The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-06-06

knowing that her father would requite
him ahundredfold.
A ship sailed from Teng Chow the next
day, and in it Sho Mai began her voyage
anew. Capricious fortune smiled at last,
and favoring winds filled the sails every
day. The junk had never made SO quick
a passage, and the captain to whom Sho
Mai had confided her anxiety for haste
said that the Gods were on her side and
that the prize she sought would be hers.
Despite the excitement and the hard
ships of the past few days and the fears
which filed her mind, Sho Mai felt that
she had never been so we'll fitted for the
great task. The WEAKNESS of her body
passed away with the rest she found on
the voyage, for the free life of the past
year had given her strength and health.
Then the strange experience OF that
year had taught her lessons and had de-
veloped her mind as no mere study of
books could have done. The joy of her
love for Lii Xii, tempered by the sorrow
of her separation from him, were forces
to strengthen her powers.
So she came at length to Peking mar
rowly in time, and yet not too late. The
great day of the competition dawned,
and sh2 took her place among the forty
thousand scholars who, by winning the
Chin Shi degree, had qualified them
selves for this final struggle. She found
no trace of Ii Xiii and yet he might
be there, for IN that multitude their
meeting was but chance.
In the remarkable hall of the Han Lin
Yuen Foo the scholars gather. Its thou
sands of narrow, cell-like rooms, devoid
of doors and built In rows upon rows
like the balconies of theater, face
great arena. Long, narrow galleries
provide passages by which the cells
may be reached. Each aspirant for
honors is assigned cell in order that
the grand arena sits the Chung Yuen
Foo of the royal family, surrounded by
scores of secretaries. The subject upon
which the competitors are to work is
written in large letters and hung up in
conspicuous place where it can be
seen from every cell. A sharp rap from
mace in the hand of one of the as
sistants brings hush like tha5 of death
upon the assemblage. The great COM
petition has begun.
Many heart beat wildly with excite
ment as the task was begun. Many a
brilliant mind was defeated by it's own
eagerness which untitled it for the long
labor of the battle. Among all those
who strove for this high honor it is
doubtful if there was one whose calm
ness equaled that of Sho Mai. The
thrilling scenes through which she had
passed, so far from unsettling her nerves,
had left her in a state of quiescence
which nothing could disturb. She felt
that all her faculties had never been
more perfectly under her control. Per-
haps the despair regarding Ii Xiii
which had gradually crept into her
heart accounted in some measure for
her mental state, for who has not known
that strange awakening of the mind
after great disaster, comparable only
to what the soul may feel when it
awakens after death.
The subject chosen was one to which
she mad given her deepest thought She
would have chosen no other. She
worked with a steadiness which was I'M
shaken by any sensation of fatigue,
though hours came and went and
still the task was uncompleted.
Even after she herself laid down her
brush, satisfied that the best of which
she was capable had been done, the work
of many others was still unfinished.
Three days and nights passed before the
announcement was made that the last
manuscript was done.
Then small army of pages gathered
up the work from each cell and took it
to the hundreds of secretaries for read
ing. This work is done with great
speed, though with scrupulous care.
Each secretary reserves the best manu-
scripts, and these are sent to the i'm
perial palace, where the final choice is
made by the Emperor himself, assisted
by the Chung Yuen Foo.
Meanwhile the competitors were dis
missed, and they poured out of the great
hall. Again did Sho Mai scan the faces
of all who came under her observation.
but without finding Ii Xii among them
The disappointment was madden;ng, al
though she had not known until tha
moment that a hope remained to make
disappointment possible. She was
dazed by the failure of all her inquiries
she sought wildly here and there. The
limit of her self-control had been
passed. Without food, without rest, she
went from one inn to another in the
great city, and at length wandered the
streets aimlessly, scarce knowing what
she did.
Before great house in wide street
she CHANGED to pause, gazing up at the
windows. She had no thought of seeing
familiar face; indeed, she scarcely
noted any thing. She was in kind OF
stupor, from which she awollo to the
consciousness that form she knew had
passed before the window. Again il
appeared, and stopped. Their eyes met.
1t was her father, Wong Che Foo.
CHAPTER TX.
A GIRL AGAIN.
When Sho Mai saw her fathers face