Evening journal., 1909-06-28
AN INSCRIPTION ON A FAN
forIslnall

and bamboo fan. There is nothing
about It to indicate that it is Of especial
value. Indeed. 10 or 10 cents would be
a good price for it. 1t is spread out to
show some Chinese characters daubed
across its face. 1t occurred TO me that
this Inscription might have something
to do with the care taken in the fans
preservation. and one evening after /
dinner while in the room where it was /
/ asked Charnley II it were not so.
Il should think So" he said, knocking /
the ashes of his cigar. Its all in the
inscription"
"Well. out with IT," / knew by his
expression there was a story coming.
you remember some years ago" he
began. Il was obliged to go TO China on
business. l needed only to visit Pc
king, Nankin and a few other points.
In going from Nankin to Khaifeng
met With an adventure. was on
! horseback and well armed. Hearing
commotlon on the road before me,
spurred on and found a mandarin be
ing robbed by a couple Of bandits, who
were trying TO kill him before taking
his money His position was very
plain to me, and. dashing among them.
fired at both OF the assailants in rapid
succession, purposely missing them.
since / didn't care to kill any one and
probably be delayed by doing so. The
robbers ran away, and the mandarin's
servants skunk back TO him. He was
the most grateful man you ever saw.
Since we couldn't speak the same Ian.
guage, he could only thank me with
his eyes, which told his feelings plain
enough. lie picked up that fan, which
during the melee had fallen in the
road, shook the dust off it and, taking q
writing stick wrote that inscription
across its face. handing the fan TO me.
II supposed that he had written his
thanks.
"'Glad to have your autograph
said, though / knew be didn't under
? stand me, and we went on together in
silence till we reached the next vii
; lage, where we parted with many fare
wells which neither understood. Then
I went on alone
Il heard a great deal about the rising
, wrath in China against the foreign
Z devils but didn't suspect 1t was n
premonitlon Of the celebrated Boxer
movement then about TO break out
e Reaching a mission station In a small
q town. concluded to remain with the
o family Of Mr.. Fisk. its manager for
{ a few days. On the afternoon of my
e arrival his daughter Evelyn, girl OF
twenty, saw me using the fan. She
could read the inscription, Of course
and said to me:
e "'Take care Of that fan. Don't lose
= It as you value your life'
AZ ''I asked her why. but at the moment
she was called away. and did not sec
Id her for some time. I don't remem
le Der whether when l did see her had
n forgotten the matter or had no op
portunity to ask again. At any rate. /
- was very soon after that we hear
- shrieks up the street. Every one pres
le ent turned white, knowing that a mo-
was numbering the Christian cohvGEts
r The noise came rapidly our way. AM
m Mr.. Fisk, his family and servant
IL gathered In the living room in con
sternation got out all my weapons
n but Mr. Fisk shook his head. Never
rs theless I thought that I might as wei
.e die defending my countrymen, espf
IS, cially as II would be pleasanter thai
ii dying without action.
lg NEARER came the yells and shrek
till suddenly we saw through the wir
dow a gang Of cutthroats coming
doubtless. to the station. At that me
r ment Evelyn. who had been cut rusf
he ed in looking like a ghost.
o. "'The fan! The fan! she crioC
n Where is it,
Id "'What FAM
az "'The one you bad yesterday
"I remembered that It was in N
room and from Evelyn's eagernes
D. about it knew that It must be Of lmpo
es lance. so ran there, snatched It froI
be O. table and ran back again. into tn
at living room. Evelyn pushed me to II
be door, crying:
lg "'Open It! Hold It up
se, 'T did as she directed Just in time I
ot face the ugliest gang Of fanatics
re ever saw or expect to see. Their Leaf
ut er, an immense man, was about
IN dash in, with an ak raised above h
m head, when he caught sight Of the le
be ters on the fan. He stopped, lowerir
his AK, while those behind him SCENE
to be paralyzed by the Inscription
re Then the leader. calling for a writir
or stick, wrote something over our doc
Ne and the mob rushed on. yells ar
re shrieks following in its wake.
} 8 'sThey had no sooner started avs
he than, the strain on Evelyn having bee
Id relaxed, she tainted. and l caught b.
ch in my arms. Laying her on q couch,
ey went out to look at what the Chinami
Is had written on the door. The chara
rs ters were the same as those on the ia
nc When Evelyn revived she told me the
ter meaning, Respect this man and tho
nj with him.
"The signature was that Of mand
rim. Chang Lang, very influential wi
lsu the Chinese people. since he had be-
~ opposed to foreigners.
Ell I'VE remained safe under the prote
up ton of tile fan till we could get ava
Oh Mr.. Fisk brought his family back
rs America, and came with them"
ten Knowing" said, that Mrs. Char
sn' ley's first name is Evelyn, take it th
ian co., ,arar- "a ,nraopao a. xvaI1