The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-02-01

Kwan I'll be disposed to answer wisely. And Lee Chung, having been taught from his youth that the gods would re- sent second appeal, kept himself away from the Pell-street joss-house, where the priest might have listened to his pleading. And Gnu Lin, as eve rybody knows, is in high favor with Kwan ri. As Lee Chung climbed the dark, rickety stair, no doubt he ap- proved his own patience, and hoped that the god, knowing all things, and being considerable deity, would guide the kau pui (divining stieks) as they fell from the priets's hands.
 Gnu Lin, attended by a single slat- ternly attendant, was kneellng before the altar the invocation hardly fin- ished, when Lee Chung softly opened the door and entered, being careful not to disturb the stick of incense burning there to let the gods know of the cere- mony. Half a dozen musicians were seated in the front of the room, vio- lently beating tom-toms and cymbals to drive the evil spirits away. The scroll bearing the picture of the god was unrolled, and three candles were burning before it. The square sand box on the lodge was filled with clean, white sand; and so many sticks or incense were smoldering in it that the smoke ascending obscured the face Of Kwan T. Upon either side of the pic ture were pyramids of artificial flowers, each capped with bunch of peacock feathers. At the base was the little brass idol, tiger rampant, newly bur nished. On the right hung a scroll bearipg the name of the god; on the left second, inscribed with senti- ment such as this: Abide by sacred virtue to increase the source of wealth. The table before the altar was spread as though for a great ban quet-with fruit, nuts. meats, confec- tions, and three full wine-cups Upon a second table lay the mysterious kau pui (elliptical pieces of hard wood rounded on one side and flat on the other, and carved on the rounded side) and the cylindrical tin box containing the hundred ts' un (numbered bam- | boo sticks).
 l When Gnu Lin rose, he lit new | bundle of incense sticks, and waved 1 them three times before the shrine
 Then he stuck them on end in the sand
 box, from whence dense clouds oi | smoke ascended. He held wine-cur high, passed it three times through the
 cloud, and threw the contents to the floor Having bowed low before the 1 god, he prayed:
 1 70, Kwan ri, please come and eat
 and drink. Reveal the future to this | Te i. +o 1ot h i,Y
 have three shing pui."
 Gnu Lin passed the kau pui through 1 the incense three times, and, kneelins
 again, held them, with their fiat side'
 together, above his head. Suddenly ht I let them fall. Lee Chung bent forward to note theid position. The rounded
 sides of both were up--yam pin, a neg ative sign neither good or evil fortune I Again the priest let the kau pui fall 1 This time the flat sides of both were III 1 young pui, an unfavorable sing. l l the kau pui should fall so again-thre l times in successon--evil fortune would 1 be foretold for Lee Chung. But upoi the next trial the rounded side of on
 and the flat side of the other were up
 shing pui, favorable sign. Again tn hou pui JSAl SilliE pul, diu o6diii Slilis
 pui. Kwan ri thus foretold good for tune for Lee Chung.
 t Lee Chung slipped a piece of none. into Gnu Lin's hand, and, with a snlil 1 ing face, turned away to give place tt one of half dozen other inquirers whI l had quietly entered in the meantime He descended to the street with ;
 blither step, and was soon giving hi
 friends fervent good wishes for thei 1 prosperity, and, doubtless. telling then
 of the fortune Kwan ri had foretold But Gnu Lin continued to officiate be
 fore the altar until sunrise. Througl
 to-day and until eleven o'clock to-nigh
 he will throw the kau pui for all wh
 ask. He is a famous priest. to whom
 many of his countrymen from the near by towns will be attracted Yorl ETVapinp POSt