The Press., 1892-04-21

one new attraction, the others novelty in pastry to set before the emperor, we must go to little village in Tartary. V Before a small thatched hut is lad apparently just starting out on long journey. A very old woman is bidding him farewell.
 ' Nestri. hast thou with thee thy sil- very reed fute?"
 "Yes. great-grandmother."
 .sIt is well. Now. before thou start est have two gifts for thee. They are small presents, but am. poor This bag contains cerch-circh (which in Eng fish is nothing more nor less than cur rant jelly) Take good care of it, for never has it been tasted by other than members. of your family, and of such great rarity and exquisite flavor is it that should strangers, even kings and warning and strife among them for it's possession.
 So Nestri took the precious bag.
 ssAlso, Nestri, here is the receipt by which the cerch-circh was compounded"
 And the old woman gave him thin shaving like sheet of ivorine painted with queer Chinese letters, which he carefully rolled and twisted up until it looked about like a cigar lighter, and then for safety placed it inside of his reed flute.
 Then he set out on his journey, even to the very city where the chief coun- selor and the head cook of the cooking college were puzzling their brains to please the emperor. Such was Nestri's skill in playing upon his reed flute that wherever lir stopped and played the people fl, ,l to hear him and filled his valise s. .4l coppers and plugged ten cent pieces.
 It was while he was thus playing that the chief counselor chanced to hear him. And the chief counselor leaped into the air, waving his cue and knocking his heels together for joy, shouting: "Houp-la! Whoop! My head and pigtail are now. safe. will secure this lad for the e1nperor's feast"
 And he had fourteen of the royal guard seize Nestri and cast him into prison.
 Little sleep could he take for the fear that was in his heart, and so about the midnight hour he began to play on his si1very toned flute so softly and sweetly, so clearly toned and so sadly and plaint- lively, that, as was afterward found out, it even melted the heart of a stone idol which was kept in temple near.
 While he was thus playing he was startled to hear some one moaning and wailing outside the cell window, so he climbed up on the stone ledge. Looking out he saw the queerest figure, dressed all in white satin, it's hsad covered by an immense, tall, pointed hat, lying fiat on the ground and sobbing bitterly.
 "Who may you be, oh, sad one, and why do you weep?" asked Nestri.
 The figure did not move, but answered.
 "I-II am the hea-a-ad co-o-o-ok of the co-o-o-oking college, and to-o-o-morrow LII must lo-o-ose my head and b-b-beautiful b-b-bl-black cue, four teen f-f-fe-e-et long, b-b-b-because LII cannot think of a-a a-a new dish for the emperor's great feast. B-b-b-boo-ho-o-o- oughr 1s-
 And Nestri pitied him so much that he said:
 -"Here, head cook of the cooking col lege, hold your hat" @
 And the head cook of the cooking col, lege stood up and held his hat. Then Nestri emptied his bag of cur rant jelly into it, saying: ssWith this fill twenty faky tarts, and by the great Punjsbian idol, if you give them to the emperor for his feast, then is your precious head safe." And sure enough, at the feast the fol lowing day, the emperor was so delight ed with the currant tarts that he con- ferred the order of the Iron Chopsticks and the Mellow Button on the head cook of the cooking college. Then Yuhwhan Kian summoned the chief counselor to him, saying. r'.sNow, chief counselor, can you pro duce a novelty for our entertainment | And the chief counselor ordered Mes tri, who had been brought from the prison, to play.
 | And the emperor was entranced with the music But it seemed so easy te | play on the reed flute that the emperor 1 was sure he could perform artistically upon it, so he made Nestri let him take