Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-05-24

Lings bel that night aud scratched NJ
the mating on the foor; shs paradel the
little room. and her big shining eyes
seemed TO light up the dark place. From
that night the cat was never at r-st, and
Ling became 40 stricken with . silent
terror that he would 40 out into the
street rather than cross her path.
lie forgot about tho cat q couple of
days later. when Maggie Sullivan came
In. She was better dressed than usual
"lIello. JOHN she began. Il had .
row with tho old woman. and I've elm
out. I'm dead sick Of gittin jumped on.
Now. IL you wanter marry mo on ther
square. I'm with you. but ] don't want
any funny business In miner
"You mAlly mey' asked Ling. while .
smile crrpt over his face. "Allee lite. l
mAlly you"
"But I'll tell you. John" the girl wen,
on, you've got 10 cut that pigtail OF
and wear citizens clothes You got 10
be pretty near . white man. You got 10
be a. white As clothes can kin make you.
an you got 10 treat mo white. too. or III
shake your
Ling didn't want % loss his cue and
he fought against what he considered .
sacrilese. bu, he found Maggie relent.
less.
II curl him up so,- be- said. N he
twisted IL about his head; "'n puttee
on HAT, co." and he pulled an old slouch
hat down over his head, "n' nobody slee
him. har'
No. even that wouldn'tdo and Maggie
went away saying "Tm goin up 10 .
lady friends O. mine ter stay tsrnite,
John. an III eco you tomouer, al II
ther pig,ail don't go don, git married.
seq
Ling didn't quite see, bu, he thought
. lot lie thought Maggie was the pref.
test girl hs had ever seen. There was
nothing chan about her. She had tne
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
hs went out to get away from tho~e
green eye. lie went 20 the Joss houss
and burned thirty cents worth Of prayer
stick. and paper. lie made up his mind
quickly after that. almost ran down the
dark. crcaking STEPS and acros- the way
TO where the tAi'.tau'.lo lived and did
business.
Take of this thingi' he said, when he
at dawn on the stool In front of the lit
tls raiors and scissors
"whatr' said the barber. ARE YOU
crazy. or have the foreign devils got you
tooy'
"Cut IL of. I tell youl Are you not
hero 20 do such work ar thisr'
mo. that is wrong. l knew your
mother. What would she say II did ~
Her curses would come 10 me ~ well a.
to you. unworthy sou"
Ling ran out while his courage lasted.
lie went 10 = Kwang.tung man who
lived near Pell street and had no cue.
"Cut this thing or hs said. he did
not need To beg this time.
"Iia. har' laughed the KwAng.tBns
man. ''you are going 20 lie one Of us.
good'' and he picked mp big pair Of
shears. snip. and Lings cue was gone,
Gu, close 20 his head. Out Ling ran,
leaving his cue behind him. lie went
into his store and sat down 20 think.
when up jumpei the cat. Her eyes were
yellow this time. and she howled mourn.
fully.
"uet away. you evil thingr and he
pushed her OF with q stick. lie did not
sleep that night; he dreamed strange
things and saw strange sights; hs
thought of his homo In far OF China,
and his mother and the little Chinese
mAidens whom he had known before he
came 10 the new country. lie smoked
and saw faces In the clouds. In the
morning his eyes were heavy aud rel
with the opium. and he let his hired man
do all the work. He lay In his cubby
bunk and smoked the opium until hs
heard voice. II sounded a. II u came
from q great distance. IL saidi
"aello, where's the boss' In the back
roomi all rightl'
The curtains were pulled back and
Maggie sullivan came In.
"Iii,tin ther pipe. eh, Well, that's
bad for the blood. How's yer pigtaily'
Il cut him. He CLONE" aid Ling
half stupidity.
That's good. knew you'd como
around. The Chinks alters do Git up
lf Yer s-goin ter git married"
Ling hal . 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 the room
with stately tread, glaring at her. She
paused at her feet, and at one bound
was ON her lap. Hello, pussyr' she
iaid. putting her face down and stroking
tho fur. Like . fash q paw shot out;
Eve hooked, sharp claws were unsheath.
sd and dragged across the girls cheek.
Shs gave q frightened scream. and when
Ling looked he saw three rel lines down
her face, from which blood was drip
ping. And the cat walked slowly across
the floor with the same stately tread.
"rve got q nice looking face now
ssid Maggie, "and I think Ill have that
cat killed"
Less" said Ling. 'hill him." and he
rose dreamily and tried TO drive the Cat
out, but she wouldn't 80. lie gave u
up and Cursed the spirit which possessed
the cat. "Soms enemy Of mine has
died." he thought. "and 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 10 the Five Points mission, where
they were married. The minister. Mr.. |
Boughton. asked them both q great
many questions, and satisfied himself
that everything was all right Before he
dismissed them he said he hoped Maggie
would be happy.
~ hope 20, SIR said she. ian they
cay the Chinks arc good to their vim.
men,"
They went back 10 the store then
There was letter on the counter near
the scales. II had come from China and
was for Yes Sam Ling. The cat sat near
Il and would not move. Ling pushed her
away with . stick, but shs came back.
He WA afraid TO put his hand out fer the
letter. % he pulled Il toward him with
his pipe. Il was from his native town.
"Your good mother 10 dead" it said;
"ths scourgs devil carried her away. Il
was her viii that you return and marry
tho girl shs has betrothed to you"
The letter fell from Lins's hands; hs