The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-05-31

/ dropped into my big chair 20 in
dnlge in laugh over the affair, but
in the midst Of my hilarity ! all at
once became aware that some hard
substance was pressing against my
right hip, and reaching down J found
wedged between the cushion and scroll
work Of the chair roll of silver coins.
With a sickening certainty the truth
flashed upon me. 1t was the China
mans missing money, which / had
carelessly thrown, together with the
canvas sack, into the chair seat, where,
partially hidden by the upholstering
it had until now wholly escaped my
notice.
''For a moment ! was quite over
whelmed by the awkwardness of the
situation, recalled all too wildly the
helpless celestial's efforts to convince
me that his claims were accurate, and
my heart smote me as / pictured his
opinion regarding my motives for sub
jecting him TO the disgracoful treat
ment he had received. Then a wild
impulse dominated me to overtake the
poor fellow aud restore his money into
his hands. L thrust the package of
coin iuto my pocket, caught up my
hat and hurriedly left the treasury.
81 think the world never seemed so
large OF so densely populated as when
| got out into the street. Though l
followed the same direction which /
had observed the Chinaman to take, /
knew that with his ten minutes start
there was little chance of Immediately
overhauling him. My chief hope lay
in finding him in the wretched little
slum fsmiliarly known as Dope AL
ley, where the major portion of the
local Chinese colony lived. While /
hurried along | strove to recall his
name as had written it in the certif-
cate. The first part thereof felt
sure was 'Ah, but whether it were All
Sing, All Foy or All Sam could not
for the life Of me have told.
''In this bewildered state of mind /
found the Chinese quarter. A solemn
faced Mongol, whose corpulent
anatomy entirely filed the doorway of
dingy, evil-smelling den, was the
only visible inhabitant of the district,
so | went up and spoke to him.
81 say, John, you know China
man, him first name "Ah?"'
'At my question the Celestials
erstwhiie stolid countenance relaxed
into an expansive grin, and he chuckled
gleefully for full minute before an
swering my query, whereupon he
said:
'Oh, yes, savy heap Chinaman
fusnem All. Pullee near all Cinnamon
catchee that nem. Ny nem, he added,
by way Of example, him All Fat
But the Chinaman / wfnt, /
explained, he buy certificate to-day
send China. You savy him.?
"'Catchee clitifcate thlee hun'ed
fifty dollah?' inquired the Celestial
astutely.
"'Yes, yes! he's the chap, l eagerly
rejoined. DO you know where he is?'
'Oh, yes; he go China'
Gone to China Why, man, he
buy certificate only halt hour ago
"T savy,' was the comfortless as
surance. lie go China bou' ten
secon' ago,
g Ten seconds ago" echoed, gaz-
ing wildly down the street. Which
way him gomez?
" PA way to lailload, pa may so
steamboat
"'Yes, but which one rairoad?' l
persisted desperately.
No savy him. One lailload-two
lailload, allie sem Chinee.
My hopes Of overtaking the wronged
Celestial were rapidly dissipated.
One chance only of returning his
money to him now seemed open to
me.
% See here, Fat, said l coniden-
TALLY, depositing a coin in his yellow
palm, by way of holding his interest
You tell me all you know bout this
China boy, will you?'
"He scrutiniaed the coin critically
for moment as if to satisfy himself
as to its genuineness, then thrusting
it into some hidden pocket within the
folds of his baggy pantaloons, he ran
his little eyes suspiciously over me
and asked;
. 'Whalla malta China boy? You
detective, like catchee TO get China
sh7'
"'No, no; not that I protested
aversely. Il China boys friend-got
money belong him--like pay him
savy1'
"'Wy you no pay TO him gomez
was ths still skeptlcal reioinder.
"Whereupon l told HIM the story
of the certificate, explaining that !
wished to send the amount in my
possession to the owners address in
China. The suggestion, however,
elieited ro enthusiasm from All Fat.
"'No can do, he declared with con-
vincing breyity.
But why not, persisted. You
know China boys name and where
he's gone, don't you?'
"Oh, yes; him mem ALI Sin, an he
go China. But China not sem like
Mclean town. China allie sem big
countlee.
81 accepted this latter statement as
incontrovertible and went back to the
treasury. What to do with that $40
was the most difficult problem | ever
wrestled with.
Finally an idea struck me. wonld
put another $40 with that of
the Chinamau's and take the entire
subtreasury force out to dinner. 1t
wac the only way | could conceive