Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27


sam-shu. with his cronies. One moment he
looked out and smiled at his merry little
girl with her rosy cheeks set in her shining
hair like an oriental pearl In clasp of Jet.
The next moment he looked-she was gonel
Tie other youngsters were still playing at
their games, laughing; whooping like little
fiends of mirthland, scampering hither and
yon with pigtans trailing tassels Of red
sIlken floss at their heels, the merry imps
played as II nothing had happened. Reas-
sured Fong Quong had calmly questioned
them. They fiocked about him.
'Oh, she is herel She Is there She Is
hiding in that old barrel, revered sire!'
they had severally chirruped.
II saw the fengshin (earth devils) catch
and eat her" cried one tiny rascal, more
lima Einative than the rest.
But she was not here nor there, nor In
the old barrel, nor in the cellars. nor the
doorways, nor the alleys. Loo Puck the
little celestial maiden of thirteen years,
whose beauty was like the ripeness of
peaches. like the tulips of Hanoi, was
gone.
And that is why the rice pot yawned
empty of chow, and the little mother, Nah
Neng sat In It's place among the cold em-
bers crying out her grief, while Fong
QuOng roamed the alleys calling, calling
mournfully for his first born-though she
were only Il girl!
When he came back to the bazaar at
nlghtfall Nah Neng still sat at her weep
she knew that his search had been fruit
less. The youthful heir to the house of
Fong, finding himself neglected. was con-
tenting himself by solemnly scuffiing In
corner with the kittens, while three Ching
puppies licked his toes and yapped their
dtsapproval of his preference for feline
playmates Fong picked the little boy up
and coddled him in his arms.
Hast thou called in the blue-coated,
fat bellies of the white pigs. and hast thou
summoned TO council the wise ones of thy
hos f1l1i, la,-r
alleys hath stolen our Loo Puck and hid
den her in a nest of foulness why may not
wisdom and blood money bring her back?''
Il have considered these things. The high
man of the bluecoats has sent out his best
ferrets. Our mighty ones have sent men
with cunning eyes and padded feet into
dens where the white pigs cannot so-but
Loo Puck was not In them. Perchance the
vile po tau tsi (highbinders) have taken
her to some house of dreadful doom and
are holding her for ransom. Aiei 1 know
not, except that my heart Is very sad and
Aie"'
The little mother arose and sir ped her
rat feet into sandals.
Il go to the temple and beseech Kun
Tab Foo Yum Goddess OF Women) for her
help, that Loo Puck come to no harm"
Ale! Aiel' cried Fong Quong to him.
self when she had gone had but sold her
only two days ago to illustrious Chung
Wo, the great one OF the Suey Sings
would now have thousand yen. But how
OF his flesh to a Suey Sing? Besides,
have promised her in marriage to our
cousin But Lucy Chen will have none of
her now, though she he found again. Ale!
Ale! 1t is hard indeed to lose ones woman
child-or a thousand yen!'
As he sat lamenting, with the rolypoly
youngster cuddIed in the hollow OF his arm
the draft from beneath the loosely hung
door to the broken chimney waited a tiny
bit of rice paper across the floor.
He laid the bal = tenderly a mat and
picked up the bit If paper.
Spread open. the limsy billet displayed
line of scraggy Chinese characters rudely
brushed in dark green inE. He read:
Seek no more thy towering rose-lest
thou find but a weed bitten of the frost
And finding even this, per nance thou lose
thy son and thine own head also. 1t is
spoken
Fong Quong sprang to tn door; he looked
into the alley.
Outside the door he ran against Lucy
Chen, the young son of his mothers sister,
Chen sripped his blouse bS he full skirt.
What devils news is this the street dog
bark of the maid thou hast promised me
for wife?'
ale. most noble kinsnnan, 1t is true what
thou nearest But swear to thee by the
sacred shade of our grandsire. that mine Is
not the fault"
How is 1t that this thing has occurred?"
the younger man questioned, and Fong
Quong told him.
Lucy Chen was shrewd. Under his
smooth, young skin there dwelt an ancient
soul that was wondrous wise in the days Of
evil, and II was told OF him In the cabalis-
nc books OF the naman (sorcerers) that in
former incarnations he had been a weasel.
Thy maid" he breathed in Fong
Quongs ear, had lips like the cherries for
ripeness. Her beauty was as the perfume
OF vioiets. which maketh a man catch his
breath with It's sweetness Lanst be that
l. alone OF many men. desired her? 1t
seems not so to me. What others have
sought of thee TO have herr Speak softly.
cousin. softly"
Ale" answered Fong. "One only yet.
But two days ago, this night, the illustrous
Chung We, whom thou knowest Is mightiest
OF all the Suey Sings. did offer me thou
sand OF the white pigS yen to make her his
young wife. But because she was promised
TO thee and because she was but young and
smali-and the flower of my heart-I would
not mate her with his gray hairs. IT'S thus
that / have lost at least thousand silver
yen and Loo Puck. too; and a poor man,
Lucy Chen breathed quickly; the passing
breath famed his eyes TO spurts Of flame.
Thou wouldst not sell her to him?"
Nay and the great one waxed a morsel
wroth. But afterward we slipped from the
teacups of delightful friendship. and he
Aye. he did all that. will not doubt"
and Chen's lips curled. He is no fool.
But thou-thou art thing Of wood and
hast no more brains than a tomtom."
Hear me. guileless cousin Heed thou
the warning rice paper and seek no more
thy Loo Puck. But keep thy whining
tongue between tiny teeth ana tell 1t not
even In thy prayers that thou hast told
me this thing. 1t may be that will find
Loo Puck for thee-and thou wilt then
give her to me-"
He turned and slipped through the
changing door into the pi-gow chamber of
the Gate OF Fortune. Fong Quong, more
quiet in his mind. shufiied to his dingy
home behind the bazaar. where Nah Neng
and her tiny son slumbered together on the
rice mats.
But Lucy Chen slept not. At the pi.
gov table he slyly touched q gaming youth
upon the sleeve:
when the cock crows twice the roost
Ia full" he said very softly.
The gambler did not give him a glance.
Some time after Chen went ne gathered up
his winnings and casually strolled out Of
the den.
Five times that night. in five different
palaces Of pleasure, Lucy Chen stealthiy
touched a youth and whispered under his
breath. When the cock crows twice the
roost is full" Not a man seemed to notice
him. but afterward each left what business
he was doing and disappeared.
AT o'clock in the morning, when all
Chinatown was stuporous with sleep and
opium Lucy Chen and the FIVE chosen
strpllngs squatted together In a little room
where only a single candle cleaned In