Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-15
The Mysterious Ways of WangF00 BySdneyG Partridge

Who had thrown the stone with this
mysterious warning and what was it's
thought, and came to this conclusion:
Some one at the hong had overheard
the word "Peak" and had followed Sir
William and himself to the summit by
the little pathway that climbs up by
message to the stone and thrown it
over the parapet. The words of the
poem were intended to be a friendly
clue to the object of his search with
out diyulging the slightest hint as to
their author. Some one was trying
and why? He fell asleep with the
question only partly answered.
The following afternoon a venerable
figure, clad in the old and faded blue
gown of a scholar and leaning on a
bamboo staff. was vending his way
along. the river street. He came to
the old Canton wharf and. attempts
ing to hobble across the thoroughfare,
was nearly knocked down by an Eng
lish pony-trap that rushed by in the
pant shouted: Get out of the way
there, you miserable old coolie! He
reached the sidewalk and Chinese
police officer, with that respect for old
age which puts the westerner to
shame, at once came to his assistance.
IL
dangerous for you to be crossing the
foreign street alone; let me offer to
assist you"
"a thousand thanks, my son; l am
all right now, only little shaken
with the excitement. Is there some
friendly place near here where l can
sit and rest a mOment?'
Most certainly; see, right across
the way is the foreign medicine shop
IoDsr
you will be most welcome. .'i~.
Suiting the action to the word, the
policeman escorted the old teacher to
the native room of Rollins & Co.,
where he was instantly made at home
and a bowl of tea and a pipe We're
placed at his disposal.
AS he rested an refreshed himself
he glanced around the room and his
eyes surveyed the scrolls and tablets
hanging on the walls. They described
of the medicines for sale within. One
in particular seemed to interest him
more than all the others. 1t hung
right over the central archway and
OH it were inscribed the words: "He
prepares the golden pill of immor-
tally"
'That wondrous medicine" he asked
Of the native clerk. the pill of i'm
mortality, do you sell 1T here? And
what would it do for one as old and
as 1eeDle as mySelI :, ...-
ut is the greatest tonic OF the age.
Venerable Elder-born," he answered;
cit will restore your spirits and make
you feel quite young again"
"The price-for the smallest box?"
1.-TWO silver coins of the smallest
size" But, seeing the books the old
tacher carried with him, he at once
added: "For the students of the great
Masters words one coin will be quite
enough" 49,
The old man slowly unwound his
the box of pills and. rising from his
seat, babe them all "good-day."
May you heap up the mountains OF
riches" he said as he passed out.
May little Of your light ever ns a peam
upon us! May the lucky stars guaoe
Two days after the above occur
renee Wang Foo had his second in
terview with the head OF Rollins q
Co, and among other questions ne
asked was this: 49,,
branch establishment whatever III tne
colony?"
None whatever"
mo other drug or medicine snop,
then, has the permission or the rlgn.
to use the sign of 'Lo Ling or Green
Forest'?" .,o+
mo. sir thousand times noIthat
sign is registered at government mouse
and YOU know how the Chinese resaru
the stealing of a business sign
Eyes, it is a most serious offense ana
in the native courts severely punished.
They sometimes take away mans
business for all the rest of his life. You
are quite positive you have no 'other
store'?"
absolutely positive, sir"
1.-THE police know of none, then"'
"How should they? They have the
strictest orders to arrest any one, for
ejgn or native, using the sign OF ho
Ling"
"Sir>William. am going to say some
thing that will surprise you-but l say
it on the pledge of your strictest secrecy
until this case is all complete was
in your other store last night"
Was Wang Foo telling the truth!
Was he really in the branch store OF
Rollins e. Co. the night before? was
there such place? That Wang 200,
the famous exposer of crimes had really
made such q visit no mortal knew ex-
cept himself-but that the old scholar
who trudged slowly homeward from the
hong had taken a roundabout way
through Ivory alley" that he had
carefully scrutinized the sign Of every
ivory carver in that narrow passage;
that he had finally found one where.
under the bright golden characters, 1t
said. in a fainter color invisible to the
careless passer-by. Branch OF the
Green Forest for the special distribu.-
ton Of the golden pills; that he had
entered the shop and departed with a
tiny packet of pills in his sleeve
and that on his return to his home that