Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-03-30
TIE EMANCIPATION OF TOY DUK.
A Striking Chinese Character Study.
By Marguerite Stcber.

horror, but she was now across the Ru
bicon, and flung defiance at everything
on the thither side. She didn't even
for her one day was almost over, and
she was bound to make the most of it.
So she laughed and chatted with Huie
Kee in 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 dragonship 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 levee filed with q
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 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-
vlor was bringing down Toys selling
price, and Kee, the miserable, w-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
unheardof Irritation in the bud in an
effectual way. And his teeth met with
vicious click as he started off down
the alley on a noiseless little trot.
When the bomb-casting began Kee
took reluctant leave Of Toy, and was
soon lost IN the crowd, but Bang fol-
lowed him closely. The bomb is pro-
jected high in the air, while the men
struggle to catch it as it comes
down. The squabbling and yelling
and actual fighting over it show how
firmly their faith is pinned to this su.
perstition, and the victor is borne
away with shouts and cheers, while
tie less fortunate ones slip away
with black eyes, bleeding noses and
sometimes serious breakages.
Chew Bang bided his time until Kee
entered the lists, then took his place
near him. He held his right arm very
straight, and guarded it from being
jostled by the scurrying crowd. -.
As the bomb rose in the air and all
eyes were rlveted upon it, Bang edged
up to Kee, and when the great scufIle
began Kissed into his ear, with an ugly
yellow smile: 81 have a score to settle
with you. I'll teach you not to insult
my daughter" The bomb had turned,
and was coming down. If xee got ont
Of range he knew he would lose his
chance at 1t. Get awayw he snapped
at Bang. But the adored Toys father
pulled him by the sleeve toward the
edge of the mob. "If you touch me
again I'll kick you out" muttered Kee,
in desperation. But cid Bang, with the
agility OF cat, had caught the knife
from his sleeve, and Kee felt his cold,
sharp rejoinder penetrating between
ri he hn 30 1,n
the time the bomb had descended and
had been caught, however, Chew Bang
was standing on the other side Of the
crowd, an interested spectator.
Meanwhile the beautiful Toy was
still smiling to herself and craning her
neck to follow a certain tall contestant.
When the report OF the stabbing was
passed through the crowd, she instant
~ got out OF her carriage. and hobbled
and bobbled along the sidewalk until
she reached the spot where poor Kee
lay PROSTATE on the ground. Her coun-
trymen were too much excited to do
anything but jabber and jostle one
another, and because Toy was q wom-
an, they fell back, conscious of their in.
adequacy to the occasion, and glad to
shift the responsibility to more capable
shoulders. Tenderly she raised his
head so he might breathe. This re-
stored his consciousness sufficiently for
him to speak, but when Toy bent low
to catch his last word, she heard, not q
loving farewell, but her fathers name
"Chew Bang did it." he faltered, "be.
Cause"
Toy understood only too well, and
waved the bystanders back into q
wider circle so there might be no posi-
bility of his words being overheard.
"Who did it?" several asked, seeing
Kee could still speak; task him before
1t is too later
Toy turned toward the crowd surglne
closer about her, and read their purpose
in their faces. Then she glanced at the
man on the ground, whose eyes Still
looked into hers with the meaning
that had first stirred the revolt in hel
heart against the colorless life enforced
upon her by Oriental custom and hei
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