The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-11
REiDiyG THE Stars IN pEII STREET.
A Visit to Ching Hon Ping. AstroioRcr to the
Ioundryncp.

| 500 him. and his stay will 10 made pleasant b,
| the frequent rustling OF notes and chink Of sill
| ver pieces.
| Tho first that was known Of his coming wa.
last Sunday. The first Cinnamon to wander
along Pel street saw his sign and were glad
| II was strip of white muslin Tapping from
second-story window OF n Pell street house. i
boro in big black print a Chinese inscription
announcing to Chinese alone that tho renowned
| Ching Hon Ping. tho interpreter OF tho mys
teries. the holder OF the keys to the awful Tcir
Yuen and likewise to the unfathomable T
iuen. was within FOR brief stay. He would
cnst the horoscope for oil who paid the price
aud would reveal the future without deception
All this meant simply that a Chinese astrolo
ger had appeared and that one might have his
fortune told for this life and for that which IL
to come on paying ST. On paying So ono could
get minute details for the unravclling OF which
81 is too small! n sum.
What Chinamnn IN all the quarter does not
know that it IL possible t. discern these mys.
tories by long study Astrology is as legit-
innate business as lnundrying and as certain
in it's results. SO thc Chinese was glad to have
this exceptional chance to lift the mask from
the future. There has been 40 much going
wrong up that way of late that little light is
ncce ssary.
Ching is occupying two small bnro rooms in
this second story. Tho front room is for the
reception Of visitors. tho rear room for the
meditation and lonely calculation incident to
the astrology business Ching himself is a
little dricd-up-looking Chinamnn OF about tho
color OF a fresh cake OF chocolate. He has
many wrinkles and Il most intellectual twist to
his long queue. His eyes are doep-sunk and OF q
most cunning expression. His hands move
about in n stcalthy way His voice is high and
his words come with n most unpleasant squeak.
Ching says that never before has such n great
astrologer visited New York. He is not COM
municativo as to where he came from. but
gives tho impression that it was from some
very mysterious place. and that he is liable to
60 back there before long.
Tho front room of his quarters Is almost I'M
INHirmshsd There is taGie and ono chair
materials before him. He is only to be found
IN his reception room nn sundays Other days
he spends in the back room. sealed against in
trusion. On Sundays he keeps tho Chinese
pen busy from tho time he opens for business
until he closes. And his own exceeding solemn
the almond eyed thrcng about him.
1T Is lust like an employment bureau. and
not at all like . fortune tcllcrs. You know how
tits with the white fortune tellers. You go intou
d st nsT%ri and pretty s2on you ars let into
the fortune teller is a woman she takes you by
the hand Then she falls into trance with
Voice she a % ata Is Se auits m
Rna M SO aboa{ Hna wav
When your turn cones-and, unless you are
Chinese your turn never will como.he Gskc
your age the DAY and date Of Your s birth t the
plumber Of wives and children you have had.
the n what d ya
ali e details Of i % P1 ss @
ance; You put down a dollar. which, the
te ns and Of he Six naa
That is all. and you come next Sunday for the
fortune paper.
to cast n horoscope Of the 81 variety but the
S3 horoscopes involve days labor at least.
@oked DAYS %hut
sation at ono fortune.
When Sunday evening comes the office. is
n week, As has been said. he Is in the buddy
ventilated buck room. wrestling with. the
s Wop az Ills tradgs
seriously. He is convinced that tho solutions
OF fate he wor Ks out are automatically cor
rect. and he takes u pride in his work.
from the sleeping and cooking apparatus there
spread piece Of the finest white Chinese silk
side. two great circles. One OF these ' repre-
The other represents the heavens. It is mark
ed ed closely with lines and dots and SQUARES.
the moon. and tho stars. And in their r S.
the tn Pa 1ua From them
and tie uen or eah lot Of ths aas
whose names are in his ledger.
what no calls 70 Tsylng." which means stars
OF destiny, Some arc Of good portent. others
eood stars, ,briehtsst Of ali is fpons Wong
who was born under LoSn ns Wong
Shing. Prosperity shall sit on the handle Of
hs r2 aa door and pps
not lack for opium. and his enemies shall be
neen lighted to earth by Ice Su Shing. the star
Of misfortune , and DEATH His irons shall
rS his on de cut not tn snd
the misfortunos that shall, ovortakc his burial
PLACE md ne gravos Of #, MS ancestors Rice
elope and his children shall hate him. and,
perhaps; his enemy shall commit suicidei In his
does lind Lee 81 sIns horoscope he S d%es not ns
let tho posscssor Of il know. Tho unhappy
wretch would lose his reason.
Ching Hon Ping. scGrcher Of dcstinies and
head soiemny and cackcd long and i" nouns
He says" said the interpreter. that man
is q creature Of sorrow. He says that the
lucky stars arc few and shine from afar and
briefly. He says that life Is as vapor
from the river Of death. He says that the |
heavens are full of tho stars Of luckless shine.
Ho says that not evon tho gods are happy"
So it seems that Ching and tho star-search-
ors haye tho indigestion. and that much star |
Each Sunday. In addition to fresh candidates |
or Horoscopes. there are also the persons |
whose names wcro handed in tho Sunday be- |
lore. To each OF these Ching hands sheet Of |
hin. light brown paper folded in tho middle. |
] hreo sides of the two leaves thus made are |
blank. but on the fourth side hro many col |
INNS q small. clearly. made Chinese charac-
son who gets the sheet. All the good things
ire set down. as many of tho evils as Ching's |
ieart will permit him to write, and also the |
Ultimate destiny Of tho appicant-the course !
II his soul when death has laid hands upon the |
body.
joss will not be offended by this seeking
lfter knowledge Of the future. For Joss comes
n for his share OF the reward Ching offers
many sly suggestion Of points in it.,whore
Imeliorating OWL. And even If Joss We're Of
ended. the Chinese colony would not care
much. He has been cutting M, high links OF
ate In spite OF tho attentions that have been
nyiBhed uDOn him, and IL il the private Onin-