The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1891-10-14
THE SOUL OF THE CAT.

Yee Sam Ling was a lonely one. He
had friends in plenty and relatives, too,
for that matter. but Ling had his own
views on matrimony and he didn't be-
lieve anybody could be happy without a
wife. twas strange why he had SO sud-
denly taken on that belief. for hadn't he
lived fifteen years away from his own
Flowery Landl OF course he had.
He came first to the Golden Hills and
went to work In the mines, but he
couldn't stand it, for he used to feel the
strange white devils at night punching
him in the back. So he gave his claim
In the Golden Hills to relative and
Travelled across the continent to New
York, cnrled up like mink on seat of
the smoking car.
He was idle for awhile and then started
in to sell soap to the laundrymen, until
finally he got enough Of the American
mans cash to rent store. He put out
his red sign, with the futtering red
streamers on 1t to keep the evil ones
away, and he became merchant. Ev-
cry night for years he had crawled into
his little bunk curtained off.at the back
of the store, and after comforting him
self with the opium he loved so we'll he
had fallen to sleep, to dream of pretty
Chinese girls lettering on pink clouds
across the water and stretching their
arms out to him.
He often thought of China and the
home life there, and he used to count
the money in his trunk and wonder when
he would have enough to go back and
buy a koonfoo's rank and wear cap
with the red button of the third degree.
Then he thought he would buy with
some of his money the prettiest girl in
the province, and she would have feet so
small that she couldn't walk at all un-
less she had strong servant holding
each hand
He often played the lottery in the hope
that he would win, and he burned prayer
sticks before his kat god that he might
have luck, but he might just as we'll
have saved the sticks, for luck never
came. So persistently did he lose that
more than once he was tempted to let
one of the burning prayer sticks fall
over against the god and burn it, but he
was afraid lest the deceit should be dis.
covered and the god seek just revenge.
One day there came into his store q
white girl who lived on the top floor of
the tenement around the corner. She
had hair like the wong sink gold he used
to dig out of the Golden hills.
Say, john" she said, ''me mothers
run out o sope, an she's up to her neck
in washin. Gimme bari"
Ling was smitten with a great love.
He remembered having seen this girl go
past his store many times, but he never
had such chance as this to speak to
her.
"You nominee want sope9" he asked.
"She washee?"
Eyes; I want err bar. an | want 1t
quick"
"Alle lite," said Ling, and he clattered
behind the narrow counter and pulled
out from a shelf two bars of soap.
"You takkee two," he said. mo
you takkee; you sabe?" and
he pushed the soap and the five pennies
she had laid down away from him. Then
he went on: 81 lakkee you; you heap
nice! Lat you manner"
Gee, what graft" said the girl; $50
get de sope for muffin, do l. Johnf Well,
me names Maggie Sullivan, If yer
wanter know"
Ling looked at her with admiring eyes.
Then he pointed to the soap and pennies
and said simply:
"You takkee. heap lakkee you, sabe2
You clum CLAIM"
"Yes, sabe, john" said the girl, can
I'll come again"
So she went out and Ling went to the
1oor and looked after her until she had
around the corner. Then
ne went back behind the narrow counter
and sat down ON a stool. He rested his
elbows on a pile Of paper, sunk his chin
n his hands and thought very hard.
Bis thinking amounted to something,
'or he went to the little cubby room cur
5ained off at the back of the store, and
,ut OF the big camphor wood chest he
pulled some carefully folded clothes. He
was new man when he came out into
she store again, and a couple Of his
who had dropped in to have
= friendly chat and smoke began to
,haff him.
His old cloth blouse, with the shiny
place on the back where his well oiled
,ue had hung, lay in heap on the
aoor with his old pow tail and coarse
trousers; instead he wore clothes of bro
,aded dark blue silk and his sandals
were like those of koonfoo. A cold
wind was blowing up the street. 1t
made him SILVER, but he stood his ground
and watched for the coming of Maggie
Sullivan.
Every day for week he watched. I'M
Ill on the eighth day he saw her running
BY with shawl over her head and a
pitcher in her hand. "Hi-lo," he cried,
'hi-lo, Maggie S'rm.ni you com nj
chue"
Hello, John; how's things? I'll see
yer when get tn old mans beer" and
she dashed on, while Ling went In and
waited.
After awhile she came in with a rush.
You lakkee China candyT' began
Ling before she could say anything.
Heap goodw and he showed queer Lit.
tie box full of keung toward her. 81
lakkee YOU" he continued, while he
picked at the gilt buttons on his blouse.
Il bling you nice close, heap nice, you
sabe9 Makkee You nice close, you dless
heap nice, sabei You mally me, you hab
heap money"
Marry you, John? Well. guess mott
Me old woman would pull the pigtail
out OF your head IL she heard you maxim