Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-07-02
CHAPTER ".

CHAPTER ".
LESSONS IN LOVE.
The following day sufficed for Sho Mai
| to become thoroughly familiar with the
simple affairs of the household which
she had entered. In it there was little
luxury, but much comfort Ii Yuen Wy
| had been for many years a teacher in
| the wealthy families of Teng Chow. His
son was nov student in the excellent
college, upon which the city prided
Itself, and for tho last two years he had
bee. an assistant to his father, giving
instruction undcr his direction. By this
mems the resources of the household
| were Increased and the old savant found
his labors lightened in his declining
years.
But Ii Xii was ambitious. He, too,
had set his heart upon winning a prize
in the great literary competition at
Picking, and he was bending all his
| efforts toward preparing himself for the
| ordeal. For this reason only he. be-
| grudged tho time given to teaching,
which was SO much taken from his
studies.
In this situation of affairs Sho Mai
| saw the opportunity she coveted-the
possibility Of accepting their invitation
4
| burden to them. She could share the
labor of teaching, and at the same time
| avail herself of the advantages of the
Teng Chow College. This she desired
| eagerly, but even more she wished to
| remain under the same roof with this
| venerable teacher, whose weIl-stored
mind would be to her an inexhaustible
| spring of knowledge.
/ She onfCSSo6 thaD1 own
| ambition to win the great prize of the
| Chung Yuen. in the story which she
| told them Of her life-the falsity
| Of which she deeply regretted, but knew
| not how to avoid-she mingled truth
| full account of her great longing for
| this high honor and of her determi-
nation to fit herself for its attainment by
| observation as we'll as by study. She
| easily convinced Ii Yuen Wy that her
| early training had fitted her TO assist
| in the labors of teaching, and, in fine,
| her proposition was accepted and she
| became regular member of the house
| hold.
| Then began season which to Sho
| Mai was the brightest of her life. The
| freedom which her disguise afforded her
| sho drank like rich wine. She to whom
| every luxury had come without so much
| as a wish now rcveled in the thought
that her labors were helping to secure
| the simple comforts which brought with
| them SO deep an enjoyment. She thought
| often of her home, but with no appre
| hension for the safety of its inmates, and
| She covered all reelection upon the pain
| which her departure would give them
| by r.cturing tho pride which they would
feel in her success. The ease with which
| all obstacles had thus far been sur
mounted gaga her confidence, and the
| prize which should show to the Empire
| what g. wonan's mind could accomplish
seemed already in her grasp.
| And Sho Mai succeeded admirably
| both as teacher and student. She pos
sesScd above all striking originality
of thought and expression, and whether
her conclusions were right or wrong, they
always claimed the attention and fire.
| qucntly aroused the wonder of her in
5truotyr5. With her pupils doubtless
tnc natural insight of her sex helped
her. However that may be, it is GER
tain that their attachments under her
care gratiffed their parents, who were
won in advance by the beauty and the
enthusiasm of tho young instructor.
She won the hearts of those in the
littlo house that sheltered her as easily
as the birds charm with their music or
nature with its beauty. The old phil
osopher would sit as the evening shad-
ows gathered into night talking with
her and his children, and Sho Mai held
these hours to be the most valuable
| which she had ever passed. If any re-
greet for her extraordinary flight had
como to her it would have melted in her
delight as she listened to the words
; which taught her how the eye of wisdom
can pierce the mysteries of the world.
Ii Xii, too, sat at his fathers feet with
deep attention. Sho Mai could see his
handsome face light up, even as his mind
also was illumined, and she watched
him with certain pride and pleasure
with feeling new to her which she
could not omprehend-while on the
edge of the group was little Ii Kean,
whose eyes never wandered from the
face of the stranger who had come SC
suddenly and so wonderfully into her
life.
Ahl Ii Kean, to what a sorry mock
cry must your young heart wake from
it's first sweet dreams, if it shall wake
at all in this strange world. Happier Is
Sho Mai, who feels the same delicious
thrill along her pulses and hears the
same voice calling to her out of the en-
chanted futurel
So the days passed happily, and the
two students bent to their tasks with
energy, while Ii Kean ordered the af-
fairs of the household with prudence
beyond her years. Though Sho Mai and
LKht were both intent upon the same