The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-06-02

money, and golden chances are flying
| by my door at the setting of every sun.
l could make enough money to take me
home if 1 were fortunate enough to
possess like amount. There is a
wealthy Quang-Tung merchant here
who has learned great American
game called fy-loo. 1 know a trick Of
the game, and I can win his money.
The hungry man is not particular at
whose table he eats, and"
The sharp-pointed brush of the lit
erary one ceased moving, and he made
pretence of fixing it. Gould you win
much cash, Chew Chung?" he asked,
never raising his eyes.
| "If l had a thousand taels, could
win as much as that" said the gam.
bier; but finish my letter. When one
has not the cash, one must let the cash
run somewhere else"
But suppose" said Len Chuen Yee,
still arranging the point of his brush
suppose you had some good, trusting
friend who would lend you the money
what them"
''Then my friend would be the richer
for trusting me. l would work that
he might be wealthy, and of every ten
taels earned would give him one. If
| with his money 1 won like amount, l
would only ask a small part of the WIN
nings for my skill"
Il will lend you the money, then" I"
said the literary one, gladly, for he
was proud to be on good terms with a
| gambler.
What, my good friendr' said Chew
Chung, expressing great surprise.
"Have you thousand taels?"
"Yes, and five hundred more"
"Ah! but with that we will make our
fat Quang-Tung merchant dance with
his shoulders. And in the end you
shall have two parts of his money,
while will be content with the other
part.
They wrangled awhile as friends
will, each one wanting the other to
take more for his share, but in the end
it was the same.
The unfinished letter lay on the bam-
boo cloth Of the gambling table, the
point Of the costly brush of the literary
man was turned up like pigs snout,
and the India ink was pushed over to
one corner. They talked about the
money until the face of Len Chuen Yee
was like rising sun, hut all the while
the eyes of the gambler Looked heavy,
like the eyes Of one who has smoked
opium all night.
when will he Gomez" asked Len
Chuen Yee, feeling like tiger waiting
behind bush for lamb
Tonight. But first we must en-
courage him to play, for he is very
wary. We must beguile him. At nine
o'clock you come to my door and rap
loudly three times. will let you in
The fat one will be there and some of
my good friends. l will say; Good
evening, friendi' to which you will re-
ply: Good evening. Do you play to-
night?'n And in this manner did the
gambler tell the literary man just what
to say and do in order that he might
win fortune.
At nine o'clock Chew Chung sat at
one of his tables. In the corner was
the fat Quang=Tung merchant smoking
waterpipe, and in the shadows on the
other side of the room were three of
the gamblers friends.
1.-THE police are DEVILS" Chew was
saying. They want no one to make
money, or even live: We have to give
our friends enjoyment like rats in a
hole, and L"
There were three knocks on the door
Chew Chung went and opened it, and
Len Chuen Yee stepped in, timidly. He
had his best blouse on, as if he we're a
happy man going to feast, and in his
right hand was a bag made of dark
blue cloth,
"Good evening, FRIEND" he said, bow
ing like a woman, and pulling the
hand that held the bag further up his
sleeve. "Do you play to-night?"
'Oh, yes" replied Chew, cheerfully.
''We are always ready to let our
friends become rich at our expense, T"
and he pointed to q sign on the wall
over the head of the fat merchant. 1t
read: He who would become wealthy,
must first know Chew Chung"
By this time the literary man began
to gain a little courage, SO he boldly
walked up to the table and threw his
bag down. II will either leave that
behind" he said, ''or take fortune
with me-"
"Here is true Chinese" said Chew
Chung, with look of admiration at
Len He will be very wealthy before
he dies"
Come, friend,' he went on. "What
do you playa The foreign devils of
police forbid fa'an-ta'an; but we can
lock the door. Or would you like the
new game called fy=lop2W
II will play fly.loo, said Len, and he
went down deep in the pocket of his
t'in-foo, from whence he brought up,
wrapped in paper. three Jumps OF
sugar. He laid them at right angles on
the table. docs anyone else want to
play?" he asked, talking bravely. But
as they gathered around they shook
their heads.
Then one OF the Jumps of sugar was
taken by Chew Chung. The stakes
were ten taels each, to be won by the
owner of the lump of sugar upon which
the fly first alighted. Flies were as
plenty in the room as clouds in the sky
in April.
There is fortune in such game
as this" said the fat man, as a fly came
, slowly toward the sugar of the gam
bier. But it turned and walked over to
the sugar of the literary man, and
, crawling up the side Of the lump, made
Len Chuep Yee richer by ten taeis. He
; laughed as a child laughs over his win
nings, and when he looked up the
gambler was laughing too.
1 " L