, the young and lovely Prin-
cess Swen-Kiang."
"0h, what a funny name for q prin-
cess" exclaimed Assunta.
"Swen-Kiang, q genuine Chinese
name, signorina, just as genuine as
her lovely, long pig-tail, which hung
down to the very hem of her yellow
silk gown"
ooh, that snot very long," objected
Lucia, 'for the gowns OF the Chinese
ladies are very short"
Excuse me, but the gown OF the
princess was quite as long as Lucia's
walking dress. The length and CLOS
siness ofthis incompatible pigtail had
caused a mighty king, Yoo-Foo, to
fall in love with and offer to marry
her. 1t was a very grand match Tor
Swen-Kiang, for her father was only
an emperor we a few poor little is.
lands. But the king Yoo-Foo had two
very serious faults in Sven Kiang's
eyes; he was old enough to be her
greAt-grandfather, and besides that
he was a hunchback."
"Oh," returned Lucia, teasingly,
"those arsnot such very serious faults
in a king"
"Alas!' returned the painter, ''the
princess was so ignorant, so childish
she lived, you know, more than a
thousand years ago-she thought
them SO. She was very unhappy at
the idea of marrying the ugly old king.
And in her despair she shook of all the
blne-bells from her tower, and tram
pied upon and crushed to pieces the
delicate snail shells that formed the
ornamental borders of her lower-beds
would even in her despair have laid
violent hands on her precious pig-tait
il her maids othonor had not rushed
to the rescue. After shedding torrents
OF tears, and stamping her pudgy lit
tie feet till they ached, she left her
porcelain tower and taking her fish
ing-rod went off to the shore to divert
her mind by fishing. AS she 6shed she
sang: The song the princess sang was
Of her own Improvisation. Here it is;
Fishing / went by the silver sea,
But caught-alas and woe is me-
Never a fish with scales Of gold;
Only . gander gray and old
Who went swimming past.
Al aander, ugly, old and griml
What in the world shall / do with him2
Tra-la-la, T~ra-la-ial,
"fdon't thinSmueh OF that song,
even if a princess did sing it" exclaini-
ed Lucia.
'Int the Chinesei it is more nsel5dious, I"
reloined the painter; sit is, lam afraid,
badly translated"
Did you translate itge asked AS
sunta, slyly.
The painter turned red and went on
rapidly. 'This song, sung in Chinese
and in the sweet voice OF Swen-Kiang
attracted the attention Of a youth
who was pacing the sands not very
far away. This young mans name
was Tu-foo. He a the ARCHITECTS
employed by the Emperor Pelikan TO
rahang the bells on the pagoda. Tu-foo
approached the princess slowly and
difhdently, and threw himself face
downward st her feet. Then. still
kneeling, he felt in the bosom Of bis
siiken robe and drawing out his visit
ing card, painted in the highest style
OF Chinese art on rice paper, crimson
in color and a foot and q half long,
respectfully presented il.
"The princess he'd not caught any
FISH, and besides had grown tired 81
sitting there on the shore alone. So
she graciousiy deigned to receive tho
card, glanced at the youth. and per.
ceiyin4 that his eyes were as marrow
and obliQue and his pig.taiL almost a.
long and thicksas her own, pronounc
81 him to herself a very handsams
man She commanded the kneeiins