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

Ycs Sam Ling was q lonely one. lie
had friends in plenty and relatives. too.
for that matter. but Ling had his own
views on matrimony and he didnt BE-
lie,e anybody could 10 happy withou, q
wife. u was strange why he had 80 sud.
denly taken on that belief. for hadn't he
lived fifteen years away from his own
Flowery Land! OF course he hal.
lie came hrst TO the Golden Hills and
went To work In tho mines, but he
couldn't stand IL. for he used 20 feel tho
strange white devils at night punching
him In the back. 10 he gave his claim
In the Golden Hills 20 q relative and
Travelled across tho continent 30 New
York, eurled up like mink on q seat Of
the smoking car.
lie wa. idle for awhile aud then started
In 10 sell soap TO tho lAundrymen. until
finally he got enough % th. American
mans cash % rent q store. lle put out
his r~i sign. with tho futtering rel
s,reamsrs on IL 10 keep the evil ones
away, and he became q merchant. Nv.
cry night for years he had crawled into
his little bunk curtained OF at the back
Of tho store. and after comforting him.
self with the opium be loved ~ well be
had fallen to sleep. 20 dream of pretty
Chinese girls tottering on pink clouds
acro>s the water and stretching their
arms out 20 him.
lie often thought Of China and the
home life there. AMI he used 10 count
the money In his trunk and wonder when
hs would have enough 90 20 back and
buy . koonioo's rank and wear q cap
with the r,d button of the third degree.
Then ho thought he would buy with
some % his money the prcttiest girl In
the province. and she would have feet 20
small that she couldn't walk at AL un.
less she had strong servant holding
each hand.
lie often played the lottery In the hope
that he would win. and he burned prayer
sticks before hi. kat goi that he might
have luck. but be might Just A. well
have saved the sticks, for luck never
came. 10 p.rsistently did he lose that
more than once he was tempted 20 let
one % the burning prayer sticks fall
over against the goi and burn II. but he
was afraid les, the deceit should be dis.
covered and the god seek Jus, revenge.
One day there came into his store .
white girl who lived on the top door Of
the tenement around the corner She
hal hair like the wong shik gold he used
10 dig out of the Golden hills.
Say. John she said. 'me mothers
run out o sope, an shes MP 10 her neck
In washin. Gimme barr
Ling was smitien with q great love.
lie remembered having seen this girl ~
pas, his store many times, but he never
had such . chance as this 10 speak 10
her.
"You nominee want soper he asked.
''She washeey'
"Yes: ] want er bar, an want 1.
quick"
"Alle lite, said Ling. and he clA,tered
behind the narrow counter and pulled
on, from a shelf two bars Of soap.
"You takkee two." he said. mo
n'gsnt'sin. you takkee; you saber and
he pushed the soap and the five pennies
she had laid down away from him. Then
he went oni IL lakkee you. you heap
meet Lat you namey"
Gee, what graftr said the girl; 80
get de soIs for nuttin. do ]. john Wei.
mo names Maggie Sullivan, II yer
wAn,er know"
Ling looked at her with admiring eyes.
Then he pointed 10 the soap and pennies
and said simply,
"You takkee. I heap iakkee you. sabe'
You clum CLAIM
"Yes. ! sabe. john said the girl. ian
I'll come again
so she went out and Ling went 10 the
door and looked after her until she had
disappeared around the corner. Then
he went back behind the narrow counter
and sat down on stool He rested his
elbows on pile Of paper. sunk his chin
In his hands and thought very hard.
His thinking amounted 10 something.
for he went TO the little cubby room cur
tained OF at the back Of the store, and
out OF the big camphor wood chest he
pulled some carefully folded clothes. lie
was q new man when he came out into
the store again. aud couple Of his
sountrymen who had dropped In 10 have
q friendly chat and . smoke began 10
chaf him.
His old cloth blouse, with the shiny
place on the back where his well oiled
cue hal hung. lay In q heap on tho
floor with his old pow tail and coarse
trousers: instead he wore clothes Of bro
caded dark blue silk and his sandals
were like those Of q koonfoo. A cold
wind was blowing up the street. IL
made him shiver. but he stood his ground
md watched for tho coming Of Maggie
Snllivan.
Every day for week he watched. un.
Oil on the eighth day he saw her running
by with . shawl over her head and .
pitcher In her hand. "fii.lo." he cried.
"hi.lo. Maggie S1'm'n' you com nj.
ehuey-
"IIello, John, bows things, I'll ses
yer when get th' old mans beer" and
she dAshed on. while Ling went in ano
waited.
After awhile she came In with rush.
"You lakkee China candyr began
Ling before she could say anything.
"IIeap good!" and he showed queer liz
tie boz full Of keung toward her. II
iakkee you." no continued. while he
picked at the gilt buttons on his blouse.
81 bling you nice close. heap nice, you
Sabel Makkee you nice Close. you dles
heap nice. sabe, You mally me. you hst
heap money"
"Marry Jon, Johni Well. I guess noti
Ne old woman would pull the pigtail
out OF your head II abe heard you maxim
any breaks like that"
"You mally me bimeby," " said Ling. ~
though he felt sure he would win. :.
80 long. John!- abe said, ~ she went
out munching the candy. That was the
n.t Of the queer courtship. II struck
Maggie seriously. - though she thought
che might do wore.
~ don't know bat what I'll marry the
Chink, she aid TO henelf. "I'il get all
thsr clothes an money I want an I'll b
boz. yoa caa bstl'