The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-06
MAU GING.
BY JESSIE JULIET KNOX
,,, ,oo,. sv Daily Story Pub. Col

Sssissse Ssiss ss sSs :, pure as a night in the Orient. It was so quiet now for all were wrapped Tn the
 deep oblivion which comes Gnis, frGm T,fhouiM the
 i'S and vet from the nearness and warm | touch of this beautiful young thing his | heart was throbbing as if 1t was pos pos
 sessed of a thousand joys Her IDS, mke | A scarlet blossom, were so near his oWn- | the quivering silence had brought two
 Take me" she pleaded. T am yours, | O, excellent one; do with me what you please. I am a slave-a slave-take me away from her. = Their lips were still apart-but now so very near. Swiftly he drew her within his arms, and-kissed her. It was the first time her lips had ever been kissed. What was this wild dtli- rum of joy which filled her being! This man, whom she had never seen until tonight, suddenly became the whole world to the innocent little Chinese maiden. She did not even know the name of a kiss, but she knew it thrilled and throb-
 bed through her whole being in an ecstasy which she could not fathom. what IS 1t? Tell mel she cried. "l shall die 1 do not understand"
 Dear one" he whispered. 'it is love
 love--do you understand? want you for
 my own-you must belong to me-to me.
 No one else shall have you: .,s. ere ,ou go, I no live-I die. Is it sin against the good Joss?"
 He held her off and looked at her; what dainty little thing she was. Beneath
 her clumsy silken blouse he could feel her warm heart throbbing violently
 "No-no-pretty one. The good Joss smiles on love. He Is glad I love you
 Do you not know? Tell me your name little one."
 My name? Mau Ging-the slave girl" 'He 1Man Ga'sPE1s'' Ging, you are like the China flies: pure as snow, only. snow IS cola. and know your heart is warm. Tell me have you ever been kissed like this?'
 NO, mo- see no man ever-Just you.
 Old Suey has promised me to high
 binder. to be his slave: but he has never
 touched me. He try once-I bit his arm
 If you no save me. he gets me
 He shall never have you. when think no man has ever touched your red lips--or clasped you close as have done -I am happy. I will come every night,
 to smoke in this room Come to me- with
 your sweet young self
 "'That is why old Suey no let any man
 see me. She promise highbinder she
 keep me for him. He no ready yet-he
 Next week! My God! What can do? This pretty little creature to be owned | by the highbinder? Her warm young lips
 pressed by his" All her sweet. seduetive young self to belong to him? No-a
 doT' '
 Clasping her closely to him he whis- pered. Trust me. l will save you' my | little Mau Ging!"
 He left before the dawn, and Mau Ging
 was lying on her hard bamboo couch | feigning slumber when at last the old | hag awakened. Old An Suey muttered
 almost sorry to let the old highbinder l take her; but no-the yellow gold-the yellow gold. He pay me big price. l no care" and so she dismissed the matter | from her mind
 Again tho night and again the nar- | row streets were lined with human be- | ings of every description. enjoying the delights of the China New Year: Jack, | now an eager lover. mingled with the crowd and having at last reached the | doorway whose portals led to the tair and mysterious one, he passed under the | swaying lantern, and once more ascend ed the dark and narrow stairway. lie | pictured the shy sweetness of her face | when she should creep in his arms, ana | in fancy he could look into her brown eyes-childish in their innocence He had all the impatience of a lover. as he
 bounded up the narrow steps. muttering, l She must be mine-just my very own. l 1 do not know how I will arrange things
 yet. I only know that l must possess
 her--body and soul" Just then & he reach reacn.
 lattice, but-Oh, what was this? HIS | brain reeled as he gazed. It was a large placard. bearing these words: "Closed by | the Police.
 His little Mau Ging in the hands of the | police? He might have stolen her from
 the old hag, but from the police-never.
 When the trial of old An Suey was
 over, and the trembling slave girls were
 led away to their cells, young man.
 pale and disheveled. was heard to ask
 And the slave girl Mau Ging-what will they do with her?' | "Mau Cling? the pretty little one wisn ] sent back to China with the rest of them' 1 on the 18th of May"
 |, "The 18th of May?-God-he had for gotten on the 18th of May he was to be | married to Gladys.
 | When the steamer sailed on the day 1 appointed some one heard faint, agon- | ized cry of Jack" and saw pair Of | tiny brown hands stretched out to the | shore, as if in pleading.
 | But Gladys never knew.
 5 RED YEARS" by Herbert L. Coggins.