The times., 1899-08-10
CHINESE sUPERsTITIoNs.
The Discovery OF IA Devil in a Gar
den Hose.
.Frem the New York SUM-

(trem the New YORK SUM-
On farm in the southern part OF Calf
fornia young Chinaman was employed TO
do odd jobs. His one great delight was to
sprinkle the lawn with the hose. One af-
ternoon when he was at his favoTite occu-
patton visitor thought it would be 2 good
joke to cut the water off by turning a faG-
Get at one end of the piazza Now the
Chinaman had sprinkled the lawn hundreds
Of times, but had not the remotest idea
where the water came from. taking ii for
granted that it was the most natural thing
in the world for water to flow from the
hose. Therefore when the visitor carried
out his idea and the water stopped running,
the Chinaman was soTely perpieXsd TO know
what had happened. First he threw the
hose on the ground, stamped upon it and
shook it, and then as this vigorous treat
ment produced no beneficial results he blew
down the hose. Just then the owner Of the
house stepped up to see the fun. The Wis
itor, seeing him coming, said in low
voice:
Just see the fun. The next time he
blows down the hose ! will turn on fun
force"
Sure enough. in a few minutes the Chi
naman started to blow down the hose, and
as he did so the visitor turned the water
on full.
did you ever see such an astonished
Chinaman ?" remarked the visitor gleefuIly
The Chinaman certainly was astonisned
He threw the hose on the ground and made
one beeline for his room, which was next
to the tank in one of the outbuildinSs. In
a few minutes he returned with a small
bundle under his arm, and going UP to his
employer said:
Give me my money Ne no stayee.
Debbil in hosee. Debbil in hosee.''
The joke had turned out to be OF more
serious nature than had been expected
The Chinaman walked OFF in spite OF all
remonstrances. The owner of the farm
laughed. and said he would go to the
Chinese agent and get another boy. Bright
and early the next morning a new Chinese
boy arrived, and as everything seemed sat
isfaetory he went with his small -aper
bundle to his ROOM the same one occupied
by his predecessor. He had been in the
room only a few minutes when he ran cut,
and going up TO his employer said:
Me no likee. Me no Hkee. Ne DO
stayee."
Upon being questioned he would give 10
answer except that he didn't like it and
wouldn't stay. Recourse was again had 20
the Chinese agent. and the next morning
another Chinese boy arrived with his in
variable little bundle under his arm Co
I ing to his room he returned almost as in
stantly and. with a mystifed way said
like the former one:
ME no stayee. Me no stayee"
Things were beginning to look serious,
and the visitors wished he hadn't played
that practical joke. For the third time
/ the Chinese agent was called upon This
/ time the agent made some enquiries and
/ promised 10 call the next morning and try
/ to find out the trouble. The next morning
ne arrived. and, after looking around the
| place, went TO the Chinaman's former
/ room. There he discovered. written en- one
side of the wall, in Chinese characters. the
! information that the place was haunted and
was inhabited with strange spirits or dew
| lis, and that Cinnamon had better keep
clear of it. This explained it all. and after
removing the writing no trouble was had in
procuring a new Chinese boy.