Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-03-28
THE RISE OF PRETTY YIN
LING.
A IrCe Tale About the Strange
Life Of Chinese ENG resS.

family named ISzdn. Their littlr home
had once been a happy and comfortable
one, but the great Tai Ping rebellion,
which had been raging since 1912, had de
stroycd their home, together with many
thousands Of other, So thnt they were leli
with nothing but little bamboo cottage,
few china cups aud cancers and twu
mats, which were absolutely Necessary tu
their existence.
Ts2un and his wife had two children, .ne
large, gawky boy named lIo Jon, aud
Yin Ling, very pretty and amiable girl,
10 years old iIn Jon worked with his
father in the rice fields of a rich man, ana
all they received for their labor was simply
the food that kept the little family alive.
The rich man, however, kept giving smaller
Iati0ns each week and at last TSzun be
came desperate with hunger, for lie alway
let the others eat before lie touched a
m0rsei He had economical in every pos
sible way, and had even gone so far as to
cut d hole in the wall iii which To sit their
little oil lamp, SO that the one light would
serve for the two small rooms which com
prised their home
Many and many a time had Tszun's wife
asked him with tears in her eyes and the
hard lines of hunger and care on her face,
to go to the Emperor, Helm Fang. for as
sistance. Bat women know nothing of the
courts of China, ao she did not know what
an impossible thing she asked her husband
to do, and even if Tszun could have gone
to the Hwang ri, as the Emperor is known
to his people he would not have been
given assistance, as the ruler was a cruel,
fiery Tartar, and had most turbulent
reign. lie was the grandfather nf the
present young Emperor, whom We will
shortly know something about,
Matters became worse and worse in the
little family, and finally, after u hard
struggle, it was decided that little Yin
Ling had to be sold as IA slaYe in order to
save her parents from starvation. When
she was told of her fate she wept for
many days and many nights. bat, like II
the wishes of her parents, for in China
children are taught obedience even before
they are taught to talk go when the day
finally came for her departure it was a very
sad day for the little poverty stricken
family. Yin Ling looked upon her coming
slavery as absolutely necessary for the sal
vation and welfare of her parents, and not
once did she ask that she might stay home.
Four long weary days the hunger
stricken father and his sad eyed child
walked the streets of Canton before he
then she was bought by rich Tidoo Gen
cral, who commanded the tronpS ssia. .laii'
Southern-Glssrn. As she was very bcauti
iul aud had wonderful head Of long black
hair she brought many hundred dollars 10
her father, who bade her Il hasty farewell
and started tnr home.
The General was man nt great wealth,
and being a distant Tartar relative 10 the
Emperor, Heir Fung, had a large amount
Of influence in the imperial family. He
had long talk with Yin Ling, and be
coming impressed with her modesty and
grace, presented her to his wife as
her special maid She MAS dressed iii
silk robes, adorned with splendid
jewels, 50 that her appearance would not
contrast harshly with the gorgeous sur
of his wile's tea rooms over
which little Yin was given entire charge.
Her sole duty was tn pour out and hand
little cups of perfumed tea to her mistress
and any of her friends who had the honor
Of being admitted into the secluded apart
lnent To little Yin Ling it was like unto
the transformation from the low crawling
worm into the gaudy butterfly
The sndden change from life of pinch
ing poverty to one oi luxury and splendor
had developed in Yin Ling her amiable
nature aud graceful bearing, and had
brought ont her true worth as rapidly as IA
sun scnr.hed lily migltens up under the
soft refreshing dcws Of night ON account
Of the extreme poverty IA which she had
lived, her feet had never been bound with
silk 10 prevent their natural size, and al
though they were small they were not de-
formed and did not canse her 10 waddln
about like the Chinese ladies' do on their
tiny little feet. This pleased the old Gen
rral very much. for be thought Yin Ling
was IL Tartar like himself, and he had never
seen a Tartar slave quite so beautiful. See
ing this, Yin Ling decided to remain silent
i'll regard to her nationality and kept on
amusing and pleasing everybody in her
own sweet way. In short time shc was
the pet Of the household and all the
great ladies loved her, for she was
always doing some little act of kindness
and expecting nothing in return.
Now listen to the story and see how the
little plant grows, how it puts forth leaves,
sweet flowers aud becomes the beautiful
tree-the tree which shades China
a year had hardly passed when the old
General became so in love with the pretty
Yin Ling that he decided TO keep her no
longer rs Slave, but make her his daugh-
ter When the old warrior told her that
she was to be his slave no longer, she
burst into tears and timidly asked to be
allowed TO stay. Then, when he told her
that she was not Ia be his slave. bnt his
daughter, a bright smile broke through her
teas and she ran to where he sat and kiss
ed him. 1t was like the first soft ray of
the sun coming from behind the rain clouds
aud kissing the hard gay rocks of the sea
coast She nestled up in hi arms like a
tinld little bird seeking shellrt, and put
ting her arms around his neck wcpt again
but tis time her tears were tears Of Joy,
they We're the rainbow shower Then the
old General became happier than eyer, and
he Immediately called for his secretary, a
little wcazencd faced old man, who had
been with the family from bnyhood He
was instructed to Immediately prepare a
copy of the adoption for the public and
also see that it was properly entered at the
courts.
Happy Yin Ling was then given three
special maids in waiting and large ward
robe was prepared for her, consisting Of
silk dresses of varioua c0lora aud ever so
many gorgeous robes Her newly found
father had a master engaged to teach his
daughter how to read and write, which is
an accomplishment among the feminine
sex only acquired by the daughters of very
wealthy people and high officials lin
Ling progressed rapidly in her studies and
her new mother, assisted by the ladies of