The Meeker herald., 1907-10-05


The shop where the Chinese coin
came into my possession was In that
part Of Shanghai where foreigners
seldom go. yent there to get some
rare porcelain.
A wixened.up Chinaman came for.
ward salaaming to me. I was mo-
toned to siiken cushion and after
I had seated myself the shop keeper
disappeared. l glanced about the
basar. gave a long-drawn "Ah!" as
I saw q matchless tea service Of the
ware sought. That indeed was Ke-
angsee porcelain. but finer than any
had ever seen before. Alacia would
b pleased with that!
The shop-keeper returned. On q
tray he bore q pot Of tea and two
small cups. He placed the tray on
the lakewood stand by my side and
after gravely pouring me cup. did
the same for himself. Nothing was
said Of buying or selling; that il
against eastern etiquette. We drank
in silence. When the tea was nm
ished the old man arose.
"Changho lie speak Englaish. Me
no." he said, by way Of explanation.
and then vanished
In the course Of time Chang-h0 APP
peared. He was q fat Celestial with
. face as innocent In expression as =
baby's. He was young, little more
than . boy. He hoped my most glo-
sious excellency was we'll. after hav-
ing salaamed gravely for just fve min
utes. We exchanged few more
formalities. and then began by ask
Ing to see everything IN the shop. but
the Keang-see tea service. After I
had looked at quantity Of things I
did not want. 1 asked to tee the thing
! 70 much desired.
Chang-ho brought the tea service
over to the lakewood stand. 1t came
into my possession for SO low a sum
that was ashamed Of my bargain.
had nothing but q rather large
piece Of silver to give in payment. SO
1t was necessary for me to have
change. Chang-hoo went to the back
Of the shop and returned with hand
full Of coins. He placed them In my
outstretched had and Just as I was
Withdrawing 1t an evil CLEAN shot
over his angelic countenance and with
his eye on the old shopkeeper. wis
had reentered the room and was
busily arranging some Of his wares,
he placed the Chinese coin in my
hand.
II emerged from the incense-laden
air OF the bazar into the foulness Of
the alley and made my way to my
rooms. did not think Of the coin
TIL was retiring late in the evening.
Then / took 1t from my inner pocket
and examined 1t by the light. 1t was
indeed peculiar. 1t was neatSv quar-
ter Of an inch thick and about the size
of . half dollar. The more I looked
at 1t the more the mystery of what 1t
could be grew upon me. studied its
cabalisuc characters till far into the
night.
1t must have been q week after the
Chinese coin came into my possession
that peculiar thing happened. had
left Shanghai and was in Canton.
One day while walking along the
street heard something hit the pave
ment with = clink. ! looked down. 1t
was the Chinese coin. 1t bounded
along over the rough pavement With
a most remarkable velocity, and I
crowd OF coolies. "Good-by. coin" 1
said to myself. and 'sure enough 1t had
vanished. spoke with what little
Chinese knew. offering the coolies
any price to restore my coin. But
they protested that they knew nothing
of 1t. really felt grieved over the
loss for had intended to keep 1t for
a pocketpiece and curio.
From China I went to Japan, spend
ing several months there. From
Japan went to the Philippines, where
my stay was somewhat shorter. Just
before left for India another strange
thing happened. was walking along
the beach when my foot hit upon 4
Small piece q wreckage, and l stopped
to examine It, It seemed TO have
been lately washed up. for the wood
was we'll preserved, though much
water-soaked. Idly turning the piece
of wreckage over / was astonished to
see = coin securely embedded In its
uhu0A btuOs ny al ChoIt hau0SCu
to extract the piece Of money. What
was my surprise when found 1t to
be the Chinese coin. l looked at 1t in
establishment. THE coin, the coin,
THE coin!" kept murmurins over
and over again to myself.
left Manila on large Chinese
junk instead Of steamer We we're
four days out from land when a sud
den storm seemed to drop from no.
where. In these regions the typhoon
comes with little warning. 1t is a
whirlwind Of enormous velocity and a
diameter Of from 200 to 500 miles.
The center of 1t is the most dangerous
part and ship cannot possibly live
there. A large steamer can often es-
cape . typhoon by proper manipuIa-
tion lint With q aaiIiOp vaauoI tbar~ ~