El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-04
Almond Blossoms
Friendly Joss.

The world bushes pink some seasons
of the year. all in almond blossoms. 1t is
in February. and that in the part Of the
world that Sum Sees mother came from.
Therefore. when little Miss Sum See
was born, they called her Almond Bios
som, with true Chinese symbolism.
The fact that she was born in PelI
street, New York city. was nothing
against her name. Only she never would
remind you of an almond blossom. Rath
err of Il yellow crocus, or, say, a black
eyed Susan.
When Sum See was years old, she
lost her mother, and they took her away
where Sum See could not follow. That
was how she came to ask Hip Sing how
to reach her.
Hush said Hip Sing. bending over his
shoe mending. THAT is not for you to ask.
She has sped away to the land of silver
shadows, perpetual sunbeams and where
it Overfiows with tea
This sounded beneficent. but was I'M
satisfactory from typographical point
of view.
Have they taken her to the joss
house," asked Sum See quietly.
We'll, not exactly" answered Hip
Sing. ''but there sits he who knows"
Sum had staid late to talk to the man
who soles shoes, and she looked at him
reflectively under her threadlike brows.
Yes" she said calmly.
sum See folded her small, tea cOlOred
claws and leaned against the wall of the
house. The two cues. braided fantas-
tically with blue and white cord, looked
funny. standing out from her little round
head in an inquiring state of mind.
Where the shadows are of pink and
the darkness is of silver has your mother
gone-peace to her. said Hip, dismissing
the subject.
THAT would be n nice place to go,
p
ingly.
Not in haste; not in haste" answered
the aged man, with thrust of his awl
into the leather before him.
How do they goT' asked Sum.
Did you not see the red chariot and
hear the screaming of the futes?"
Sum See got up quietly and ran away
when she had asked all she could about
her mother, and in the morning she went
to the josshouse alone with an Offering of
two grimy little wooden birds and dish
of papier mache ducks that See had
brought her one day
She climbed the dusty stairs laborious-
ly, and the door was open into the main
room of the josshouse (which is the Chi
nese temple). and she entered undismay ed
to consult the man who presides there.
She found him in, seated upon his
crossed legs and smiling kindly at her.
How do you do?" said Sum See in
English.
The joss smiled harder than ever, which
was natural, as he was made all of wood
and painted n dark brown.
She was interested in the prayer
over the place where they burned the
offerings that she did not notice the Chi
naman who came in. looked around the
room to see il there were any at the
shrine and who then went out and shut
the door and locked it.
week. and the shrine room that Almond
Blossom was in was not to be opened
for several days.
Tell me-" she said to the joss. Il
wish to go to the land of ceaseless shine
and diamond stars. Do you know the
way"
The kindly joss only smiled. of course.
"Ah, you are dumbr said Sum. Poor
thingi 1 have Il neighbor boy, n dwarf,
who is deaf and dumb. You are like
him"
Again the joss smiled happily, so Sum
knew that she had not offended him.
Presently she went over to the door by
which she had come in and found il
locked. She had, indeed, started on the
way to the land OF silver shadows, and
there was turning back
1t was pleasant at first, for there were
the dolls on the shrine-the lesser gods
and Sum could play with them without
fear because of the smile of the main
functionary-
things-namely, that their room had not
got beyond the chimney pots and that she
was hungry.
She had had a small bowl OF rice and
pork that noon in her own home, but now
it was getting dark outside. and she knew
that they were getting into the land of
silver shades and star beams.
-HI.-
could not get out and what she should
eat for dinner. And then she went
around and consulted the joss. There he
sat, as if made of chocolate creams, and
smiled. Below him was a covered board,
and Almond Blossom lifted the end of the
cloth that was draped over it and there
found duck roasted, jars of potted fish
and sweet cakes-all her favorite dishes!
She knew then that she was in magic
land, and she smiled back at the brown
man and ate ravcnously.
The night passed by. Almond Blossom
sleeping profoundly in the robes of the
exalted few, and then, replacing them in
the morning, she began another day OF
weary waiting for the opening of the
temple door.
At Almond blossoms home you can IN
derstand tie excitement. They mourned
her as dead and thought the angry devils
had spiriteT her away. They gave up
searching TOR her after awhile, and when
the fourth day came her tea sets and
wooden dciIs were put away, and the
family shrine was lit with seven tapers
for her yesrs.
When tlsc fifth day came, they had
found her there when the josshouse was
opened for airing and worship OF the
smiling man who sat there.
They would have been Mortified at the
| familiarity of Sum See with his greatness
il they could have known, but she said