Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-12-27
CHAPTER XXI
KooN-sI, THE cARPENTER.

from the advertisement columns OF
newspaper we learned that the steam
er Airlie would leave Sydney for Hong
kong at a certain date, and, that vessel
being one OF a regular line, we decided
to go by her, believing that the sooner
we got under weigh with our task the
better chance we might have of sue
cessfully accomplishing tt The date
OF sailing was extremely close at hand,
some three days of, but 1t gave us am
pie time TO make our preparations.
which were not extensive. and to reach
Sydney as well.
The night before our departure we
dined with Cecil and her mother, and
though the stalwart cousin, Jack, did
his best to enliven the proceedings
fear 1t was a somewhat lugubrious af-
fair. Like a dark cloud or curtain our
thoughts hung before us, and no ray of
light seemed capable of piercing It
admit that 1 was anything but pleased
with the circumstance. Things might
50 easily have been different Why had
not my lot been cast In the ordinary
groove? Why had 1 not been permit
ted to enjoy the peaceful, uneventful
life Of the manyf And then I looked
across the table and saw her who had
come to me in the long polar winter of
my life, and I could have cried with
the Mussulman, God is greatP' But
for my flight from Geath should never
have met her. Therefore fate laid me
under an obligation, and could not
quarrel with 1t, for though II had treat
ed me so cruelty, yet was I recompens-
ed with the love of this woman. 1t was
destiny. God is great.
When the wrench came, philosophy
proved but q broken reed We wan
dered round and round the garden.
sometimes strangely silent for long in
tervals, at others voicing with no un-
certain tongue our hopes and fears.
And when 1 pointed out to her how
absolutely necessary It was for us that
the power Of Kung should be curtailed
her wisdom strS hard with her wo-
mans fears, and eventually I wrung
from hers heartbroken consent.
SometimeyI thought this setting out
on such ON expedition was the acme of
Icn5. Why not let things go, why not
seize on happiness when 1t was within
my grasp and leave the future In the
hands OF the gods? l admit Il was q
great temptation and one that sore be-
set zoe, but Jim was by when waver-
ed, am reason told me that this appar-
emily foolish endeavor was In reality
the only right one.
Will pass over the rest Of that scene
ana the subsequent train Journey to
Sydney, where we caught the steamer
Airlie- Nor is there anything of impor-
tance TO relate during our voyage north
ward. We had half dozen agreeable
passengers in the saloon and some Chi
nese coolies forward, and though on
principle we distrusted them, their be-
havior was circumspect In the ex-
IRENE. Nevertheless never neglected
the least precaution. eschewing the
deck after nightfall, unless in the COM
pany OF Jim or one of the other pas
sengers, and avoiding open matches
and the less freQuented parts Of the
vessel. And so one day the peak Of
Hongkcng opened UP. swiftly we ap-
preached the Ly-ee-Moon pass, slipped
through, and presently we were swing
Ing at anchor opposite the town.
The sampans crowded with innumer-
able yellow folk told Us that we were
In China at last, and 1t was not with
out some little apprehension that sur
veyed the shrieking and gesticulating
throng. Here were yellow men with a
vengeance, and at first I experienced
some slight scrupie In trusting myself
TO them and their fran sampans, but
realizing that though generally dishon-
est, all these people could not be In the
employ OF the society, we left the ship
and went ashore.
We had been recommended to go to
the Hongkong hotel, It being at that
time, whatever It Is now, the only first
class house In the place, and thither we
proceeded and were duly installed In a
room on the second floor. Now II was
Cinnamon, Cinnamon everywhere, and
we seemed to realize for the first time
what task this was which we had set
ourselves TO accomplish. And yet in
the multiplicity of pigtails there was
some assurance Of safety. At close
quarters the yellow man was not the
terrible being as pictured In my heated
imagination.
l must say that my Uncle Jim shared
none OF my scruples or alarm. The
moment he set foot on Chinese soil he
seemed another man. The lethargy
and indifference which had character
tied him during the voyage to Austria
la and the supplementary journey to
HongSong vanished now as If by a
stroke OF magic. 1t was as though he
had said: "At last am herel Now to
work" new energy took possession
Of him. His wits sharpened them
selves upon the milestone Of his de-
sires. A determination to act and act
quickly was in everything he said and
did. He was as one suddenly gifted
with the powers OF a born leader of
ERap, and seemed to see him as chair
of board meeting curbing the re-
tory members with the mere force
= iii. There was something I'm that
which the city and the SCOT could
subdue. and It seemed to me as