The Portland daily press., 1890-12-01

of which was q dark brown ball of pecu-
liar appearance and smell. Evidently
there was the same number Of balls in
the lower part Of the chest.
A-sung soon found out that this was
crude opium, and that the merchants
were buying it. He was on an opium
ship
The purchasers paid for the drug some
times with Spanish or Mexican dollars
and sometimes with silver ingots called
sycee. The coins had all been stamped
over and over again with Chinese stamps
until they were completely defaced.
These were called "chop dollars" The
value Of both coins and sycee was ascer-
tanned by weight.
AS the merchant paid the silver it was
passed over to the ''shroff," a grave,
specialized Chinaman, who sat at his
table under the awning ON the quarter
deck, and with his brass balances care
fully ascertained the value of it. He
had need of care, for he was under heavy
bonds for the correct performance of his
duty.
| After A-sung had been ON board the
Harlequin week he was much puzzled
at the difference in the behavior of these
people who came to buy opium.
Some boats came in broad daylight
and took the drug away openly, while
others came stealthily at night, in haste
and fear, and sometimes the ships boat
cautiously took away chest or two up
some less frequented inlet, carefully
avoiding the mandarin boats that pa
| trolled the river.
A-sung asked the steward for an ex-
| PLANTATION of this difference, and learned
that the exalted emperor at Picking OBJ
| jected to opium being imported into the
land, and therefore it was sometimes
smuggled.
AS for the boats that came openly he
supposed that they found means ''to
cover up mems ears and eyes," meaning,
perhaps, that they bribed the mandarins
This was in 1S43, and the stewards ex-
PLANTATION was probably correct.
A-sung was much interested i'll the
boarding nettings, which were triced up
every night from the rail to the rigging.
These were for protection against night
attacks by Chinese pirates, who were
many and dangerous in those waters.
But what excited his greatest interest
was the practice at the big guns.
At first the loud reports nearly made
him jump out of his blue and gold slip
| pers, but he soon became accustomed to
the noise. The cannon were touched off
with joss stick, in primitive fashion,
and at night some of these were al
ways kept burning near the mainmast
in readiness for sudden attack.
Venerable young brother" said the
steward one day to A-sung, show many
dollars worth of opium do you think are
in this barbarian ship"
Venerable elder brother, | do not
know" replied A-sung.
"There are four hundreds of thou
sands" said the steward. ''Verily it
would be rich prize for the pirates.
Two weeks after A-sung joined the
Harlequin he asked the captains per-
mission to go and pay his respects to his
father. Capt. Denville granted his re-
quest, and he went ashore in the COM
prador's boat With light heart he
trudged away toward the village, where
he was received with great joy by his
father and by his young friends and
schoolmates.
He spent a very happy day. All the
children of the village were eagerly pre-
pairing for their Lantern Feast" which
was to take place that night This is
the children's festival in the spring,
when they are allowed to have their own
way in everything and indulge in merry
making to their hearts content.
A-sung wished to stay ashore that
night in order to take part in the festivi-
ties, but as Capt. Denville would expect
him to come ON board he resolved to go
out to the ship with the comprador in
the evening and ask leave of absence till
the next day. So at evening he walked
back to the landing.
On the way he saw two men approach
ing him, one of whom he thought was
the ruffian who had beaten the slave
girl He was not sure of this, however,
as this person took another path and
soon disappeared.
The other man came on and met him.
He was portly, well dressed China
man, and saluted A-sung politely, with
an engaging smile. He stopped and pro-
ceeded to address many howery and fiat
tering remarks to the boy, in the course
of which he alluded to his connection
with the Harlequin, claiming to be him.
self an old friend of Capt. Denville's.
Although A-sung was in hurry he
listened with pleasure to one who had
evidently formed such high opinion of
MN at slgnJ, ana ne repned unsuspect-
ingly to some adroit questions regarding
the armament and regulations of the
ship.
At last the stranger took leave of him,
courteously wishing him abundant felic-
ity and the highest honors and promo
ton. Then, as if with sudden thought,
he took from the breast of his rich over
garment small bundle tied up in silk
handkerchief
Venerable younger brother" he said,
"here are some excellent cheroots with
which to regale the sailors and officials
| of the barbarian ship. They are espe-
cially choice for those who watch at
night, as they will Danish the god of
| drowsiness."
He gave the boy the bundle and again
took polite leave. A-sung now hurried
| to the landing and got there just in time
to go off with the comprador.
Capt. Denville kindly gave him per-
| mission to return to the ''lantern feast"
| after he had performed few duties, and
by the time the comprador was ready to
return the night watch was already on
deck. Then A-sung happened to think
| of the cheroots. He ran below, united
the bundle and brought up handful,
which he distributed among the Manila
sailors, with whom he was already a
great favorite. Then he gave couple
| to the second mate, who was the officer
| of the watch, and sprang into the boat.
When he reached the village the
| "lantern feast" was in full progress.
| The street was crowded with gayly
dressed children carrying colored Ian
terms and forming in line for the pro-
cession.
In the midst Of this joyful scene, when
the merriment was at its height, pale,
ragged, muddy figure appeared at
| A-sungs side and touched his arm. He
recognized the slave girl whom he had
befriended. She was shirering with
cold and fear.
Come, venerable, SIR" she said, 81
must tell you something"
They retired a few steps, while the
throng of children looked on with won.
der