St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-11-26

chance to enter should meet no impede
ments, but the punkah, pulled by coolic
| outside the door, created an artificial
breeze in the room, causing the delicate
tritles on her dressing case to flutter, and
even raising slightly the petals of the
| roses whose long stems were drying on
| silver tray; roses to be worn at her breast,
at the brilliant dinner Of the English
Consul that night The room was q
| softcned blaze of many candles, and the
| delicate fairness of Mrs GordOns arms
and neck was reflected in many mirrors
| But deep froWn was on her brow, As
drawing off the pale pink stockings she
had worn with her tea gown, Mrs. Cor
don proceeded to turn wrong side out,
and pull IabOri0usly on, the creamy silk
netting that would cling SO cXaspcrating-
y in spite of frequent dabs Of violet
powder. The night was warm, Mrs
G0rd0n was getting heated thing she
greatly dislilled before dinner, and her
amah was unconscionably late. She
glanced again at the tiny French clock,
and then, her feet being shod. she stood
lrrcsolutely before dainty mass Of silk
and lace on the bed, and asked herself if
She should attempt to put it on alone 1t
was too provoking! If Jack were only
herel But her husband had gone to
Hong Kong; she was at her annals mercy.
However, it was obviously impossible
to lace oneself into a dinner gown that
fastened down the back. MIS-. Gordon
sank despondently on an India mat, and
famed herself YEARLY. Then she drcnched
still bordering. Never before had her
amah annoyed her so Then she rang
again Impatlently. In her own agitation
she failed to notice the startled whitencss
Of her own szetsai's face, as she ordered
him to send still another coolie for the
recreant maid, and that almost stimuli,
taneously with his respectful departure
the breeze frGm her punkah died suddenly
down. At last she noticed the warm
stiffness that followed the punkah's ccs-
sation, and she called in great surprise to
the punkah- coolie, " Tim Kai nj, Kun
elm, Faiti! Che fang sheen"
No answer coming, she rang again for |
the szetSai. Was the world coming to an
end? The punkah-coolic stopping with
out orders on such hot night her
amah playing truant when she knew her |
mistress to be dining OUT What could |
it mean? AS she waited for the szctsaj's
response to her ringing, light steps
sounded and her amah entered. not quiet
ly and gently, with her usual Oriental |
dellbcratcncss but with haSty step and |
excited air that added to Mrs Gordon's |
establishment. The amah rushed to !
where her mistress was standing before |
the dressing case, and dropped on her
knees before her
"Oh, Mississee," she said, embracing
her MISTRESS feet, "China man very
angry. Burn all Shamccn tonight.
Burn Mississce's hong, Keccheong hong
tonight perhaps this hour. MissisSee
must go-run-t1y English gunboat See.
Mlssisscc wear amah clothes Oh, Miss
isscc, dear Mississec, 90 quick. This
house all gunpowdcr behind. China
man light very quick, Mississec die
burn. MisSisscc must GO
The amah was already attempting to
place her own sandals over the cream
silk stockings that Mrs. Gordon had
d0nncd with such trouble.
What do YOU mean, amah p asked
her mistress, all Impotence gone, and an
absolute caImncss growing within her, in
the face of a real danger. ''Do You
fancy the Chinese Will burn Shamccn2
Nonsense. They dare not.'
"Nississee said the amah, wringing
her hands. =. look there"
She nuIled Mrs Gordnn to tho GREAT
balcony, through whose arches, hung
with baskets of tro,,ir,l flowers and
Iightcd with dense olohuIar lHmns shonc
the same crimson ojram Of Ii,sht
:. Nississcr look AIrc,dy rhinanrn
burn French Consulate Very soon Kcp-
cheon~ homo burn all samrr Nississno
must 90. Master cone Homo Konr All
coolie, all szctsai "--yrry contcmntuous-
w.. run away. Only ANAL, here inst
now. Dear Nississcc, oo,n The omah
was knccling and wrinoine her little
Diivc-hucd hands.
Mrs. Gordon looked at her Chinese
maid. She was entirely self-controIIcd
now. The Oriental calm, not to say
in ordinary times was in .,
tensclv excited. Mrs. Gordon. the Amcri- ,
,an. vivacious and cxcitahle usually, was
quiet almost to impassivcncss. Therein
IS one Of the character differences be :
.wecn the sophistica Occidental. and
he artIcss child of the Orient
"Amah," said Mrs. Gordon, as she :
submitted to the change of apparel.
. what will YOU do when am ~onc-- ,
gone, and in your clothing? Will they :
not hurt you?" }
81 am Chinawoman. " said the amah -,
simply, relieved at her mistrcsss submis- ,
sion. " Chinaman no hurt Chinawoman." ;;
No tremor BETRAYED her LOYALTY. Well l
1mui knew the fate of a Chinese trait
.esS-who had 1are1 botrav bor cOup4rv i