The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-06-02
A Question by Ching Ting
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pleased her. For Rosey entertained a
high regard for the style" of the young
ladies of the Stuart Square Sunday
school. Ching Ting was not sufficiently
versed in the art of wooing to know this.
His teacher was one of those rare young
women who believe that they should en-
deavor to do some real good, on Sundays
at least, and she taught him and his four
Celestial brethren as earnestly as she
knew how. And in due time Ching Ting
became a Christian. So did the four 9th.
ers. He was a better Christian before,
joss and all, than most of the residents OF
Clancy Street, although the man in the
tenement next door, who had the uncom.
Portable habit of becoming intoxicated
and smashing things, never tired of call
ing him heather. And, according to
the Boston and American special rating
for Cinnamon, he was one.
Miss Rogers was the name of Ching
AlhS lSelShSly anu iihSb llihl O~SadSS
lie was a gentleman and learned quickly.
She did not know until later of his incen-
tive-Rosey. She took special pains with
his lessons, and had him around at her
house on an avenue far removed from No.
II Clancy Street, once in a while, for
pleasant little talks. and tea in fragile
cups that brought back Hongkong to
Ching Tings mind, frequently sending
him home trifie homesick.
He grew so anxious to learn that he
worked an hour or two longer at night
in the ironing room, and did without the
assistant he should have had, so that he
could take private lessons from hard-up
Harvard man, who was willing to do
heather instructing for dollar the hour.
And he really gave Ching Ting dollars
worth.
In six months his pupil could talk so
grammatically that Mrs Coulan assured
him he spoke list as well as me dead
husban' wat wurrked on the soobway."
And he could do more in the correspond
ence line than paint shaky figures on the
tissue paper slips he tucked away into
the polished shirt bosoms.
All this time Rosey was the inspira-
ton. She did not know it, and Miss
Rogers imagined somewhat satis6edly
that she was the cause, until one evening
Ching Ting sat awkwardly upon white
and gold chair, and opening his Chinese
heart to her, told her of his hopes and
fears. He concluded his rather hurried
and i'll strung remarks somewhat in this
fashion:
81 have hair cut off, Miss Rogels, so be
Mclean No want be Chinaman more.
No Chinaman now. No Chinaman can
marry Rosey."
lam happy to record that Miss Rogers
did not throw up her hands in horror,
nor did she reprove Ching Ting for enter
tanning heather and depraved aspira-
tons. Instead she felt sorry for him. He
had told her how he loved Rosey, just as
the hard-up Harvard man might have
done. She foresaw cruel disappointment
for Ching Ting, but she wisely turned the
conversation, and sat for an hour or two
after he had gone, thinking.
A month after this Miss Rogers had to
leave the city for the seashore. She had
been working too hard, the doctor said.
So Ching Ting bade her good-by after
pressing a Chinese lily into her hands,
with something very like a tear in his al
mond eye. The lily was his most pre-
cious possession, for he had watched it
blow into bloom while working away
with the iron many weary hours. He
also promised to write to her how he got
along in his studies, and he did.
Miss Rogers stayed away longer than
she had expected, and as Ching Ting had
no one to advise him, he did very rash
thing. This was asking. Rosey to marry
him
Rosey was honestly surprised, and she
felt sorry for him, after she had said
some hasty things in which she had re-
fiected upon his nationality But this
did not help Ching Ting, who crept
away, and had a very bad hour or two
with himself in the little laundry. Rosey's
words had hurt him, and he almost got
out the joss again; but he thought of
Miss Rogers, and praying to the strange
God instead, was somewhat comforted.
HE came to me few days afterward,"
said the man who told me this, ito try
and understand.
"I no Chinaman now,' he said, point
ing to his head. And Rosey say no Nell,
can. What ann ?"
And | turned away from him, for |
could give him no answer. Could you ?"
And upon reflection, I said couldn't.