The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1894-05-19

he lived, and where his fa'an-ta'an ta-
blcs stood. He pulled two high stools
mp to the table, opened drawer and
pulled out q lot Of paper, pushed it in
front OF the writer, and made a motion
for him to begin. write: My beloved
and respected mother" began Chew;
and then he dictated as fast as the
other could write: "'Your devoted son
grieves because he cannot send you
money, and golden chances are flying
by my door at the setting of every sun.
could make enough money to take me
home if were fortunate enough to
possess q like amount. There is
wealthy Quang-Tung merchant here
who has learned great American
game called fy-loo. know trick OF
the game, and can win his money.
The hungry man is not particular at
whose table he eats, and" s.
The sharp-pointed brush of the lit
erary one ceased moving. and he made
a pretcnce of fixing it. ''Could you win
much cash, Chew Chung?" he asked,
never raising his eyes.
''If had 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 then?"
"Then my friend would be the richer
for trusting me. would work that
he might be wealthy. and of every ten
taels earned would give him one. II
with his money won like amount, l
would only ask a small part of the win
nings for my skill"
II will lend you the money. then"
said the literary one, gladly, for he
was proud to be on good terms with q
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-
J,<1<, alot1 ~ <1o 1ys~n~ xcHI~ Al.
poin. 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 zee
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 a 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. will say: Good
evening. friend;' to which you will re-
ply: Good evening. Do you play to-
nightY" 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
a waterpipe, and in the shadows on the
other side of the room were three of
the gamblers friends
sThe police are devils" Chew was
saying. They want no one to make
money, or even live. We have to give
our friends enjoy ment like rats in a
hole, and +"
There were three knocks on the door.
Chew Chung went and opened it, and
Len Chuen zee stepped in, timidly. He
had his best blouse on. as If he were a
happy man going to a feast and in his
right hand was 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.
1--WE are always ready to let our
friends become rich at our expense, 4"
and he pointed to q sign on the wall
over the head of the fat merchant. It
read: HE who would become wealthy,
must first know Chew Chung"
BY this time the literary man began
to gain little courage, so he bold v
walked up to the table and threw his
bag down. II will either leave that
behind" he said. ''or take fortune
with me-"
sHere is true Chinese said Chew
Chung, with q look of admiration at
Len. HE will be very wealthy Sefore
he dies"
Come, friend" be went on. "What
do you play? 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-loo?"
81.