The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-03

his hatredv'
These were terrible words indeed when
uttered fiercely in the original Chinese,
but All Sam Chong received them only
with sneers as he counted the money
into his own purse, which was already
well filled. When he had pocketed the
silver coins he once more took little
Lee Wing by the hand and started with
him up theastreet. Will the angry old
market man shouted after them all the
curses he could call to mind.
Although the money lender seemed in
different to the curses of the aged Chow
Using, he was, in reality, somewhat
frightened. Like all Chinese, he was
very superstitious, and feared above all
things the of the gods he
worshiped. He knew that he well de.
served the abuse which the fish dealer
had heaped upon him, for, in truth, he
had cheated the old man in a shameful
manne by altering the contract which
the latter had signed. how Using had
called upon the Chinese gods to curse
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and his little
son, and All Sam Chong was troubled
in consequence. But as the day pro-
crossed and no misfortune came to him
he began to feel easier in mind, and
before evening had almost forgotten the
event of the morning, which at first
had caused him so much annoyance.
That day was a happy one for little
Lee Wing. In the afternoon his father
treated him to a long ride on the cable
car out to Golden Gate Park, where
they wandered together through the
swans swimming aboutsin the big pond
and listened to the band music in the
eSplanade. Toward evening they left
the park for the city, and after another
long ride on the cable, which the Celes-
tiaf youngster greatly enjoyed, China
town was reached again just as the twi-
light was beginning to all.
The best dinner imaginable, including
such deiicacies as chicken, clans,
shrimp ala and hop-chow pudding.
was enjoyed by father and son at one
of Chinatown's finest restaurants, after
which they went Owe to the theater,
where the rest of the evening was to
be spent, thus bringing little Lee Wings
delightful holiday to a-delightful close.
All Sam Chong got out his kela from
the box in which it was always kept
and took his customary place among
the musicians in the rear of the stage.
Little Lee Wing was given a seat by
his fathers side. and his face glowed
with pleasure in anticipation Of the
treat In store when the performance
should begin. But the little fellow had
not remained long in his chair before
he began to feel very sleepy indeed, and
his poor, tired little BLACK eyes abso-
lutely refused to sta open. He was
completely fatigued as a result Of all
the exciting events of n day, and In
spite of the inspiring sounds made by
the musicians in tuning their ,instru-
ments, little Lee Wings head was soon
noddfng. Several times he made brave
efforts to recover himself. but nature
would not have it SO, and in a few mo-
ments he was sound asleep, with his
head resting on his papa's knee. All
Sam Chong smoothed the baby's head
gently with his hand, and then, taking
the little fellow up in his arms. he
glanced about for a good resting place
where the child might sleep undis-
turbed. The play would soon begin, and
the musician knew that his little son
noise. of the performance. But where
was there a place in the theater where
the noises from the stage would not
reach the ears of the child? All! the
musician had a happy thought. He
walked from the stage with the baby
still in his arms. and up the stairs to
the joss house or the floor above; that
weird little room of worship always to
be found in a Chinese theater. Push
ing aside a heavy curtain. he entered
the sacred apartment, where all was
quiet. On a large. heavy table. between
two tall. burning loss sticks" which
filled the room with a cedar-like odor,
sat the image of a Chinese god, a horri-
BILE, misshapen IDOL carved from wood,
with a fiendish smile upon it's cruel lips
and a look of infinite cunning in its
snake-like yes All Sam Chong bowed
low before the deity, and then placed
the little boy on a cushioned bench be-
hind the table, where he might sleep
In peace. with no fear of molestation.
Kneeling before the god for a moment
the musician uttered a short prayer;
then he withdrew from the room on
tiptoes, and. returning to the stage,
resumed his place in the orchestra Just
as the performance opened for the
night.
Little Lee Wing was a sound sleeper,
and his father entertained little fear
that the boy would awaken In the ST.
lent room overhead. So the musician
played away on his kela for dear life
throughout the entire performance. The
play was The Emperor's Favorite Pea
COCK that successful comedy made ia
nous in San Francisco by the gifted
comedian Wee Wung and his competent
supporting company.
The audience was kept laughing
thrOugh the whole performance, and
that is a great deal to the playright,s
credit when it is taken into c~onsidera-
ton that this was the twentieth night
of the comedy, which was still to con-
tinue another week before reaching it's
conclusion-the ina act of the play.
Talk of the voluminous works of
Shakespeare! Why, a Chinese play
right is expected to compose at least a
ton of manuscript before he can even
hope for recognition as a dramatic
author.
Well, the twentieth lnstalIment of
THE Emperor's Favorite Peacock at
last arrived at an end. The audience
w out of the theater, the per-
formers hurried to their dressing rooms.
the sugar-cane vendors locked up their
wares in the big closet under the stage,
the musicians finally arose from the
stools where they had remained so
faithfully during the evening and the
~janitor began extinguishing the lights
for the night.
All Sam Chong deposited his kela in
its usual hiding place and then mounted
the stairs to the sacred room where he
had left the sleeping child. Stealing
noiselessly into the chamber of the joss.
he performed the customary reverential
obeisance before the grinning idol and
then stepped behind the table.
He gave a cry of horror, and, stagger-
ing backward. almost fell to the floor.
For there on the cushioned bench, in
stead of the slumbering infant whom he
had expected to find, was a chattering,
grimacing, ugly little monkey. For a
moment the musician stood frozen to
the spot, fully expecting the awful joss
to blast him where he stood. Then he
fell on his knees, and, bowling his head
to the floor, pleaded for mercy before
the god.
'The curse of the old man has fall
len," he cried. 20 glorious and power
full joss revoke thy terrible curse and
make my boy himself again. o give