The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-01-10
The japanese
Umbrella
A Chinese Episode and It's
Horrible Effect
By CLARlSSA MACKTE
Copyright. 1911, by American Press
Association.

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A whole year passed after Nelson's
return from Asia before he found him
self again treading an oriental street
and rubbing elbows with slant eyed.
blue bloused Chinese. His present po-
sition In the custom house made 1t
necessary that he should visit well
known silk importer. 1whose place Of
business lay in the heart Of San Fran.
cisco's reconstructed Chinatown.
Jay Nelson had been glad enough to
eliminate all memory of his last year
in China. There had been one horri-
BILE incident from which he had fed,
but whose shadow had lurked In the
background of his daily life since his
return to America. In broad daylight
he had laughed at the fears that pur-
sued his first sleepless, fear haunted
nights. After awhile the fear gave
place to sense of security fostered
by the practical workaday happenings
Of his busy life.
Today. however. as he passed along
Dupont street and turned into a mar
rover thoroughfare there burst upon
him the significant fact that this part
Of great city was but fragment of
the old eastern world after all.
He had TO pause once or twice and
inquire his way, for the house of the
importer was set in the heart of the
web of streets and alleys. Then when
his goal lay but a few yards ahead
there sprang into sudden view, bob
bling along In the crowd before him, q
certain green and gold paper parasol.
the meaning of which was all too
clear to Jay Nelson. He had q vague
realization that this emblem Of an ole
horror might have been evolved from
his own morbid fancy.
He pressed forward, eager to stretch
forth his hand and prove that the
Japanese umbrella was a thing of air,
was an optical Illusion. But always 1t
danced before him like a will-o' the
wisp. now showing CLINT of gold and
green and then melting into a dozen
Elusive tints.
Where 1t went there he too must
follow unity he could prove by actual
contact with its surface that it was a
creation of his fancy and not the
dreaded emblem of the White Brother
hood.
1t drew him on down into the very
bowels of the earth.
The paper umbrella collapsed and
was cast aside, while the bearer turn
ed to confront Nelson. Then the lat
ter awoke from his trance-like state
and stared first at the strange face
that confronted him. then about the
small dungeon-like room. empty of fur
niture and rocking with foul odors
and lighted by single swinging oil
lamp. Nelson's gaze came back to the
face of the Chinese. and he shivered
slightly. for the face was that of a
member of the dreaded order-the sign
was written on the mans brow.
Instantly Nelson whipped or his
coat, holding 1t before him as a shield
and backed to the stairway leading
upward
Hold moment" said the Chinese
in the Cantonese dialect: II am not
alone"
"'Who elseY demanded Nelson
sharply in the same tongue.
1.-THE brotherhood--at each stair
head they await your coming If you
contemplate flight" returned the Chi
nese imperturbably
what do you want with meT
Command of the big brother that
you be brought before him for trial"
HE came on from Hongkong to
seek meT
The Chinese cackIed shrilly. Then
he spat CONTEMPORARY. ''The broth,
erhood is everywhere. Captain Lesson
wherever there are offenders there
also will be found a tribunal Of the
brotherhood"
"Why do you call me by Captain
Lessons name" questioned Nelson
warily.
Because you are he"
Suppose am not?
"You arer' asserted the man rough
ly. 1.-THE brotherhood does not make
mistakes"
"You blunder this time. l am Mel
SON."
The other laughed derisively. Il
was told you would claim that name
Nelson died that night"
"Ah." cried Nelson suddenly, 'you
are the big brother! This is the tri-
bunal. You are alone; you thought to
fool me; see you later. Tai Laaor He
started to leap up the stairs and then
stopped short.
Tai Lao made no move to arrest his
fight. He merely folded his long claw
tipped fingers into either eapacious
sleeve and smiled widely.
1t was this smile that halted Nelson's
departure. the smile and certain hiss
ing whisper that sang down the stair
way and bore warning on its breath.
Again he turned to the Chinese.
Have it over with-this court Of
yoursl Be quick. for l have business
to attend to-matters Of Importance"
Every good. Captain Lesson" COM
mented the man called Tai Lao. FOL
low me-"
He led the way to shadowy corner
and pushed open a door into another
dimly lighted room. At long table
sat seven men. three on either side
and one at the end. At the farther
end Of the table there stood wide
armed empty chair. Except for a low
swung lamp above the table the room
was devoid Of other furnishing
Captain Lesson" he announced In
low voice. ION trial for betraying Sc
crets of the White Brothers"
Captain Lesson died, as you all
know" said Nelson sternly. II saw
him die, killed by your orders. He
died in the street Of
"Silencer' menaced the leader. He
claims to be Nelson. the one who died
that night"
The seven nodded In unison. but did
not remove their gaze from Nelson's
angry face.
He kept silence now, briefly review
ing the strange events that had snatch
ed him from the busy streets of the
city into as dismal den of murderers
as one might hope to find along the
water front of any Chinese city.
Before his eyes there flashed a pic.
ture of his last year in China. Then
he had been in the diplomatic service
of his country. Lesson. his friend, an
Englishman in the British employ al
Hongkong- inspector Of health or some
thing of that sort-had interested Mel
son in his establishment Of leper col
ony down In Anam.
1t was Lessons ambition to clean
out the lepers hidden In the city, to
root them out from their places Of con.
ceaIment and transport them to the
Macy, k4.>x1z had f,nor,