The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-01-18

Won indeed, Wo sun purred the at
tendant in Sing Hoy's gambling joint,
but the cards do not for ever fall
against The bold player. Fortune must
come to you in time. Come drink this
and let US sit and talk"
A bowl Of tepid tea, drawn from the
ever sleeping. big. blue teapot.
snugged for warmth in its wool lined
basket. was thrust out for Wo Sun
as he turned from the table, pushing
his way through the score Of other
Chinese grouped closely about the
sound deadenfng blanket, upon which
stakes were tossed and leather doni-
noes clicked softly in the fascinating
paIkau game. That one player more
had staked his last coin and lost was
an incident unworthy Of greater notice
from these players than a passing jest
from the one nearest to him, who
slipped into his seat on the bamboo
stool and grew absorbed at once in
the edged-up blocks before him.
with trembling hand Wo sun put
aside the profered refreshment. With
out answering the sugared words Of
the attendant he turned towards the
door, barred with a great slab of wood
TO hold it against any sudden thrush
of the police, who, in Honolulu. had
of late shown endless trouble in
molesting harmless Chinese gamblers,
dragging them before a stern-faced
justice and fning them in spite of
the best cooked evidence that could
be bought The soft-voiced attendant
was at his heels. 1t was no part of
his duty to allow player to leave
with the thought Of his losses fresh
ranking in his mind. Such losers were
known sometimes TO carry the tale to
the police, and then much profit was
eaten up in fines.
81 will let you out, wo Sun. But
do not go so soon. The hour is early.
Come, will fix the pipe for you, enc
mouthful of the white smoke will help
and cheer you. See, I viii call Lee
Let to do my work and we will use
the mat. No one is in the little room
and we may talk at ease and a
reckoning finger was held up to the
watcher at the door, the lookout for
whom only the big bar would swing
out OF place and for whose quick
warning the money and dominoes
would disappear, the blanket be
rolled and tossed aside and
the entering police would find only a
number of bland-faced men. gravely
the boycott situation or the
latest meddling order of the Board of
Health
But wQ Sun heard not the words,
or needed not if he did. With nervous
fingers he tugged at the wires which
sprung the snap lock of the door. the
lookout hurrying to his side. The slid
ing panel over the little peephoIe was
Tipped aside and a sharp glance swept
the alleyway without. Then the door
swung noiseIessly open, shutting
quickly behind the departing gambler
as he stepped from the reeking joint
into the Swallowed alleyway, cool in
the breath of the trade winds
His brain was reeling as he passed
out into the street and slipped away
from the alleys mouth. He was weak,
weak from hunger and the great fear
that was gripping his heart. the fear
of physical pain. He had shot his last
bolt but one. His last cent had gone
into the sok box of Sing Hoy. the
money. for which he had that day sold
his orange-wood pipe, the last of his
sellable goods, the only thing that the
opium fend had left him since she
won him. Now. all was lost but life.
That he could sell. that he was prepar-
ing himself to sell, for money he must
have and at once.
To Wo sun an age had passed since
morning, since he had torn open the
yellow envelope and read the words
that had come from far over seas 10
him. from home. from China, with its
appeal for help, for money, from his
aged father. The words written there
had told OF food and famine and
suffering. of mothers holding tiny dead
to dried breasts, of famlshed, frantic
fathers selling all bit dead children
10 the foreign devils, the white mis-
sionaries. that the little ones might at
least be fed. even # in the feeding
the faith of their fathers should be
lost 10 them. The words had told him
OF an old mother. starving, dying and
through dying eyes watching deaths
slow approach.
But little money would save both.
SAID the words OF the letter. Always
money had come 10 them from their
dutiful son until now. and now was
the great need. Would the dutiful son
from the riches ne was earning hurry
and send the little bit Of paper that
- <~,-, rL1 E~Afra man :