The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-02-27

A Striking Chinese Character Sturdy.
BY Marguerite sttb c..

''Att6Al VII ~ INC NaAllbENf AhANtA AIS
hat, ana extending his hand took hers
In the American way lie had often seen
people do, but the look that went with
the act was original, and had neither
to be learned nor copied.
This was bold emancipation. Toy
felt the eyes Of the world must be
upon her, but was not dismayed in
the least; she quite enjoyed 1t. she
even tried to wriggle her poor little
tortured toes to see If they, too, were
not becoming emancip0ted from their
stupid Imprisonment. The other occu-
pants Of the carriage looked at her In
horror, but she was now across the Ru-
bicon, and flung defiance at everything
on the thither side. She didn't even
care what the consequences might be.
for her one day was almost over, and
she was bound to make the most Of it,
SO she laughed and chatted with HUE
Kee in a pretty little Cantonese sing
song, as she had seen the American
girls do, while the "eagle-bird'
screeched loudly over her head.
Then, when his dragonshiD was lost
to view, the crowds began to move to-
ward the scene Of the bomb-casting.
In an incredibly short time the streets
were cleared, and the open between the
joss house and the leyee filed with
swarm Of excited contestants.
KEGS soul was fired with a deter
mination to catch one Of the bombs,
for that would insure the success OF
his every undertaking during the year.
And poor Kee had dire need Of all the
help it could give him, for while he had
stood chatting with the emancipated
Toy, her father, Chew Bang, as is Of
ten the way Of fathers, had watched
them from an opposite doorway. Such
conduct on the part Of his carefully
brought-up daughter was almost be-
yond belief. and as he watched her
talking boldly to a man on the street,
knowing the eyes of the world were
upon her, in Mortified surprise his little
bias-cut eyes grew wicked looking.
Every minute Of this scandalous beha-
vior was bringing down Toys selling
price, and Kee, the miserable, low-bOrn
pauper, knew it, Perhaps he was
doing it to make her an unsaleable
chattel, Bang told himself, in order
that he might get her at a bargain.
Yes, that was undoubtedly the reason,
he decided, and Toy poor misguided
little fool, had not wit enough to see it.
But he was prepared to nip such an
unheard-of Irritation in the bud in an
effectual WY. And his teeth met will
vicious click as he started off down
the alley on a noiseless little trot.
When the bomb-casting began KeC
took a reluctant leave Of Toy, and was
soon lost in the crowd but Bang fol
lowed him closely. The bomb is pro
iected high in the air, willie the mel
struggle to catch it as it comes
down. The squabbling Pnd yelling
? and actual fighting over tow how
firmly their faith is pinned to this su
perstition, aud the victor is. born
/ away with shouts and cheers<whil
the less fortunate ones slip ava,
p with black eyes, bleeding noses ant
!, sometimes serious breakages.
S Chew Bang bided his time until Ike
0 entered the lists, then took his plac
t. near him. He held his right arm yer
' straight, and guarded it from bein
4 jostled by the scurrying crowd.
r AS the bomb rose in the air and a,
i eyes were riyeted upon it, Bang edge
e up to Kee, and when the great scuGl
d began Kissed into his ear, with an ugl
n yellow smile: 81 have a score to settl
e with you. I'll teach you not to insu,
a my daughter" The bomb had turned
p and was coming down. If Kee got OF
e of range he knew he would lose h
y chance at it. Get away" he snappe
= at Bang But the adored Toys fatht
d pulled him by the sleeve toward IL
d edge of the mob. III you touch II
s. again I'll kick you out" muttered Ike
II in desperation. But old Bang, with Il
to agility Of a cat, had caught the knil
t, from his sleeve, and Kee felt his col
le sharp rejolnder penetrating betweC
le his ribs as he sank to the ground. T
ii the time the bomb had descended al
had been caught, however, Chew Bar
v was standing on the other side of Il
err crowd, an interested spectator.
I'd Meanwhile the beautiful Toy w
he still smiling to herself and craning II
us neck to follow a certain tall contestaI
he When the report OF the stabbing "
ed passed through the crowd, she instaI
IS ~ got out Of her carriage, and hobbl
" and bobbleq along the sidewalk un
ed she reached the spot where poor K
II lay PROSTATE on the ground. Tier cou
cd trymen were too much excited to
at anything but iabber and jostle o
- rnntllnr cnd hncatcn r,cr. tr-nc n va.