The Portland daily press., 1891-09-01


he fought against what he considered
sacrilege, but he found Maggie relent-
| less.
81 curl him up So" he said, as he
twisted it about his head; n / puttee
on HAT, So" and he pulled an old SLOUGH
hat down over his head, en- nobody slee
him, hap"
No, even that wouldn't do, and Maggie
went away saying: "rm goin up to
lady friends O. mine ter stay ternite,
John, an I'll see you tomorrer, an if
Their pigtail don't go don't git married,
seer
Ling didn't quite see, but he thought
lot. He thought Maggie was the pref
test girl he had ever seen. There was
nothing chan about her. She had fine
blue eyes, trim figure and shock of
golden hair that attracted the China
man. The old cat jumped on the coun-
ter and yowled and stared at him, and
he went out to get away from those
green eyes. He went to the Joss house
and burned thirty cents worth Of pray
sticks and paper. He made up his mind
quickly after that, almost ran down the
dark, creakng steps and across the way
to where the tai'-tau'-lo lived and did
business.
"Take off this thing" he said, when he
sat dawn on the stool in front of the lit
tie raZors and scissors.
"Whatv' said the barber, ''are you
crazy, or have the foreign devils got you
| too?'
"Cut it off, l tell you'll Are you not
here to do such work as this?"
mo, that is wrong. I knew your
mother. What would she say If did it?
Her curses would come to me as well as
to you, unworthy son."
Ling ran out while his courage lasted,
He went to Kwang-tung man who
lived near Pell street and had no cue.
"Cut this thing otfp' he said; he did
not need to beg this time.
"Ha, hap laughed the Kwang-tung
man, "you are going to be one of us;
goodl" and he picked up big pair Of
shears. Snipl and Lings cue was gone,
cut close to his head. Out Ling ran.
leaving his cue behind him. He went
into his store and sat down to think,
when up jumped the cat. Her eyes were
| yellow this time, and she howled mourn
fully.
"Get away, you evil thingp' and he
pushed her off with a stick. He did not
fleep that night; he dreamed strange
things and saw strange sights; he
thought of his home in far off China,
and his mother and the little Chinese
maidens whom he had known before he
came to the new country. He smoked
and saw faces in the clouds. In the
morning his eyes were heavy and red
with the opium, and he let his hired man
do all the work. He lay in his cubby
bunk and smoked the opium until he
heard voice. 1t sounded as if it came
from great distance. 1t said.
"Hello, where's the boss? In the back
room? all rightp
The curtains were pulled back and
Maggie Sullivan came in.
"Hittin Their pipe, Ell? Well, that's
bad for the blood. How's yer pigtail9"
II cut him. He glone," said Ling
half stupidity.
THAT'S good. knew you'd come
around. The Chinks alters do. Git up
IL yer a-goin ter git married"
Ling had a vague idea that he was
very happy. The opium had brought
peaceful feeling, but he was rather
stupid. Maggie sat on the edge of the
bunk and the cat walked across thereon
with stately tread, glazing at her. She
| paused at her feet, and at one bound
was on her lap. "Hello, pussyp she
| said nuttin0 her face down and stroking
the fur. Like flash paw shot out;
five hooked, sharp claws were unsheath-
ed and dragged across the girls cheek.
She gave frightened scream, and when
Ling looked he saw three red lines down
her face, from which blood was drip
| ping. And the cat walked slowly across
the floor with the same stately tread.
Give got nice looking face nowi"
said Maggie, "and think I'll have that
cat killed"
"Less," said Ling, "kill him." and he
rose dreamily and tried to drive the cat
out, but she wouldn't go. He gave it
up and cursed the spirit which possessed
the cat. ''Some enemy of mine has
died." he thought, land his soul has
gone into the cat" Maggie washed the
blood from her face and put on three
long strips Of plaster, and then went
around to the Five Points mission, where
they were married. The minister, Mr..
Boughton, asked them both a great
many questions, and satisfied himself
| that everything was all right. Before he
dismissed them he said he hoped Maggie
would be happy.
~ hope so, sir" said she, "an they
say the Chinks are good to their VIM
men,"
They went back to the store then.
There was letter on the counter near
the scales. 1t had come from China and
was for Yee Sam Ling. The cat sat near
it and would not move. Ling pushed her
away with stick, but she came back.
He was afraid to put his hand out for the
letter, so he pulled 1t toward him with
his pipe. 1t was from his native town.
"Your good mother is dead" it said;
"the scourge devil carried her away. 1t
was her will that you return and marry
| the girl she has betrothed to YOU"
| The letter fell from Ling's hands; he
looked up and saw the cat still staring at
him.
"My mothers soul is there to curse
me-" he whispered to himself, backing
toward the door.
sit is shell She has come across the
big water because did not return" and
he kept stepping backward.
"The curse has come upon mel" And
he felt for his cue. Then he looked at
Maggie and saw the marks of the claws
With shrek he opened the door and
| rushed Quit
Johns gone plumb crazyp said
Maggie to the attendant. "Its the
opium, l guess. 1t knocks 'em all when
they get the habit"
Ling never came back, SO Maggie
patched truce with her mother and
went back to the tenement. Nobody
but the minister knows she is Mrs. Yee
Sam Ling, and the new sign which
swings over the door of the little store
tells every one who looks up at it that
Sun Quong sells Chinese groceries there.
Sun Quong was the attendant