The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-06
JOINED TO THEIR IDOLS.
[From the Chicago Record. l

DO you keep anything by you for
good luck?" was the serious inquiry of
one sunburned maid of another whom
she met at the ribbon counter why of
course" replied No. 2, with a compre-
hending smile; mine is a dear. delight
full Chinese goblet, so to speak 1t was
given to me by Fred, my brother who
mad 1t of a reconstructed boxer. Fred
IS invaded home from China where
one night in Pekin he overwhelmed a
sallow little villain by sheer force of
his two strong arms. His captive
proved to be an ex-wreStleT who was
so charmed with Fred's prowess that
instead of being handed over to the au-
thor1t1eS he was easily converted into
a much needed laundryman
So successfully did my brother per-
suade Flu Wong that the future of
boxer was a dark one indeed that when
he got his wound and was about to
start for home Flu Wong asked for
farewell interview. AS a tender testi-
monial of his regard and reformation
he pressed on his captor the dearest lit
tie carved figure of a secondary but
none the less powerful Chinese god, who
has particular influence with the powers
that make pigtailS grow. Fred is be-
coming tOuchingly bald and the sight
preyed evidently on Flu Wong's affec-
tionate nature, so he presented the cum
ming ivory deity along with some
prayers written out in Chinese char
acteT1S. ScepticiSn is. I regret to say,
one of the few flaws in my brothers
character, 50 when he was unpaclxing his
kit he threw the ivory image and
prayers into my lap, and said I might
try his powers on my hair which is
falling dreadfuIly.
Nov, of course, you'll laugh" con-
tfnued the narrator, but since that
scrap of ivory came into my possession
my cOFnbings have been hardly worth
groaning over. All summer L poured
on tonics and things, while jute-
switch present and a false-bang future
seemed only more and more imminent,
and
Isn't it amazing" interrupted No. /
But just look at that. please and she
drew from her pocket a tiny faded silk
bag, and from that a curious disk of
silver having some odd characters en-
graved on it.
My dearl How perfectly fascinating!
What is it?'
why bought it of a Spanish gypsy
at the Paris fair, a strange creature who
tells fortunes. She seemed awfully
struck by the lines in my hand and
said she would do for me what she
wouldn't for anybody else, sell me this
tallsman that brings good luck. It's
simply thousands of years old. Queen
Isabella of CASTLE, whose every under
taking was successful, once owned it,
and the gypsy said, with the lines in
my hand and this luckpiece couldn't
help getting everything I wished for. I
only paid her So for it, and already papa
has given me a bicycle runabout."
ISM II SplenC1Qt remarked the
owner of the Chinese god. Makes one
feel just like a girl in the Arabian
Nights. I like these handy little things
to carry in the pocket ever so much bet
ter than EthyIs Ruddha, for example
He is a beauty from Japan, and any
one who gives his shrine proper recog-
milton and service never grows old.
gets wrinkles or gray hair. I call it
perfectly shocking the way Ethyl does
believe in that thing. She puts fresh
roses in front of him every day: but
Ethyl is certainly wonderfully preserved
for a girl of her age"
Il know she is eight years older than
me. and that would make her 30 though
faced way" said No with satisfac-
ton.
well, at any rate, like her Buddha
far better than those dreadful gilded
dragons and hideous little South Amer
lean and Mexican gods that lots of girls
have Marie pretends she gets no end
of comfort from a wretched little clay
image that she says belonged to an
Aztec princess. She strings it over with
ribbon and jewelry and things because
it has special gifts for bringing one lots
of beaux. As a matter of fact, though,
don't know a. single girl who hasn't
good fortune god or goddess, and one of
my friends told me she tried seven Jap
anese deities until she got one that
seemed able to live up to his reputation"
isn't it awful to be as superstitious
as that?" remarked No. l, receiving her
change and parcel.
isn't it, agreed her friend. Lets
go out and have ice cream Soda vanilla
cream with ginger syrup is perfectly
delicious"