Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-05-12
CHAPTER XVI.
:AGI~ H..lnn and Bin Port,

from. a magic domain, Land OF Nou
whose somnolent millions are just be-
ginning to raise their sleepy heads.
On the waters of the big port the
smaller native boats bob around ike
bumblebees busy in a garden. The
brown junks lie still in droves, and
only the occasional typhoon can stir
them to general activity and excite
ment. Occupying the more open
spaces, the ships from the western
countries swing with an air of grave
solidity at their anchorage. DARK
specks Chamber up the sides Of several
of them from the coal lighters around.
Big vessels continue to arrive; oth-
ers go. Always animation, life in the
shadow of the great hills that stand
like guardian sentinels of the strange
land beyond
The man in the little shop referred
to can not, at the present moment, see
all this from his front door which
faces the other way; but he knows
il is there, and, sometimes, perhaps,
he likes to think of, or go where he
can look out upon the varied details
of the picture. Now, however, he is
absorbed in a paper from home
America: he has read the latest news
of graft, politics and scandal, and IS
about to turn to the page devoted TO
sermons, when his gaze is arrested by
a headline: The Goldberg pearls.
Mysteriously returned after
more than four years" The fine
straight eyes lift from the sheet. The
mans expression is one of ironical
disapproval of modern enterprising
newspaper methods; then, suppress
ing a yawn, he sits with a contem-
plative look on his Slightly whimsi-
cal, clean-cut features. 1t is only In
moments like these, Of perfect repose
and easy poise, that the man on the
little stool in the doorway appears any
older than he who enacted the role OF
play of the Shoguns.
Has he ever thought of that occa-
sion since? His eyes, somewhat gra-
yer. though filled with lively inter-
est in all things that have life, follow
the multitude; brown, yellow, white!
The bare feet of the 'ricksha boys pat
ter-patter. There's a rhythm in the
sound; it soothes, lulls. A Chinaman,
with a visage suggestive of the inher-
tied calm of generations of tranquil
ancestors, moves silently about, amid
the rarest of silks and priests robes,
vases and other superb ancient art
pieces. A shop? Rather, a tiny mu-
scum, a room full of delight and
treasures.
The Chinaman dusts and rubs. He
never drops anything; his days are
an exemplification of existence with
out emotions or accidents. The man
in the doorway now turns lazily to re-
gard him. Patter.-patter!- feet
without go on necessarily. Click
click.-life surges through the narrow
street. The man hears the sound OF
the stream, though he no longer sees
it: his gaze half-contemplative, half
inquiring, continues fastened on the
Oriental.
Let me see. Ting's Elder Brother,
how long is it since we have been
partners?"
Nearly ten years"
And in that time we have amassed
a few pretty pennies"
The Chinaman imperturbably men,
toned an amount.
Quite a princely fortune!" COM
mented the man on the stool. The
people of your country are ideal Dusi-
ness partners" he laughed. "One puts
a little money with them and it grows
like a SNOWFALL you haven't even help
ed roll along"
THE collection of vases and other
articles the master left before he went
to the New World were very fine"
said the other in the smoOthest dia-
lect of Canton.
They must have been" was the
lazy reply. since you got nearly one
hundred thousand dollars for pur-
chases made by me for a few hundred
dollars on one of my exploring eXpe-
ditions into the interior. Truly art
thou a Prince of Merchants, oh, Ting's
Elder Brother, and a wizard day was
it for me when established you here.
An excellent contract of mine, that or
equal profits for setting you up? And
the joke of it is" laughed the man on
the stool, Il really thought l was doing
YOU a favor, that never a dollar that
went into the venture would ever
come out again. l really forgot all
about you and the little shop until one
day in New York" his face graver
"a letter came, saying something
about good business in China"
1T is 1 and my brothers who owe
much to the master" said the Orien-
tai musically. Did he not save"
Your honorable and illustrious faith
er, the benevolent pirate?" rising.
True. Heigho." he yawned. The
sleeping partner, having become opu-
lent. is also once more getting restless.
The little stool i'm a front door, though
a charming post Of vantage, offers not
sufficient scope for his fevered BRAIN"
The master has only been back
from one of his journeys about a
week"
"A week? 1t has seemed a year"
Well" sententiOusly, IF the master
must go so soon again, in the town of
Tei-to, near the borders of Thibet,
there is. l have heard, an honorable
family who have had for many gen.
erations. three ancient vases"
Which. if you got, you could set
your own price on for some barbarian
American? Good. My cOuntrymen
must have works of art, Ting's Elder
Brother. And to get these there may
he offered an adventure. Besides
He stopped. thinking of delicate, Sc
cret service then engrossing him,
work he had taken upon himself,
through motives of patriotism, for his
government at Washington. An