Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-16

returned from the fields at noon.
He was shuffling dreamily toward the
south orchard, hoe over his right shoulder
and can of rank tea in his left hand, when
someone jumped at him from behind tree
and shrieked "Boo!" in a voice that was
intended to be thrillingly supernatural:
Goo molnin', Missy Maud chuckled
Bung, observing who it was "You clazy
mebbe?'
The Youngest and most frivolous of the
Olive girls wreathed her hands above her
blond head in morbid and wraithlike fashion.
am ghost-I'm a ghost!' she moaned.
@Oho, you no ghostee! see plenty kinds,
sometime white, sometime smoky; but
nevah same like YOU You too pink
al don't see why you're so stingy with
your old ghosts. Can't you let some of the
rest of us see one once in awhlleo'
"Mebbe sometime. Las nj | see one big
white ghostee ALI same tablecloth. Mebbe
catch him TO YOU
"Good! Oh, dor
@All lite. If you velly, .velly good gal,
mas plesent" Bung slouched away, laugh
ing nerrily at the little joke he was having
all to himself.
LIE returned from the orchard at noon with
IL his mouth made up for a substantial
meal from the sacred rice and potatoes he
had laid before the shrine. A brisk morn
ing's work had whetted his appetite, and he
went straight for the food on the box where
he had put it. Alas! yet another miracle
had happened! The cold viands he had of
fered that morning to the gods had entirely
disappeared! This was an event unprece-
dented in Bung's experience in pagandom:
1t was entirely contrary to the etiquette OF
the gods, being spiritual, to descend and &C
tually eat the food offered them. They were
supposed to satisfy their hunger through the
sense of smell. Gross feeding they left to
mere earthly mortals Who, then, had
stolen Bung's lunch?
No footprints were evident on the hard,
adobe footpaths The impious pilferer of
sacrihcial meats must have come by alr-by
air! All. could it have been the wandering
specter of last night, the milk-white ghost of
Takoshima? Troubled in spirit, All Lee
Bung cooked himself a second meal over the
cobblestone stove. After refreshing himself,
he again set the remainder of the meal in
decorated bowls on the box before the shrine.
This time he was batting a trap. He in
tended to hang around during the afternoon
and catch that Japanese Specter IN the very
act.
But an ill-luck devil decreed that Judge
Oliver should come and order Bung to hoe
around the Blenheim. saplings at the ex-
IRENE northern strip. So it was dusk before
he could return to his profaned shrine. And
profaned it was; for not only had the VIC
tuals disappeared from the box, but the
bowls also were gone this time. Entering
his hut hastily for another search, he dis
covered the loss of his second best suit of
overalls from their accustomed peg; also his
black SLOUGH hat The little hoard in the
sardine box under the quilt was intact, and
no trinket had been taken from the room.
On the bare floor directly in front of his bed
Bung beheld a sign, 1.-TWO large, distinct
footprints And they were pure white!
Naturally" thought Bung, "a pure white
ghost would leave tracks like these"
As he thought the matter over dull rage
began to gather in his breast against this
extremely irregular specter who, not satisfied
with using his shrine as a free lunch counter,
had entered his home and made way with
his trousers Bung hated a Japanese, dead
or alive and he classed this as the lowest of
Japanese tricks. No decent Chinese ghost
would do such thing, he reflected; but
these detestable Samun were forever cheat
ing the people of Han Yet he had outwitted
many a lap in poker. Was there no way of
getting round this impudent fellow?
A FTER moonrise All Lee Bung. quaking
hit reSOute skunk to the edge of the