Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

telling him about Bung. Cinnamon and
Japs are bad caterpillars from different eggs.
Don't like each other. Course they don t!
The army worm doesn't like the red scale,
because they're both bent on the same sort
O. mischief
1--we always regarded Bung as different"
said the Judge. "He has done well, good
and faithful servant. When l first came
here, an invalid from Massachusetts,, we
didn't grow much of anything on the place
but crossword and mortgages. Bung
dropped in from nowhere, haggard, middle
aged Chinarnan with one eye. He said he
liked the place and wanted to stay forever
which seemed an almost fanatical whim OF
friendship, considering how the ranch looked
at that time That Chinaman was certainly
a godsend to me. He did the heavy work,
blowing and planting and narrowing
wasn't he help to us, Martha?"
thoughtfully. Half the time he cooked
Tommy, who was baby then. He was
; crazy about children, like all Cinnamon
Tommy was two years old, resumed the
Judge Goodness! how fast they grow! /
reckon he saved the baby life two or three
times-if YOU count the time he killed a five
foot RATHER with dishpan, and the other
time when Tommy had fever and Bung
rode nine miles on a wild horse to get
DOCTOR"
Most Chinks are deathly afraid of
horses" said Frederickson.
"Bung is no exception And count that
ride-though it had its comedy features
among the finest acts of moral heroism |
have ever witnessed"
The smoke wreaths rose calmly while the
insects in the long, dry grass ground their
little mills.
Doesn't he flock with other Chinamen?"
asked the man from San Jose.
"Never. Bung is hermit and an eccen-
trio. He never goes to town. Once month
for the last twenty years he has mailed let
ter to Sacramento. There's mystery about
row with his people, the way he avoids EN-"
Again the Judge paused. Lord! hate to
let him go. He is the only Chinaman | ever
had who could get along with white help. l
remember back in '98 we had an lrishman
around the place. Donnivan had such
deep and noisy racial aversion to Bung that
l thought I'd have to discharge EN- both to
keep peace in the family. One day went
out with them to stack some hay. All morn
ing Bung and Donnivan worked silently to-
gether, side by side. At noon we sat down
to lunch under the trees. 1t was Friday, and
out of respect for Donnivans religious prin-
ciples had included a can of salmon in the
basket He took the can, opened 1t, and
dumped it's entire contents on his plate.
What fo'?' shouted Bung, who also liked
fish. Now Bung, me by said Donnivan,
L don't want to fight wild yez-I got me re-
Igion, and We got yourn.- oh, l sable
YOU Ilish!' said Bung sweetly. And the two
were friends from that day on
Out back of the orchard Tommy Oliver
~ walked laggingly toward "Bung's cot
tage" The sun was slanting just above the
Coast Range now, and the living tapestry
of mesquit oak, and mountain laurel hung
rich and splendid against Heavens western
wall All those wild foothills, mellow with
sun, gave a curious effect of antiquity. Out
there there must be miraculous shapes of
people among the foliage, great, goat
Imbed fellows, transplanted like the vine
yards from the hills of Thessaly; subhuman
godlings tipsy with summer and shouting
40, To-" to the god of the silver reeds.
From the lowly brown hut just ahead is
sued high, nasal singsong in demisharps
and semi1ats, endless and Elusive. Bung
sat in front of his dwelling, alone on fruit
crate, praising the sunset-or maybe it was
. Cantonese music hall ditty he was attack
ing:
Fi-ling-toy see-ya hi!
Washa- hing gee!