Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1914-03-31
WORTHY OF DANIEL
Wise With the Wisdom Of the
Great Ones Was the Pre-
feet of ChuanchoW.

|
shabby scholar sat reading to a
group of idlers outside of the pre-
fect's yamen of Chuanchow city. She
had sold her last '1arded devil" a
kind of doughnut eaten in that part
of China, and the days earnings lay
in her empty basket.
The readers face was livid, his
voice was hoarse, and his black
trimmed spectacles made him look
like lean old dragon fly; but his
fingers quivered with the varying
emotions of the story, darling, ca
ressing, lowering, insisting, until she
quite forgot their brown opium
stains and the cadaverous appearance
of their owner.
Some one noticed the girls alb
sorption as she stood tiptoe peeping
between moving heads and shoulders
at the histrionic gestures of the
scholar. A deft hand moved lightly,
and the money disappeared from her
basket.
When the story came to an end the
girl awoke from her dream to find
that the precious pile of cash was
gone. She spoke of her loss to the
people who stood near, but no one
helped her; and presently, with the
callousness which a Chinese crowd
so often shows to misfortune, the by
ISLANDERS began to laugh.
AT that moment spare man of
about thirty came out of the yamen
and turned into the street.
Mr.. Lii, the project of the city
for it was he-noticed the child, who
was now "crying as though her
mother were dead" and told his in
terpreter to find out what was the
matter.
"'Tis but little thing, your ex-
excellency. The child has lost some
cash, and dare not go home," said
the man.
GLOW much money has she lost %
Zone hundred and eight cash,
your excellency."
"Ask her how it happened"
The project waited patiently I'M
til, between sobs and terrified pauses,
the girl had told her tale. Mean
time a crowd collected, as yamen
runners, hangers-on of the court and
idlers from the street came sumter
ing up to see what was happening.
Presently his excellency gave or
ders that the girl should be taken
to the justice hall, so that her case
might be tried. Scarcely crediting
their ears, the bystanders began to
wonder what had befallen Mr.. Ii.
Even supposing the troubles of
crying child were worthy the notice
of one concerned with public bust
ness, the absence Of all proof or evil
dence in the affair rendered it nei-
Their profitable nor wise to inter-
NEEDLE with such a matter.
When, therefore, the people saw
him re-enter the court, followed by
runners leading the girl, they
trooped after them into the great
yamen, and even the idlers left their
story and the shadow of the wall by
the street edge to see the fun.
The examination, as anyone could
have foretold, came to an end with
out throwing fresh light upon the
Of the theft. The sec
retaries pulled each others sleeve
and raised their eyebrows. The by
ISLANDERS whispered, and some of
them began to laugh.
Mr.. LII spoke a word to the at
tendants; next moment the yamen
doors swung to with clatter.
"The people laugh" said Mr.. Ii,
his keen eyes glittering as he raised
his head and looked at the throng.
"The people laugh at us for trying
to help a child of one of the citizens
of this ethyl They laugh at rep
resentative Of the dragon Throne
in the discharge of duty They must
be taught"
The crowd was quiet now, for the
sound Of the bolts rafting between
them and the street had sobered the
whisperers.
"Such a breach of etiquette must