The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-09-20
The "water Angel"

Another superstition which is a.
most universal among my coun'rymen
is the belief that the hoolI sin fab will
/ bring good luck to them. The hooIl sin
fab is slender lily like plant which
| grows from q bulb closely resembling
| an onion, and in the early spring some
| OF them may be seen in almost every
| lauDdryman's window, where the butts
are imbedded about one-lhIrd in clean
pebbles placed in bowl. No soil
whatever is required for the growing of
the plant, but dozens of tiny roots force
| themselves down between the pebbles
and into the water, with which tn
Chinaman has about half covered the
pebbles.
The rooll sin fab takes about thirty
days to come to its maturity, and dur
ing this time the water on the pebbles
must be changed every day. When
full grown the plant consists of half q
dozen or more bright green stalks, with
blossoms which some what resem BILE the
narcissus in shape, but they are of a
pure waxy whiteness, with small gold
en- crown in the center. The plant, the
name of which signifies water angel. is
thought by the Chinese TO have had
miraculous origin. from The fact that il
is found growing in the clear water OF
running brooks where it apparently
lives without sustenance.
Many years ago rich Chinese farmer
married wife. whose cramped little
feet and long, tapering finger nails in
capacitated her for work, ard soon
after, according to the custom of the
country, he took to himself another
wife. The second wife was of low
degree, strong country girl who could
do The work on the farm and wait upon
him and his lady" wife.
Now it happened that the "Iafy''
wife grew violently Jealous of the other.
and when, in due course of time. each
had 500 born 20 her the hatred only
Increased When the boys had reached
the age of about > years the farmer
died, and the ''lsdy7 wife. by virtue OF
her high station in life, confiscated
nearly all of the properly, leaving 70
the other only barren little plot OF
swamny ground between two high hills.
upon which was little tumbled down
thatched cottage
The poor mother and her son went
there, and, though they bad a hard
time TO scrape out an existence. they
were happy IN each others company.
Then came great rain storm, which
continued fora week, and their little
swamp plot was transformed into =
pond, the water coming up almost 20
the door of their hut.
They nearly starved to death. but ona
day IT. was found that the Sun was SHIN
Ing once more and that the waters had
gone down. The little boy went ont in
70 the sunshine ard be foand that the
ground was covered with bulbs about
the size of onions He eagerly ate one
OF them and then picking up as many
as he could carry in his arms hurried
back to his mother,-wh prepared them
for dinner.
Ihe bulbs sproUted and grew, and
then when the MOWERS appeared the
story of the miracle of the water god
spread through the country.
As no one had ever seen the plant he
fore, hundreds of people came to see
the Widows beautiful flower garden.
Each oil the visitors bought some of the
bulbs for good luck, and in a short time
the widow had more money thar her
prosecutor, and virtue got its fnaI re-
ward.
The flowers of the water angel are
very fragrant. and are almost rever-
enced by the Chinese, for a Towering
hooil sin fab is esteemed the choicest
gift that one Chinamsn can give TO an
other.